Stevenson develops the idea that evil can be seen visibly through physical appearance, and is always the ugliest form of a human being. When Dr. Jekyll transforms into the 100% evil Mr. Hyde his mentality and mindset changes, but so does his appearance. Stevenson depicts the change from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde as a change that can be visibly seen. Mr. Hyde is much uglier than Dr. Jekyll, as well as more evil in nature. When Mr. Utterson first sees Mr. Hyde he considers him deformed and repulsive, “Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, and he spoke with a husky, …show more content…
By creating Mr. Hyde as this physically grotesque creature, it enhances the readers understanding of the power of evil. If Dr. Jekyll was only transformed mentally from good to evil, it would not have the same effect as transforming mentally and physically. The physical appearance of Mr. Hyde gave everyone who saw him an instant feeling of foulness and darkness. Dr. Jekyll wrote about his first encounter with Mr. Hyde in the letter he wrote to Mr. Utterson, “It came about that Edward Hyde was so much smaller, slighter, and younger, that Henry Jekyll. Even as good shone upon the countenance of the one, evil was written broadly and plainly on the face of the other,” (Stevenson. 71). Dr. Jekyll could take one look at Mr. Hyde and know that he was evil. This idea of evil being something that can be observed from ones appearance is not only found in Stevenson’s novel, but also in literature and media across the world. Another prominent example of evil being depicted as ugly is in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. Rowling writes about a group of ghost like creatures that feed on the souls of wizards called
Hyde’s appearance suggests, his behavior is also vicious. One night he tramples over a child’s body leaving her screaming and a sight “hellish to see” (Stevenson 3). Another night he breaks out in rage and beats a man to death with his cane for no apparent reason. As opposed to Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde has no conscience; he feels no remorse in his actions. Mr. Hyde is the embodiment of pure evil, which is why no one could recognize that this man is actually the other half of Dr. Jekyll.
Jekyll talks about the years before the creation of the potion that transforms him into Hyde. He summarises his finding of the dual nature, human beings are half good and half evil. Jekyll’s goal in his experiments is to separate two opposite elements, creating a person with only good characteristics and a being of only evil. He does this because he wants to free his good side from dark urges. He fails this experiment, in fact he only manages to create a whole evil person ‘Mr Hyde’. In the letter, Jekyll says ‘I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man . . . if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both.’ The events of the novel inform the reader that the dark side (Hyde) is much stronger than the rest of Jekyll, this is why Hyde is able to take over Jekyll. This letter is really important for the reader so that the whole novel is understood. A lot of horror is created and it is all quiet in the reader's mind. The reader feels horrified by the way in which Jekyll seems to love and care for Hyde. Jekyll’s words make the reader angry that a man who was so good could enjoy becoming so
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
This suggests that Hyde is a strange man. Stevenson uses this powerful description to convey and portray a man who comes across as mysterious and dangerous. Stevenson makes him more mystifying when Enfield continues, “I can’t describe him. And it’s not want of memory; for I declare I can see him this moment.” (Page 15) This immediately brings a sense of a man with deformities that can’t be described. Stevenson uses this to confuse the reader and amplify the sense of foreboding. Surely when one can see somebody in their mind, they can describe how they look and describe their deformities especially? Not being able to describe Hyde shows that he isn’t a normal human; he’s something far more inhumane.
