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jekyllandhydemk2 · 8 years ago

Text

Week 9

The murder of Danvers Carew 2.0

The street was silent, with only the sounds of my footsteps to fill it. The frost stuck to my coat, my misty breathe mixed with the smoke from my cigar. I felt each draw sent a warm current flowing through my body, forcing a cracking smile onto my face as if it wasn’t my own.

I’m searching for something, someone. I need to see them, our sort of meetings were frowned upon by my others, the ones that knew. It seen as a taboo, done only in secret, in hidden dark rooms where no one could see or hear, always at risk.

As moon became the center of the sky, I searched the streets, finally catching a glance of someone, standing in the moonlight looking up. It wasn’t who I was looking for, their tall board appearance was different but still alluring, his body was of a man in his mid 20’s but his hair that of older gentlemen. I hid from his sight, I felt my starting to race heart as I saw but I didn’t move to greet him. I moved to call him again but my body still wouldn’t move, I stayed still, hunched over, grunting quietly, watching.

The man ahead of me seemed lost in his own mind as I moved slowly towards him. I feel a crooked grin appearing across my face as I approached. My hand grips tightly around the body of my cane, I feel my pulse start to race faster. My body approaching him from behind, I straighten my back and raise hand.

He turns around and looks at me in the eye, I realise it’s him.

Time pauses as I stare into his eyes, the days we spent together, the long nights we spent embraced hidden away. High society would have us locked up with real monsters or worse if it ever went public of what we were. I feel something struggling against me as I try to drop my cane my grip only gets tighter, my face starts to hurt as I feel the smile on my face get larger, the skin around my lips starting to tear, as the pain gets worse I feel myself getting weaker and lose the battle for control.

My cane strikes down, crashing against his head. Blood spraying against my coat as body continues to bash against my will and break the body below me. A monstrous laugh breaks from my lips, a cigar falling from my mouth onto the mangled body below me. The cane is thrown to my side, my hands wrap around his head, squeezing, crushing, cracking his skull, for the one final scream.

I awoke, sweat coating my body, I’m shaking. It takes me a minute to realise, I’m in not in my own room

This is not the first time I’ve woken up here.

I feel cramped, it feels like the low ceiling and the dark red walls enclosing on me. Blood covered my clothes and hands, I wiped my face to find even more gore, my stomach wrenches as last night's events force themselves into my mind, as if by another.

The man I killed, his face still fresh in my mind, Danvers, an old lover, and friend. We were supposed to meet and talk about the past. We missed it, and wanted to live it again, even for a night but Mr Hyde didn’t approve.

---

The analysis of Short Story inspired by Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

This is essay I will be analysing my own adaption of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in the form of a 500 word short story. I after reading the book, I took a short few pages from the book, the murder of Mr Danvers swapped to the view of another, Dr Jekyll instead of the maid.

When reading the book, I found a few chapters which gave me a interesting view into the characters which might not have been perceived at the time by the author or his wife. These few modern views of the story lead to me write an adaptation where Dr Jekyll is homosexual but must hide it due to victorian society's view of homosexuals, while Mr Hyde is Dr Jekyll’s want and need to be straight so he can fit in with said society and be happy while doing it, since it wasn’t only frowned upon but a prisonable offence. I touch on this subject in my writing, “It seen as a taboo, done only in secret, in hidden dark rooms where no one could see or hear, always at risk” and “High society would have us locked up with real monsters or worse if it ever went public of what we were”

One of the most known cases that showed victorian society’s view of homosexuality and how it was treated in the era, Mason(2015) states that...

“...The famous imprisonment of author Oscar Wilde in 1895 for being a homosexual paints a picture of sexual repression and hostility towards same-sex relationships in 19th-century England.”

This quote I believe helps paint a picture party what it was like to be homosexual in the victorian era. If man was caught doing “buggary” or homosexual intercourse, that person would be taken to trial, then either locked up, forced to undergo a series of medieval conversion therapies or in a worse case scenario sentenced to death.

One of the lines that gave me the idea for the homosexual themes in my adaption, was one by Mr Utterson when he describes Dr Jekyll with such dedicated detail, Stevenson, R.(1886, P.23) states that-

“Dr. Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the opposite side of the fire — a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness”

This loving detail gave me my first piece of inspiration, in my mind, Mr Utterson seems to adore the man more than anything, more than a friend would. This set the idea in my mind about some of the characters being homosexual or apart of the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Another line by Mr utterson dreams about Dr Jekyll, Stevenson, R.(1886, P.15) states that-

“...Or else he would see a room in a rich house, where his friend lay asleep, dreaming and smiling at his dreams”

