The various level or narrator positions in the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are frequently changing; this can lead to confusion for the reader. Stevenson does also use changes of narration to provide a clearer duality of man. Furthermore, this kind of divided self is well known in the Gothic literature. Gothic literature uses doppelgängers or duality to create a feeling of instability. The Gothic fiction’s doppelganger reflects the inescapable anxiety through a malevolent other that destabilizes the cohesion and leads to a self-destruction(Dryden p.39 ).In the case of Dr. Jekyll, he is using his divided self to "Hyde". Jekyll is able to “Hyde” his forbidden pleasures like killing or sexual desires from the public because he created his own dark side. This dark …show more content…
This plot development by the usage of Utterson can be found in chapter 6: "I have buried one friend to-day," he thought: "what if this should cost me another?" And then he condemned the fear as a disloyalty and broke the seal”(Stevenson p.30). The function of this narrator is customary to help the readers to get a more broad view of what is occurring in the story. Moreover, this kind of narration allows readers to be privy to all actions of the characters, events that take place in the story, and many of the character’s thoughts throughout the story. Besides this, Mr. Utterson is not just there to develop the plot as he finds answers, he is also an important person, which means he needs to be described as a trustworthy person to maintain the style of discovery through his eyes. But he never gets described as a person you can or cannot trust. This stylistic choice helps the reader to be more invested in the plot because he needs to find out if he is trustworthy or not. The narration does also provide more information about Utterson. The narrator does share the darkest secrets of Utterson and his misjudgments Utterson would never tell, a good example for one of his mistakes is his loyalty to
In the opening chapters of ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’, not only does Stevenson portray Mr. Hyde through his descriptions, but he also creates juxtaposition between Mr. Hyde and his descriptions, making the reader feel confused about the character of Mr. Hyde as is Mr. Utterson during the first few chapters. For example, in ‘The Carew Murder Case’, the interior of Mr. Hyde’s house is described as “... furnished with luxury and good taste.” This shows juxtaposition between Mr. Hyde’s house and himself, as Mr. Hyde would never be described as ‘luxurious’ or a man with ‘good taste’. Also, I think that Stevenson wrote this intending to give the reader a feeling of annoyance towards Mr. Hyde just as Mr. Utterson would be feeling at this point. The fact that Mr. Hyde’s house is being described as ‘luxurious’ makes the reader feel that it’s unjust that someone as horrid as Mr. Hyde could be so easily concealed by the interior of his house to a stranger. Stevenson’s intentions here were to have the reader feel more resent and hate for Mr. Hyde and to, again, show a different form and method of mankind’s dual personality being concealed. There is a saying that keeping your secrets or real thoughts bottled up for too long will only cause agitation and will result in the bottle exploding and leaving nothing but destruction
Jekyll seems to be in control of his desires and temptations but as Hyde he can fulfil them and not feel guilty. Stevenson is stating that everybody has evil inside of the, wanting to get out and that everyone gets a thrill of letting it out sometimes.
