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Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde

Decent Essays

The adaptation of novels to film has occurred since the start of cinema. Many popular novels have been transformed for the film industry, some sticking true to the story, others, a more creative interpretation of the original text. Victor Flemming’s 1941 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde brings two new female characters to the screen, adding to the duality of the story. The women, Beatrix an Ivy, are opposing figures: Beatrix being Jekyll’s pure and loyal fiancée, and Ivy a strong-willed sexual icon. In this 1941 adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the characters Ivy and Beatrix are not only important allegorical catalysts, but also portray the fight for rights and against the sexualization of women in the 1940’s. We are introduced to Beatrix in the opening scene while singing in church, the intrinsically good companion of Dr. Jekyll. Soon thereafter, Ivy is introduced while being mugged, only to begin pursuing Dr. Jekyll once he saves her. For the most part, Dr. Jekyll rejects Ivy’s sexual advances until later in the film, as the intrinsically bad Mr. Hyde, becomes obsessed Ivy.

Ivy and Beatrix both further the allegorical meanings in the original novel. Beatrix acts as an external symbol of intrinsic good associated with Dr. Jekyll, and Beatrix, an external symbol of the “evil” or lustful character traits of Mr. Hyde. Beatrix appears to be a fairly one-dimensional character, behaves well and tries to project a good image to others. At

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