Robert Louis Stevenson writes about the duality of human nature in “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. Stevenson use Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde characters to express the belief about human duality by introducing them as two different characters, instead of just one character. He describes Dr. Jekyll as “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty (Stevenson 19)”, and Mr. Hyde is “pale, dwarfish (Stevenson 17)”and not human like. The way Stevenson described them as opposites make us think that they are two different people, but throughout the story, he builds up clues to tell us that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are the same person. The story is trying tell us that everybody has a good and evil side of them, and they also
In ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, Robert Louis Stevenson presents duality as one of the key themes throughout the novel. This is reflected predominantly through the main characters of Dr Jekyll and his evil side, Mr Hyde. Stevenson also mirrors the theme of a dual nature in the settings he creates, by choosing London as the surroundings and in the descriptions of Dr Jekyll's house and the difference between his and Hyde’s rooms. The use of duality is also shown in Stevenson’s use of the themes of light and dark and religious opposites such as good and evil.
"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson discusses the duality of human nature. Human nature is difficult to explore because it is ambiguous and difficult to describe by one attribute. We could not make conclusions by what we see because all humans conceal their false identities from others. people do this in order to impress people by making fake smiles, fake mannerisms, and pretend to care about others. The following is a discussion of characters, which Stevenson uses to support duality of human nature. This parts will includes Mr. Utterson's, Dr. Lanyon's, and Mr. Enfield's evil side of human nature, and psychogeography on Jekyll's house. Moreover, Dr. Jekyll was not capable to control his evil side because
From the beginning of time, humans have questioned the validity of intrinsic duality of man. Are humans born with both pure goodness and pure evilness or is the latter cultivated? In Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, one man, a scientist named Henry Jekyll, concludes that all men are both good and evil, so he decided to separate the two natures within one body. The outcome of his experiment resulted in the formation of a somewhat different product than he had imagined a creature by the name of Edward Hyde. Although Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are the souls of one body, there are differences and similarities in their appearance and personality that illustrate the natural duality of good and evil within a man.
In the novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson provides insight into the inner workings of the duality that exists within humans. Dr. Jekyll is a well-respected doctor in his community while his differing personality Mr. Hyde is hideous and considered by the public as evil based on appearance. As the novel progresses Dr. Lanyon begins to investigate Mr. Hyde, he begins to realize similarities between both Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll such as their handwriting which results in the discovery that they are the same person. Dr. Jekyll is able to transform himself into Mr. Hyde by drinking a serum he has created which was intended to purify his good. Stevenson stresses the duality of good and evil that exists
Utterson, Lanyon, Enfield, Jekyll... one of these does not belong. Clearly, within the context of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Henry Jekyll struggles to fit himself into the strict Victorian society. In the events leading to his demise, he longs to separate his firm, polished face from his true inner self; from here, Stevenson paints this juxtaposition with the use of several point-of-view techniques. When Utterson, the protagonist, “[stands] a while when Mr. Hyde had left him... putting his hand to his brow like a man in mental perplexity” (Stevenson 19), he clearly becomes the literal center of attention for the story’s opinions and perspectives. Rather than giving an omniscient style to the novel, Stevenson provides an external viewpoint in order to engage his audience. The use of point-of-view techniques in Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reinforces the audience’s reaction to the story’s moral dilemma.
“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,
The narrative, ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson is about a scientist who creates a drug that allows him to switch between two different beings. Stevenson's descriptions of London during the day and night and his use of pathetic fallacies, help create a tense atmosphere. As the plot progresses, we notice that Stevenson's descriptions become darker, as evil is taking over. He describes London during the day at a lighter judgement, and Dr. Jekyll’s purity is being represented by the atmosphere at the start of the novel. On the contrary, the shadows and casting fog represent Hyde and the evil that emanates within him.
First, it is obvious that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an example of duality in Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Throughout the novel, the two characters are introduced as two different people. Dr. Jekyll is handsome and “good” in the eyes of society, and Hyde is ugly and “evil” through society’s eyes. Stevenson describes Dr. Jekyll as “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty” (19), and Mr. Hyde as “pale, dwarfish” (17) and not human like. The description of these characters is showing us the two sides of one man. Stevenson is trying to tell us that everybody has a good and evil side, and they also have a curiosity about their darker side. He believed that people know they have a bad side, but they refuse to accept the truth, as the ‘dark side’ is so unpleasant. The duality of good and evil associates with the modern-day reader because we see that an individual, even
Imagine two basic, preppy girls fighting because one of them says hateful things behind the other’s back but is nice to her face. In the wild land of high school one may call this being “Two faced,” but no this is just that girl exercising the dual nature of her DNA. Duality is a literary term used to express the relationship between two polar opposites that depend on one another to have perfect balance. Some examples of great literature that portrays the theme of duality is Romeo and Juliet and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Although they illustrate different versions of duality they show that everything has two sides.
The duality of man is something that is apparent in all forms. Everyone has a part of them that they hide from others. That part doesn’t necessarily have to be bad but it is your choice to hide it from other and the reason is only known by you. However you are not just one or the other because you are human which means as a person you are made up of both Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde.
the desire to do what he wanted, to go against the rigid rules of the
The dual character combination of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the most well-known in literature and is arguably the most blatant example of duality Stevenson uses to try and get the theme of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde across. The dual personalities Dr. Jekyll possesses are stark examples of the animalistic and civilized sides of man that inherently resides in all men. The virtuous Dr. Jekyll serves as a portrayal of the more rational, human side of man. When Mr. Utterson attends Dr. Jekyll’s dinner party he paints a picture of a quintessential Victorian man when describing Jekyll’s appearance, “well
In this novel, Stevenson explores the duality of Victorian society and human nature. The definition of 'duality' means being double. The example of duality in this novel is the contrasting characteristics and personality of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. As you could see the evidence of the duality in Dr.Jekyll's personality in page 151, from the quote which says "that man is not truly one, but truly two."
In “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson, the author includes the important theme of duality of human nature. Every person has more than one side to them, even if you can’t always see it. For example, Dr. Jekyll had a dual personality. He was a well-respected doctor with good morals and values. Obviously, he was a perfect and noble Victorian Gentleman, right?
Hyde. In this way, Jekyll becomes monstrous himself as he wishes to pass on his evil parts into another person. Jekyll’s concoction is a threat to cultural morals and values as it enables someone to set evil free. Consequently, there is no obligation and interest in adhering to any moral standards. In the end, he is a split person, one-half is represented by Jekyll and the other one by Hyde. Stevenson used the different standpoints in the story to create the feeling that Jekyll and Hyde are two different individuals: “‘The Master Hyde, if he were studied,’ thought he [Utterson],’must have secrets of his own; black secrets, by the look of him; secrets compared to which poor Jekyll’s worst would be like sunshine.” (Stevenson 22). Thus, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story where the line blurs. As Hyde and Jekyll are one and the same person, the reader realises that they together are both moral and immoral and both good and