Additionally, he realized that if his differing personalities consisting of good and evil were separated he would be able to indulge in the excitement of the evilness while not experiencing the repercussions of his treacherous acts. Dr. Jekyll believes that he is unable to balance himself and Mr. Hyde which creates animosity within him because he would much rather indulge into the evilness inside him which provides more excitement. Ultimately, the author intends to demonstrate the two components that exist within humans, exaggerated, subsequently how both are two separate entities which are constantly are war with each other. Although I disagree with the fact the Dr. Jekyll believes about not being able to balance the duality of good and evil within oneself, I fully support his conclusion that we do attempt to suppress the darkness within in us not only based on what others may think but also that it may not be morally correct. By repressing the darkness that resides within everyone we must make the judgment by utilizing a moral compass in order to do what is correct but also to assure that we don 't offend, or hurt anyone in the process without acknowledging the wrongdoing. Similarly, the nature of good and evil that can exist within one person is displayed in the movie Split by director M. Night Shyamalan who shows the differing personalities of Kevin, the
Mr. Utterson observes a close relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, because Dr. Jekyll favors Mr. Hyde by helping him throughout the novel. Dr. Jekyll cares for Mr. Hyde by helping him avoid trouble. For example, Dr. Jekyll pays 90 pounds to prevent the blackmail of Mr. Hyde when he steps on the little girl (3). Dr. Jekyll acts like a parent to Mr. Hyde, “If I die or disappear for more than three months...I wish to leave everything I own to my dear
In the novel good is portrayed by Henry Jekyll and Gabriel Utterson. Mr. Utterson is a London lawyer and an old friend of Henry Jekyll, he is loyal to his friends and is concerned about Henry Jekyll and questions him of his new friend Mr. Hyde to whom he has left his possessions in his will:
Utterson saw Jekyll since they were good friends he saw that this person in front of him was not his good friend. Dr.jekyll the good the kind and Hyde is turning him into a dark, and evil person. All these things that are happening to Jekyll is making his body sick, deadly looking. “This master Hyde, if he were studied though he , must have secrets of his own:black secrets, by the look of him; secrets compared to which poor Jekylls worst would be like sunshine.” (18 Stevenson) This quote shows that Dr.jekyll is good,compared to Hyde he is good. Even Dr.Jekyll’s Darkest deepest secrets compared to Hyde’s secrets Jekyll’s look like sunshine, and cant even compare to Hyde’s secrets. “Now that that evil influence had been withdrawn, a new life began for Dr.Jekyll.”(31 Stevenson)This Quote shows that Mr. Hyde is evil. Hyde’s evil influence on Dr.jekyll who was a good man and Mr.Hyde was turning him into something evil. With his evil influence gone Dr.Jekyll can be himself; a good man.”It turns me to think of this creature stealing like a thief to harry’s bedside; poor harry what a wakening!” (18 Stevenson)This quote shows that everyone had a bad feeling about Mr.Hyde, Utterson knew that Hyde was bad, and evil. Utterson hated to see his oldest friend Dr.jekyll get his life ruined by a a thief and and
In pursuing his scientific experiments and validating his work, Jekyll claims, "man is not truly one, but truly two." So, in Jekyll's view, every soul contains elements of both good and evil, but one is always dominant. In Jekyll's case, his good side is dominant, but he knows there is evil inside of him, but at the end of the book his evil side becomes stronger and unstoppable. However, as a respectable member of society and an honorable Victorian gentleman, Jekyll cannot fulfill his evil desires. Thus, he works to develop a way to separate the two parts of his soul and free his evil characteristics. Unfortunately, rather than separating these forces of good and evil, Jekyll's potion only allows his purely evil side to gain strength. Jekyll is in fact a combination of good and evil, but Hyde is only pure evil, so there is never a way to strengthen or separate Jekyll's pure goodness. Without counterbalancing his evil identity, Jekyll allows Hyde to grow increasingly strong, and eventually take over entirely, perhaps entirely destroying all the pure goodness Jekyll ever had.
Being a purveyor of the law, he is in the position to oversee many "downgoing men" (Stevenson 1) and functions as an inspirational example of the refinement attributed to the upper class of which he is a member. However, Mr. Utterson is troubled when Dr. Jekyll, also a member of the upper class, wills his property to a then-unknown Mr. Hyde. He is "offended ...both as a lawyer and as a lover of the sane and customary sides of life, to whom the fanciful is immodest" (6). Utterson does not, however, pry into the affair until the inheritor is described as monstrous. This further demonstrates his sense of social obligation. Before hearing the story that Mr. Hyde trampled a young girl, Utterson is able to restrain his first impression of Dr. Jekyll's decree; but upon hearing the reputable account, he can no longer ignore his sense of social and moral obligation to make things right. Utterson suspects that blackmail is the reason for the atypical will, and whether for the purpose of legitimizing the monstrous story or having a primary account of Mr. Hyde, he seeks out this character before confronting his client, Dr. Jekyll.
