The short story, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, first
             published in 1886 can be read in simple terms referring to the plot, a doctor,
             "committed to a profound duplicity of life." This text is not a simplistic story, it has
             many sub – plots and themes which are repressed, the Victorian era was a time of repression and
             Considering the piece of literature in context with the date it was published,
             gives today's reader ideas about underlying themes which are apparent throughout the
             text. Being a Victorian piece of fiction, Stevenson would have been inihibited with
             respect to narrative and direct speech. This is reflected by the simplest theme, which
             the story is about, transition. Transition is the journey from one emotional state to
             another, which is prohibited with regard to society and so called "social norms" of the
             Stevensons story gives the modern reader an idea of the fragility of the
             Victorians living in a respectable society. The main characters are wealthy male
             batchelors and would have had high social status in Victorian society, aswell as being
             well educated and respected. Their decline would have led to downfall, a common
             To understand the text further, other influential writers of the time should be
             analysed and considered to give a critical understanding when re – reading Dr Jekyll
             and Mr Hyde. It could be said that through the Victorian age, respectable authors
             introduced new ideas which questioned peoples beliefs until that time and became a
             fashionable topic for discussion and writing. Two influential figures of the time are
             In 1859, Charles Darwin first published "The origin of species," a piece of
             literature which was popular with the Victorians. Darwin wrote that the "preservation
             ...