Dr Jekyll’s inspiration
QUESTION Was there a real-life inspiration for R.L. Stevenson’s Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde?
WHILE Stevenson never explicitly stated a specific inspiration, it is clear that he drew from various sources, including his own observations of human behaviour and the prevalent scientific and philosophical ideas of his time.
His iconic 1886 tale of duality and the human psyche tells of a man with a good side (Dr Jekyll) and a bad side (Mr Hyde), which eventually proves to be dominant. A real-life inspiration was probably William Brodie, an outwardly respectable Edinburgh cabinet maker, deacon of a trades guild and town councillor.
However, he led a double life as a burglar and a gambler, using his knowledge of locksmithing to commit crimes. He was tried and executed for these in 1788.
Stevenson was further inspired by the psychological theories of his time, particularly those concerning the dual nature of human personality. The concept of the ‘doppelganger’ or the ‘double’ was prevalent in literature and psychology in the 19th century.
The name Jekyll was borrowed from the Reverend Walter Jekyll, a friend of Stevenson and brother of horticulturalist and landscape designer Gertrude Jekyll.
Kelly Murray, Stirling.
QUESTION Why, when we’ve heard something repeated several times, do we say: ‘Oh, that old chestnut’?
A CHESTNUT is a deciduous tree producing an edible nut which has been cultivated in Eurasia for more than 4,000 years. The nut was a staple food admired by Ancient Greeks and Romans. It is still important in Turkish culture, as well as being a tasty accompaniment to turkey in many homes at Christmas.
But in the past 200 years, the word chestnut has acquired a different meaning; it is also a story told so many times that it has become trite and boring, or perhaps a joke to which everyone already knows the punchline.
We owe this new meaning to a melodrama called Broken Sword, written by William Dimond and first performed at the Royal Covent Garden Theatre in London in 1816. One of the characters in the play, the Baron Munchausen-like
Zavior, begins to tell a story he has told so many times before: ‘I entered the wood at Collares, when suddenly from the thick boughs of a cork tree. . .’
He is interrupted by Pablo: ‘A chesnut, Captain, a chesnut ... [sic] Captain, this is the twentyseventh time I have heard you relate this story, and you invariably said, a chesnut, till now.’
The play was enormously popular on both sides of the Atlantic. The scene with Pablo and Zavior was one of its most popular moments and the public linked the word chestnut with something tedious and repetitive. In 1889, novelist Joseph Hatton told his readers that ‘in America, they call an old story a chestnut’ – attributing its origin to Dimond’s play.
Ian MacDonald, Billericay, Essex.
QUESTION Was Lyndon B. Johnson shot down by the Japanese during World War II?
AT THE outset of World War II, Johnson was a hugely ambitious Texas Congressman.
He believed that a future run for some higher office would partly depend on a form of military service. He duly volunteered, becoming a naval officer.
Johnson was a loyal acolyte of Franklin D. Roosevelt, so the president gave him an assignment. He was sent on a fact-finding mission to the South-West Pacific theatre of war. This gave him the chance to meet General Douglas MacArthur, who was in charge of US operations in the area.
Allied fortunes were at a low ebb at the time. Guam, Burma, the Philippines, the Malay Peninsula (including Singapore) and the Dutch East Indies had fallen to the Japanese, and New Guinea was under attack.
In early 1942, the Japanese secured the towns of Lae and Salamaua, and established bases on the north coast of New Guinea. This operation was designed to cut Allied lines of communication between the US and Australia.
The US retaliated with bombing raids from its base at Port Moresby in the south. These were extremely dangerous, with bomber losses of up to 25%. Nevertheless, MacArthur gave Johnson permission to act as an observer on one in a two-engine Martin B-26 Marauder called Heckling Hare. It took off on June 9 as part of a 12aircraft bombing raid.
As the Heckling Hare approached Lae after a one-hour flight, the right engine lost power. Walter Greer, the pilot, dropped out of formation, jettisoned his bombs and made a run for home.
At this point, a Japanese Zero fighter attacked the crippled craft but was shot down. It was followed by eight others.
Weaving, diving and using cloud cover, Greer managed to evade his pursuers but took hits on the wings and fuselage.
On his safe return, Johnson coolly drawled: ‘I sure am glad to be back on the ground; it’s been very interesting.’ Waist gunner Lillis Walker was quoted as saying: ‘We were being hit by those cannon shells and he was just calm and watching everything.’
On June 18, Johnson had a debrief with MacArthur. After listening to his report, MacArthur concluded that Johnson should be awarded the Silver Star. This was remarkable, as he had been a passive observer during a 15minute attack. No crew member of the Heckling Hare received an award, and some of them were to fly as many as 25 missions.
Over the years, the story of Johnson’s heroism was embellished. But the future president made the most of his award – he wore the Silver Star on the lapels of his suit jackets for the rest of his life.
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