In the latter half of the nineteenth century early psychologist Sigmund Freud developed a theory to explain the human conciseness. In this theory Freud stated that all people have three parts to their personality, called “ID” the “ego” and the “superego”. The “ID” was the part of us that just wants to fulfill basic animal desire without thought for anyone else or for the consequences of our actions. The “super-ego” was the more controlled and “civilized” part of our brain and the “ego” mediates between the two. One thing that was extremely important to people in London society during this period was civility and the idea that human beings are rational and intelligent creatures, able to resist animistic desires and temptations. The fear of the beast within was not a new concept for human society; the idea had existed for centuries at that point and it is believed to be the source of the various myths about werewolves. A perfectly respectable man who when the moon is full becomes a violent primal killer with no regard for anyone or anything except his own desires. During the Victorian era there was also a prominent social theory that was based on Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. This theory was known as “Social Darwinism”. Much like its namesake, the theory proposed that in nature or in this case in human society the strongest and more adaptable animals will survive and the rest will die. Now this would have meant that following instinct and doing whatever it takes would have been good. Something that went a bit against the belief that Victorians had about not just following desires and remaining polite and civilized. These two popular beliefs very much resemble the idea of the “ID” versus “superego” struggle that Freud described in human nature. You have the “ID” of “Social Darwinism '' wanting to only care about ones-self and willing to do anything with no thought of the consequences, and Victorian morality that believed in honor and civility and charity. This societal struggle is seen in literature such as, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson. In it Dr. Jekyll represents the “superego” society, Mr Hyde represents the “ID” the animal instincts, and Mr. Utterson represents the “ego” mediating between. Even though Mr. Utterson and Dr. Jekyll try to contain Mr. Hyde they prove unable to do so and Mr. Hyde essentially kills Dr. Jekyll. This is a warning to the society of what happens when we try to let out our animal instincts. https://study.com/academy/lesson/victorian-code-of-morality.html#:~:text=During%20the%20more%20than%2060,in%20moral%20standards%20were%20blaring.- more on Victorian Morals https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/post-darwin-social-darwinism-degeneration-eugenics- more on Social Darwinism https://www.simplypsychology.org/psyche.html#:~:text=According%20to%20Freud%20psychoanalytic%20theory,id%20and%20the%20super%2Dego.- more on the “ID” the “ego” and the “superego”
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