Is it just for Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Banner to take responsibility for their alter ego's evil deeds?
Dr. Jekyll, a seemingly average scientist creates a potion to turn himself into an evil version of his personality and ends up losing control to the evil and committing crimes. In this quote by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Lanyon is describing the horrific sight of the evil Mr. Hyde morphing back into Henry Jekyll, "his face became suddenly black and the features remed to melt and alter" (Stevenson 108-109). For more information about "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" click here. And in the movie, "The Hulk" a man, Dr. Banner, discovers that due to an accident of chemical exposure, strange aspects of his molecular make up are discovered that turn him into a monster when angry, for more information about "The Hulk" click here.
Dr. Jekyll is more responsible than Dr. Banner
Since Bruce Banner's strange deformity is a result from his father experimenting on himself then passing modified genes to his son, Bruce; Dr. Banner is not as responsible for his actions as his alternative self than Dr. Jekyll is for the actions of Hyde. Dr. Jekyll on the other hand chose to create a potion that he would take to turn himself into the evil Mr. Hyde, his actions were voluntary while Bruce Banner's ability to turn into the Hulk was not a choice. Therefore, Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Banner are both responsible for their actions as their evil selves because part of them still exists in the monster and in the monster's decisions; however Jekyll is more responsible than Banner.
Facing the Repercussions
While Hyde and the Hulk are in present Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Banner are currently not responsible for the actions of the Hulk and Hyde because technically they are not 100% their alter egos and not even present. But, when the Hulk and Hyde revert back to Dr. Jekyll and Bruce Banner they themselves have to take responsibility for the actions of their evil selves because they are once again present to face the repercussions.
For example, this quote from Robert Louis Stevenson describes when Mr. Hyde murders a man, "Mr. Hyde broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth" (Stevenson 69). When Mr. Hyde commits a murder, Hyde was the one who did it, not Jekyll, but since Jekyll created Hyde once Hyde ceases to exist Jekyll must take the responsibility for the murder; but only if it is known that Jekyll is Hyde, which is becomes known by Dr. Lanyon and eventually mr. Utterson too.
And when the Hulk terrorizes the city of San Francisco and destroys roads and causes fear to the city, the Hulk is the one who committed the deed. However once the Hulk turns back into Banner there is no one to blame but Banner because the Hulk also has ceased to exist, therefore Banner must take responsibility.
Since there is no one else to take the responsibility of the horrific deeds of the Hulk and Mr. Hyde once they have ceased to exist and become Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Banner again, Banner and Jekyll are the only ones who can take the blame.
First image source here
Second image source here
Dr. Jekyll, a seemingly average scientist creates a potion to turn himself into an evil version of his personality and ends up losing control to the evil and committing crimes. In this quote by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Lanyon is describing the horrific sight of the evil Mr. Hyde morphing back into Henry Jekyll, "his face became suddenly black and the features remed to melt and alter" (Stevenson 108-109). For more information about "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" click here. And in the movie, "The Hulk" a man, Dr. Banner, discovers that due to an accident of chemical exposure, strange aspects of his molecular make up are discovered that turn him into a monster when angry, for more information about "The Hulk" click here.
Dr. Jekyll is more responsible than Dr. Banner
Since Bruce Banner's strange deformity is a result from his father experimenting on himself then passing modified genes to his son, Bruce; Dr. Banner is not as responsible for his actions as his alternative self than Dr. Jekyll is for the actions of Hyde. Dr. Jekyll on the other hand chose to create a potion that he would take to turn himself into the evil Mr. Hyde, his actions were voluntary while Bruce Banner's ability to turn into the Hulk was not a choice. Therefore, Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Banner are both responsible for their actions as their evil selves because part of them still exists in the monster and in the monster's decisions; however Jekyll is more responsible than Banner.
Facing the Repercussions
While Hyde and the Hulk are in present Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Banner are currently not responsible for the actions of the Hulk and Hyde because technically they are not 100% their alter egos and not even present. But, when the Hulk and Hyde revert back to Dr. Jekyll and Bruce Banner they themselves have to take responsibility for the actions of their evil selves because they are once again present to face the repercussions.
For example, this quote from Robert Louis Stevenson describes when Mr. Hyde murders a man, "Mr. Hyde broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth" (Stevenson 69). When Mr. Hyde commits a murder, Hyde was the one who did it, not Jekyll, but since Jekyll created Hyde once Hyde ceases to exist Jekyll must take the responsibility for the murder; but only if it is known that Jekyll is Hyde, which is becomes known by Dr. Lanyon and eventually mr. Utterson too.
And when the Hulk terrorizes the city of San Francisco and destroys roads and causes fear to the city, the Hulk is the one who committed the deed. However once the Hulk turns back into Banner there is no one to blame but Banner because the Hulk also has ceased to exist, therefore Banner must take responsibility.
Since there is no one else to take the responsibility of the horrific deeds of the Hulk and Mr. Hyde once they have ceased to exist and become Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Banner again, Banner and Jekyll are the only ones who can take the blame.
First image source here
Second image source here