Taking inspiration from another media and take on Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in more of a Bruce Banner and the Hulk way was League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore and Illustrated by Kevin O’Neill. During a Dinner party scene between Hyde, Captain Nemo and the coachman, William Samson Sr, Hyde brings up his origins stemming from Jekyll wanting to “purge” himself of sin and upon the coachman’s comment on how a doctor mustn't have many sins to purge, Hyde reveals his alter-ego (and possible by extension his own) sexuality in relation to men, Moore, A. O’Neill.(2002) states that

“...Oh and he played with himself, sometimes while he thought about other men…”

Even though the writing Alan Moore is a bit eccentric, He also adds to my own idea of Hyde being created to make Jekyll straight or that Hyde was his need/want to be straight, Moore, A. O’Neill.(2002) states that-

“Anyway, what that silly bastard did, he thought he quarantined all these bad parts, what left would be a ****ing ANGEL…”

I believe the Mr Hyde from League is stemming from Jekyll’s repressed sexuality, and his history of violence against women which is shown in volume 1 of the book. When looking for a murderer, Wilhemina Murray and Allan Quatermain are sent to find Hyde--at this point a man they believe to be just Dr. Jekyll who has been murdering prostitutes in Paris. With Alan Moore’s flare for dramatic violence this could be seen as his way of demonstrating Jekyll’s frustrations with women, sexuality and his own urges for the same sex. If I chose to continue this adaption, I’d like to incorporate this, I would turn down the abuse of women for my own version, Alan Moore writes abuse of women, like it’s as normal as breathing.

Between reading the book and writing my own adaptation to the story I started thinking of the types of animation that could be applied to a the original story and my own, since the original has already been shown and retold so many times using live action while it has only been told a few times via animation.

All forms of animation could work well, we have the classic traditional 2D which has been done before in 1986 by Maricia Hatfield and by Warner Brothers during 1955 in the Bugs Bunny short Hyde and Hare but I think how both Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are animated could be taken a lot further with some hybrid animation to show how each of the different sides view the world around them, and how they are viewed as well. Since Jekyll and Hyde are shown to be such different characters, and from my view even the way they see the world of Jekyll and Hyde could be different which leads me to the idea of hybrid animation.

My story relies on Hyde being Jekyll’s want/need to be straight, which in my mind could make Hyde almost the distorted version of Dr Jekyll to himself, translating from Jekyll and his worlds type of animation to a different one. This could be shown by Dr Jekyll being a in CG world which would be quite shiny, clean going along with how others see him, while Mr Hyde could be in a stop motion puppet based around Jekyll’s cg model but made out of plasticine allowing the constant change of Mr Hyde’s appearance as he gets ‘stronger’ taking on more of Jekyll’s physical traits as Jekyll believes he’s becoming straight while Jekyll himself is becoming more like Hyde, shorter, more deformed similar to what Hyde explains happened to himself in ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2, Moore, A. O’Neill.(2002, P.22) states that-

“I mean, when I started out, good GOD, I was practically a ****ing dwarf. Jekyll, on the other hand, a Great big strapping fellow.”

While also being a call back to the original lecture of Jekyll and Hyde, in the book ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ which is set a good few years after the original book, Hyde is now a giant of a man, while Jekyll is average size but extremely un well as shown by O’Neill.(2002, P.7 V1, P11 V2) illustrations below left (P.11 , right) (page 7, chapter 2, volume 1)

To show the passage of Jekyll to Hyde, using shape theory in these animations, Jekyll in this version would be made up of mostly circles with a few squares spotted about at the start, while Hyde would take on more equal mixture of triangles and squares showing off his strength and evil by being what Jekyll needs him to be. Near the end of the animation it would end with Hyde becoming the ‘straight’ Jekyll taking on the more circles into this design, while Jekyll would have lost his parts of his circles in his shape for having lost such a big part of himself, making himself and Hyde more similar unlike what happened in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

In conclusion I believe I established the scene well and informed the viewer of the story and background of the time, all while trying to keep the viewer involved.

The backup for my inspiration could have had more behind it, I based it off the short parts of the main text, influences from previous writing and a modern look on it. I really like the concept of Jekyll behind a homosexual and Hyde being his side of himself he created to make himself straight, but I also like how Alan Moore writes Jekyll and Hyde, Moore, A (2002) states that -

“...Separating us in the first place, all because he wanted to be pure. ****ing Idiot”

While for the League, it was to separate Jekyll’s good and evil side, which explained why Mr Hyde was described as young, dwarf-like, since Jekyll was meant to be mostly good, and his evil in that story was new and hadn’t existed for long. My story had a version where Hyde was all of Jekyll’s want/need to be straight, leaving Jekyll completely gay until Hyde destroys everything and everyone that he believes make him gay.