In the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde it is regarded that these identities are two different persons but this is not the case, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are one in the same. There is much confusion when reading this literary work by Robert Louis Stevenson; this piece is regarded as horrific and disturbing in many ways. But the biggest twist is when it is reveled to the reader that these two people are the same and that below the surface of Dr.Jekyll is an evil man who enjoys committing evil acts. Mainly that Dr. Jekyll believes he has no choice but to commit these horrid acts because he has no control over is evil side. I don’t believe this is the case, Hyde isn’t a real person and doesn’t exist, nor is he someone who commits
In addition to this, his character is said to be ‘undemonstrative at the best’ which reinforces that Mr Utterson does not tend to express his feelings. However, Stevenson goes on to write that Mr Utterson ‘At friendly meetings, and when the wine was to his taste, something eminently human beaconed from his eye’ which changes the readers view on him completely, and illustrates a scene of which, ‘a man of a rugged countenance’ is amongst the life of the party. Furthermore, Stevenson continues to shed Mr Utterson’s negative light in the second paragraph; calling him a ‘modest man’ and someone with ‘good-nature’.
Utterson is what would be considered as the perfect European gentleman. A prominent lawyer who was well respected in his community and is now trying to protect his long-term friend, Jekylls’ reputation from the mysterious Mr. Hyde. There are few instances in the novel when Mr. Utterson is taking walks with Mr. Enfield, but they do not gossip, or otherwise speak ill of those closest to either of them, especially Utterson, as if they were of blood relation.[5] Although he investigates what seems to be an unrealistic series of events, he chooses to not believe it and to continue looking for an explanation. And just as Utterson avoids the reality of what he may have discovered, as inconceivable as it may be, so too does European society prefer to deny the existence of an uncivilized acts of inhumanity, no matter how essential these acts may be.[6]
Utterson and although he did not undergo much of an alteration in traits and qualities, he still played a noticeable role in the story so he is worth to be analyzed a bit. In the first paragraph of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Mr. Utterson was described as an introvert and very unsocial character, quite ironic considering the fact that he is a lawyer. The only time his attorney-like qualities showed through was when he was amazed by the peculiarity of the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (This may have just been a mandatory case he had to take, though, because Dr. Jekyll was his client.) Nonetheless, there were a multitude of occurrences of when Mr. Utterson just would not let go of the subject, even when told repeatedly by his one, and only, friend Mr. Enfield to get rid of the subject matter. He kept this detective-like investigation and trait throughout the novel, though, so it is worth being noted. Overall, Mr. Utterson kept a consistent and clear approach to the plot and helped, in a sense, guide the reader through the turn of events that took
Mr. Utterson is a curious character and a also a very persistent one. For instance, he always kept bugging Dr. Jekyll when he was in seclusion, and this lead to him eventually finding out about his alter personality. Mr. Utterson is a judge, so he does make rational decisions and reasonable logic on his own. However, he is also described as a person who is extremely eager for knowledge. He constantly bugs Mr. Poole, Jekyll's butler, and Dr. Lanyon about any information they have known about Hyde.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde influence each other, Stevenson focuses on individual’s perspective. By illuminating on individual’s conflict and perspective, it makes reader to sympathize Dr. Jekyll’s dilemma. Because of social status, he can’t be free, but when people recognize Mr. Hyde as Dr. Jekyll, it will influence to his social status. Additionally, Victorian era time period affects to author’s perspective in the book a lot. It is unique for everyone to overcome internal conflicts, and the author portrayed it in extreme method. Stevenson ultimately claims that in reality, everyone has
In the novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, a character named Mr.Utterson makes quite an impression with his dull personality to the readers. Through Mr. Utterson’s actions he appears to lack passion. He seems lifeless by his expression which “never lighted by a smile” and quiet (47). Likewise, the lawyer still acted lifeless surrounded by close friends such as Dr. Enfield. According to the people who would encounter the two gentlemen in their strolls, they “looked singularly dull” with each other (48). There is a dark side in Mr. Utterson which envies people’s wicked ways. Being a lawyer “it was frequently his fortune to be the last reputable acquaintance and the last good influence in the lives” of criminals (47). Meeting criminals