Shelley’s Frankenstein and Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde: science and psychology in 19th-century fiction

Aims of the course

This course aims to:
1. Consider the development of the Gothic novel and Shelley’s and Stevenson’s specific responses to science in their approaches to the genre.
2. Investigate themes, such as that of the double, and novelistic technique, through close textual analysis.
3. Trace the emergence of psychology in the history of 19th-century science.

Content

The Victorian period was one of ever-increasing prosperity and power for the British, but it was also characterised by social problems arising from the new industrial conditions, by doubts and hopes inspired by the new science and by debates about what constitutes crime and what punishment. At the same time interest in the workings of the mind and human motivation grew together with an exploration of good and evil that went beyond the rules provided by religion.

The taste for Gothic fiction begins in the Enlightenment period, when the claims of religion to hold the one and only truth were being questioned, and encounters with ghostly presences were seen by some as tests of the limits of reason. In the 19th century, attention moves to the horrors that lurk in our own psyche, and in fiction, the unconscious often manifests itself as a second self. Frankenstein’s Creature is one such double, and Jekyll’s Hyde is another. Mary Shelley also addresses the latest scientific discoveries of her day and questions the belief that such developments are always beneficial to mankind. This question is raised in Stevenson’s work, too. Jekyll’s discovery that “man is not truly one, but truly two,” comes at a time when literature has long been fascinated by the recognition that every personality contains good and evil. The origins of Stevenson’s novella can be traced back to a specific tradition and a fascination with the theme of the divided self but the social conditions of his own life and times as well as contemporary scientific insights contributed to developing this tale into something much more modern. Moreover, the author created an unusual narrative structure by telling the story backwards, and this is a further aspect of the work our discussions will focus on.

Both texts have become modern myths, the original stories buried under dozens of adaptations and retellings. At the end of the course, we shall turn our attention to extracts from some of the numerous films.

Presentation of the course

The course will consist of informal lectures and some close analysis of extracts from the text with an emphasis on class discussion.

Class sessions

1. The Emergence of the Science of Psychology in the 19th century

2. Social, Historical and Biographical Background to Shelley’s Frankenstein

3. Notions of Masculinity and Femininity in Frankenstein

4. The “Education” of the Creature

5. Literary contexts: preoccupation with “Second Selves”

6. Stevenson and His Circle in the Late 19th century: the social context

7. Contemporary Science versus the Supernatural in Jekyll and Hyde

8. The Narrative Structure of Stevenson’s Novella

9. Psycho-analytical interpretations

10. Film adaptations of both texts Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course are:
1. Gain a critical appreciation of literary and historical contexts.
2. Articulate an informed response to the texts and some of the issues covered on the course.
3. Demonstrate an analytical, literary-critical approach to reading these works.

Required reading

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818 or 1831, several paperback editions

Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, 1886, several paperback editions

Typical week: Monday to Friday

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students. 

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.

Evaluation and Academic Credit 

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses. 

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay.

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.

Certificate of attendance

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.