Bibliography

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.1986.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0821767/ .[Online]

Emma Mason.07/04/15.The Victorians’ surprisingly liberal attitude towards gay men.[ONLINE].http://www.historyextra.com/article/sex-and-love/victorians%E2%80%99-surprisingly-liberal-attitude-towards-gay-men.[Accessed-01/02/2017]

Moore, A. O’Neill.(2002).The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 1.New York City, Vertigo Comics.(P.7)

Moore, A. O’Neill.(2002).The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2.New York City, Vertigo Comics.(P.11, 22)

O’Neill.(2002).League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume 1.[Book].http://www.comicsrecommended.com/images/others/loeg1_002_earshot.jpg. 2002.[Accessed - 01/01/2017]

O’Neill.(2002).League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume 2.[Book].http://www.comicsrecommended.com/images/others/loeg1_002_earshot.jpg. 2002.[Accessed - 01/01/2017]

Stevenson, R.(1886).Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. London, PlaneteBook [online].http://www.planetebook.com/ebooks/The-Strange-Case-of-Dr-Jekyll.pdf.[Accessed-28/11/2016].(P.15, 23,

Timeline of LGBT history in the United Kingdom.NDF.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_LGBT_history_in_the_United_Kingdom.[Online]

YOUTUBE.(11/05/2014).Hyde And Hare 1955.[Online].https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA7b1fuMTSQ.[Accessed-01/02/2017]

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jekyllandhydemk2 · 8 years ago

Text

Week 8

Brief bullet points to essay

Introduction

Talk about short story and how I’ll analyse it.

Themes I used in story

Gay, Violence, Hyde being Jekyll’s want (need) to be straight (Utterson calls Jykell Beautiful,) (Also reference how males are described in the story)

Add in the League of extraordinary gentlemen, Hyde dinner party (Add picture)

What I changed in each iteration,

How that relates back to the original (Seeing homosexual tendencies through modern eyes/ modern look)(How I got that [use quotes from the book, Utterson's description of Jekyll, how jealous he seems of the idea of Jekyll and Hyde being a couple, etc.]

How this could be animated (2D, stopmotion, CG) [I’m thinking 2D would be cool, with adding the change to stopmotion or 3D for scenes when Jekyll is Hyde, showing a distorted world] hybrid animation

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jekyllandhydemk2 · 8 years ago

Text

Week 7

Final edit of short story

He turns around and looks at me in the eye, I realise it’s him.

I awoke, sweat coating my body, I’m shaking. It takes me a minute to realise, I’m in not in my own room

This is not the first time I’ve woken up here.

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jekyllandhydemk2 · 8 years ago

Text

Week 6

Mk 2

The street was quiet, with only the sound of piano and violin quietly humming through the air. The frost stuck to my trench coat, my misty breath mixed with the smoke from my cigar. Each draw sent a warm current flowing through my body, forcing a cracking smile onto my face as if it my face wasn’t my own. The moonlight shone down onto the empty street, I was searching for something, someone.

I needed to see them, our sort of meetings were frowned upon by my others, the ones that knew. It is a taboo, done only in secret, in hidden dark rooms where no one could see or hear.

The moon became the centre of the sky as I searched the streets, finally catching a glance of someone, standing in the moonlight looking up. I couldn’t recognize if it was him for, I had to be sure. His man’s appearance was similar, tall, broad shoulders under his long black coat, I could even see that he has the body of a man in his mid 20’s but his hair that of older gentlemen, a mix of white and silver. I hadn’t seen him in years since he went into politics, but then again I’ve known friends to go silver after stress. My heart began to race as I moved towards to greet him, however my body acting as if not my own, hid from his sight. I moved to call him again but my body stayed still, hunched over, grunting quietly, watching.

The man ahead of me seemed lost in his own mind as I felt myself move slowly towards him, a crooked grin appearing across my face as I approached. My hand grips tightly around the body of my cane, I feel my pulse start to race faster. My body approaches him from behind, I straighten my back and raise hand. He turns around and looked at me in the eye, I realise it’s him.

Time Freezes around us as I stare into his eyes, the days we spent together, the long nights we spent embraced hidden away.

My cane strikes down, crashing against his head. Blood spraying as my body continues to bash against my will and break the body below me. A monstrous laugh breaks from my lips, a cigar falling from my mouth onto the mangled body below me. The cane is thrown to my side, my hands wrap around his head, squeezing, crushing, cracking his skull, for the one final scream.

I awoke in my bed, sweat coating my body, I’m shaking. It takes me a minute to realise, I’m in not in my room.

This is not the first time I’ve woken up here.

I feel cramped, it feels like the short ceiling and the dark red walls enclosing on me. Blood covered my clothes and hands, I wiped my face to find even more gore, my stomach wrenches as last night's events force themselves into my mind, as if by another.

The man I killed, his face still fresh in my mind, Danvers, an old lover, and friend. We were supposed to meet and talk about the past. We missed it, and wanted to live it again, even for a night.

