Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Interplay Between Persona and Shadow

Peter W. Demuth
Independent study
Online

Overview

Topics: Archetypes, Art & Literature, Persona, Shadow, Society and Culture.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Interplay Between Persona and Shadow

 

This program explores the interplay between persona and shadow as exemplified by the split characters of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde within one person as depicted in the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. Dr. Demuth also delves into the effect of both persona and shadow on an under-developed ego. Jung felt that this work was essential before doing the deeper work of individuation.

In addition, this program touches upon two novel concepts: Dark Adaptation—how a person gets habituated and comfortable in doing the bidding of his shadow; and Psychological Allergies—the complement to physical allergies that have a psychological origin rather than a physiological one.

1. Describe how Dr. Jekyll is a persona image and how Mr. Hyde is a shadow image.
2. Explain how each of us is a “Dr. Jekyll” and a “Mr. Hyde.”
3. Identify examples of shadow and persona from others’ and our own lives.
4. Give a brief description of the concepts of Dark Adaptation and Psychological Allergies.
5. Discuss the difficulties that we all have in managing and admitting to our own persona and shadow.

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