In his novella "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", Robert Louis Stevenson explores the dual nature of Victorian man, and his link with an age of hypocrisy. Whilst writing the story he displays the people of the time and what happens behind closed doors. In Jekyll 's suicide note he makes the following observation " I have observed that when I wore the semblance of Edward Hyde, none could come near to me at first without a visible misgiving of the flesh. This, as I take it, was because all human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil." The underlying moral of this novella suggests that all people consist of good and evil, and that they possess the ability to control and acknowledge the darker side of them.
Dr. Jekyll character appears as "a large, well made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness". However, when angry "The large handsome face of Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and their came a blackness about his eyes". He displays himself as a strong-minded man, as he argues about his will with Mr. Utterson, however he accustoms himself to Hyde, and becomes too weak to oppose him. Mr. Utterson, after meeting Hyde for the first time, starts to feel sorry for his friend, however he does suggest that Jekyll has a dark past: "was wild when he was young; a long while ago to be sure".
Mr. Hyde presents a very dark and sinister
Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel written by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and published in 1886. It concerns a lawyer, Gabriel Utterson, who investigates the strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the reclusive Mr. Edward Hyde. This novel represents an ideology in Western culture; the perpetual conflict between humanity’s virtuosity and immorality. It is interpreted as an accurate guidebook to the Victorian era’s belief of the duality of human nature. This essay will explore Mr. Edward Hyde and whether Stevenson intended for him to be a mere character in the novel or something of wider significance.
“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is a novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson, a Scottish author. Written and published 1886, this novella reflects on the individual, and societal behavior during the Victorian era. During the Victorian era people, were supposed to behave like a normal person. Certain behaviors were highly restricted for example, showing evil. Instead, they were expected to give respect for everyone. People who acted out against the norm during this period were usually sent to asylums because such behaviors were unacceptable. People in this society did just that, they behaved as if they were perfectly normal. This does not mean that their bad side did not exist. Instead, they hid their
A Man is not truly one but, but two,’’ wrote Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson wrote about a man with two sides of him. The evil side that kill and hurt people, and the good side that his well respected for in his community. But, the evil side seem to be stronger and it’s taking over him. Everyone get their two sides even myself, I got a side that if someone did something unpleasant to me I won’t let it go I feel like I have to do something bad about it. And, I also get a side that forgive easily.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, good vs. evil is the biggest theme. This story is seen as a metaphor about the good and evil in everyone, and the struggle of the two sides in everyone’s personality. Since Hyde starts to take over, I could argue that evil is stronger than good. But, Mr. Hyde ends up dying in the end of the story, so I could claim that the good of someone can overcome the evil in you. Overall, Stevenson is trying to communicate with the reader about the balance of good and evil in humans, also that your balance of good and evil has different results/effects in your life.
Jekyll confesses to Mr. Utterson that he and Mr. Hyde hate each other. For instance, Dr. Jekyll starts to hate Mr. Hyde when he says “goodbye for ever Mr. Hyde” (64). Dr. Jekyll says goodbye to his evil side. He loathes his evil side because Hyde has shown Jekyll and Hyde’s capability to murder. Furthermore, Mr. Hyde detests Dr. Jekyll because he’s a prisoner inside Dr. Jekyll’s body. In addition, the narrator states that, “Hyde and Jekyll now hate each other with equal passion” (69). Mr. Hyde’s imprisonment within Dr. Jekyll’s body makes Mr. Hyde dislike him, so he tears Dr. Jekyll’s books (69). Mr. Hyde’s disgust of Dr. Jekyll causes Mr. Hyde to ruin Dr. Jekyll’s most important personal belongings. Clearly, after the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde hate each other
“All human beings are commingled out of good and evil.” Robert Louis Stevenson was no fool when it came to understanding the duality of human nature evident within mankind. In his novella, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson is able to explore his interests concerning the dark, hidden desires that all human beings are guilty of possessing. In his story, a well-respected professional by the name of Dr. Jekyll experiments with the idea of contrasting personalities and successfully undergoes a physical separation of such identities—one which would soon wreak havoc upon his very existence. As a result of his success, Edward Hyde is born. Hyde, characterized as a miniscule and terrifying, apelike figure from the start,
This essay will focus on how Robert Louis Stevenson presents the nature of evil through his novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. Using ideas such as duality, the technique used to highlight the two different sides of a character or scene, allegories, an extended metaphor which has an underlying moral significance, and hypocrisy; in this book the Victorians being against all things evil but regularly taking part in frown able deeds that would not be approved of in a ‘respectable’ society. This links in with the idea of secrecy among people and also that evil is present in everyone. The novel also has strong ties and is heavily influenced by religion. Stevenson, being brought up following strong
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
“A moment before I had been safe of all men's respect, wealthy, beloved—the cloth laying for me in the dining-room at home; and now I was the common quarry of mankind, hunted, houseless, a known murderer, thrall to the gallows.” The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, explains that everyone has a dark side to them. In Dr. Jekyll’s case, it was Mr. Hyde. As the book goes on, Mr. Jekyll’s dark side soon becomes stronger than the good side and takes over the body. Many people question which theme fits best with this book, since many themes show as you read on.
Good and evil has always been around in mankind all the way back to Adam and Eve to today. Evil and good is always going to be around, but it is how you treat it, is what controls it. In Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the theme of duality in man determines whether he is truly good or evil.
When the doctor is away, “Hyde” is in the metaphorical “cockpit” and while he is in, Jekyll kills and acts rashly and cruelly. Moreover, just as his body is deformed and decayed as stated in the quote, Jekyll’s mind gradually becomes more and more deformed and decayed over time as well. In the absence of good Hyde grew, his influence grew and, his evil grew and all of it began to overwhelm and corrupt
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are extremely complicated and snowball leading to more questions. Ultimately these questions and answers are the basis for one of the most compelling stories questioning science and morality within human beings. Jekyll’s ambition was to separate good from evil within a human being, but the consequences were too much to handle, both on a personal as well as a social level. It also casts a mirror upon Victorian society, showing its fears and hopes surrounding the topics presented by Stevenson in his novella. Surprisingly this story does give an accurate depiction of society during that time and the duality most men felt. It was a great strain to project a good image in public, yet privately have dark desires that were not considered morally acceptable in open society. This is where Victorian society must either accept its flaws or hide them and fear exposure as flawed
Jekyll becomes miserable trying to struggle with his evil analogue and it is then that Stevenson’s message is evident. It is difficult to maintain real happiness without both sides of nature present within one’s conscience to balance each other out and to coexist. Another point made in Jekyll and Hyde is that Stevenson uses a wide range of literary techniques in a skillful and sophisticated way to assist achieve his effects and put his points across. Stevenson’s unique use of language is essential in the success of the Novella, with the structural and linguistic tools playing an important part in creating the unusual atmosphere, which makes the Novella so successful. Stevenson had a very strict moral nurture living in the nineteenth century, where class and social standing were very important in such a rigid system. The fact that he had such a religious background perhaps creates a link between the main moral point of good and evil and his disciplined religious upbringing. He uses a variety of techniques to put across his views across on many social, historical and moral points. Throughout the novella the author gives the readers an insight into the morality of human nature by using different characters to represent the double standards of society in the Victorian era. The different language used for each of the main characters in the book is used to emphasize the
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was written by a scottish author named Robert Louis Stevenson and was first published in 1886. The book is about a British lawyer named Gabriel John Utterson who begins to investigate the strange occurences of a Mr. Edward Hyde only to find out that it was an evil version of his old friend Dr Henry Jekyll.