----

A new edit

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jekyllandhydemk2 · 8 years ago

Text

Week 5

I have only done some research into homosexuals in Victorian times need to look into it more.

Found this, which gives me what I need

http://www.historyextra.com/article/sex-and-love/victorians%E2%80%99-surprisingly-liberal-attitude-towards-gay-men

I also looked at league of extraordinary gentlemen, Has a more goodvsevil Jekyll and hyde.

http://www.readcomics.tv/league-of-extraordinary-gentlemen/chapter-2/full

Two images of Jekyll and hyde from the book, much later into their life, Hyde is a lot stronger why Jekyll is weak and only used so Hyde can get around easier.

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jekyllandhydemk2 · 8 years ago

Text

Week 4

Chapter 5

Utterson visits Jekyll in the evening. We meet Jekyll’s man servant Poole. Jekyll and Utterson talked in his lab, which is like a dissecting room.

They talk about Hyde and If Jekyll was hiding him. Jekyll acts strange, in a ‘Feverish manner’, says he’ll never ‘set eyes’ on Hyde again. Uttersonr brings up that if it murder goes to trial, He could be called to stand, and get a reputation.

Utterson believes that Hyde planned to kill Jekyll for his money. He also talks to Poole and finds out the letter did not come with the post meaning Hyde must have brought it there.

Utterson talks to a friend “Mr Guest”, shows him the letter and one from Jekyll and Utterson comes to the conclusion that Jekyll forged the letter on behalf of Hyde.

Chapter 6

Hyde disappears as if he never existed (because he never did). Jekyll is acting very nice, does charitable stuff, spends time with Utterson and Lanyon for around 2 months.

Utterson goes to Jekylls but is refused entry, he goes to see laytron, who is now pale, balding and lose a ton of weight (he used to be fat, bright red and head full of hair). He’s terrified. It’s related to Jekyll but he refused to speak. He dies in 2 weeks

Layton leaves utterson a letter from Jekyll but he doesn’t open it.

Chapter 7

Jekyll acts different, talks to friends from window, his face changes from smiling to “an expression of such abject terror and despair”

Sooo Hyde is coming out?

----

Stuff is happening in the book

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jekyllandhydemk2 · 8 years ago

Text

Week 3

Chapter 2

Utterson thinks over why Jekyll’s will has Hyde get everything, thinking it’s ‘madness’ but thinks of reasons why? like child or lover.

Utterson visits a mutual friend of himself and Jekyll

Chapter 3

Utterson talks about Jekyll with some desire, ‘Handsome’, ‘Large, well made”

Jekyll tells Utterson he can be free of Hyde whenever he wants (Sounds like someone in a bad relationship to me), tells Utterson to “let it sleep” a.k.a Butt out.

Chapter 4

A year later, with no sign of Hyde, he then DESTROYS Danvers, After Danvers is built up to be a saint among men. The writing goes into detail about the attack.

Short writing task

I’ve decided to write my short story based around the murder of Danvers, and I’m going to add homosexual themes to the story since in chapter 3 Jekyll sounds like he’s in a bad relationship he doesn’t want to get out of with Hyde (Even though I know they’re one and the same).

-----

Short story

The street was silent as a mouse, nothing to be heard but the sound of faint music. The cold frost stuck to my trench coat, my misty breathe mixed with the smoke from my cigar. Each draw sent a warm current flowing through my body, forcing a cracking smile onto my face as if it wasn’t my own.

The moonlight shone down onto the empty street, I was searching for something, someone. I need to see them, our sort of meetings were frowned upon by my others, the ones that knew. It seen as a taboo, done only in secret, in hidden dark rooms where no one could see or hear.

The moon became the centre of the sky as I searched the streets, finally catching a glance of someone, standing in the moonlight looking up. It wasn’t who I was looking for, their tall board appearance was different but still alluring, his body was of a man in his mid 20’s but his hair that of older gentlemen. I hid from his sight, I felt my starting to race heart as I saw but I didn’t move to greet him. I moved to call him again but my body stayed still, hunched over, grunting quietly, watching.

The man ahead of me seemed lost in his own mind as I feel myself move slowly towards him, a crooked grin appearing as I approach. My hand’s grip tighten around body of my cane, I feel my pulse start to race. My body approaches him from behind, I feel my back straighten and my hand raise. He turns around and looked at me in the eye, my cane strikes down, crashing against his head. Blood spraying as my body continues to bash and break the body below me.

A monstrous laugh breaks from my lips, a cigar falling from my mouth onto the mangled body below me. The cane is thrown to my side, my hands wrap around his head, squeezing, crushing, cracking his skull, for the one final scream. I awoke in my bed, sweat coating my body, I’m shaking. It takes me a minute to realise, I’m in not in my room.

This is not the first time I’ve woken up here.

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