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
Imagery plays a key role in the exploration of Dr. Jekyll's double character. Stevenson's use of imagery intensifies the plot and its relationship between good and evil (Rollyson 1863-1864). For example, Hyde is described as "apelike" and "like a monkey" while Dr. Jekyll is portrayed as handsome and elegant with "proper stature" (25-26, 38). This example indicates a "reverse evolutionary process" and confirms Jekyll's disastrous attempt to interfere with the order of nature (Page 763). In general, Hyde is illustrated as animalistic, ugly, and deformed mainly to conjure an evil opinion of this character. However, the physical description may be more than simply symbolic. "During the Victorian era, many believed in physiognomy," which was the belief that one could judge a criminal from his or her physical appearance. Hyde is depicted as a vampire who "feeds on the very life of his victims" (Abbey, et al. 327). ."..[Hyde was] drinking pleasure with bestial avidity from any degree of torture to another, relentless like a man of stone" (33). This vampire image suggests the way in which indulgence of evil eats away man's capacity for goodness. Lastly, Stevenson chose ideal names to suit and describe the personalities or actions of his characters. Just as Hyde hides in Jekyll, "Je kyll" hides in "Jekyll." In French, "Je" means I and "kyll" probably
Good and Evil presents itself inside and out, since the beginning of time appearance has affected the way people are viewed. In Robert Louis Stevenson’s mystery novella, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the physical descriptions of Jekyll and Hyde are used to reflect good and evil. Hyde’s Physical image depicts the evil in him. When Utterson see’s Hyde for the first time the way he describes him is “ pale and dwarfish, he gives impressionable deformity without any nameable malformation” (Stevenson 18). Presenting how Hyde looks as if he is deformed without being deformed.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Written by Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” tells the story of a person with two sides, good and evil. The difference is shown largely through the physical appearance of the character Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll the ‘good’ person is described as “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with… every mark of capacity and kindness” (Stevenson 24). On the other hand Mr. Hyde, the evil side, has a deformed, ugly face that was not a sight one wanted to see.
In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the character Hyde is a transfiguring of the character Jekyll, the degenerate metamorphosis of a high-class man. Hyde is an animalistic man, he is an archetype of atavism, an evolutionary throwback. Hyde is the pinnacle of Victorian fear within every aspect as well, he is a low-class man who represents pure evil, his actions revolve around Victorian horror from prostitution to committing sinister crimes in the silence of the night. Hyde is an uncanny man, he is difficult to explain but very familiar all at once, he is a symbolic figure of evil with criminalistic tendencies, he is an unleashed demon without morals or sense of compassion. Hyde's appearance greatly emphasizes
To further represent evil as Mr. Hyde, Stevenson., created the physical appearance of Hyde to appear as ugly in the mind of his readers. He first describes Mr. Hyde’s appearance through the words of Mr. Enfield as “…something displeasing, something down-right detestable” (Story of the door). In the chapter “Search for Mr. Hyde,” his face according to Mr. Utterson, looks like one “without bowel of mercy” and that which had “…Satan’s signature…” written on it. In addition, the maid mentioned earlier said that he was “…particularly wicked-looking” (The Carew Murder Case). The reader can understand that the author really wanted Hyde to represent that which is evil, and that is why Stevenson, uses words that denotes badness to describe him.
Dr.Jekyll saw a dark empty neighborhood, but Mr.Hyde went in. In Robert Louis Stevenson mystery novelle Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, he uses physical descriptions to reflect good and evil.
“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,
Using Dr. Jekyll’s arduous experience as a prime example, the novella shows how the abuse of drugs can alter a person mentally and physically. Drugs can completely flip a person’s personality to where they act as a different person, like Dr. Jekyll when he is Mr. Hyde. Pharmaceutical overuse can cause various shifts in personality, such as mood swings, anxiety, aggression, and depression, which can negatively affect a person’s life. Throughout the story when he does not take the drug, Dr. Jekyll enjoys quality time strolling through the streets with his companions. Pleasant and peaceful, he remains his sociable self. However, while on the medicine, Jekyll transforms into his villainous, corrupt alter ego: Mr. Hyde. A progressive deterioration
In the story i feel as if both characters dr jekyll and mr. hyde are both bad morally but dr. jekyll is a doctor who is kind noted as a doctor but he experiments with drugs and he also feels that inside every person there is a thirst or impulse for good and evil and he uses that thought as an excuse to do bad deeds. Mr. Hyde might be a little more worse than dr. jekyll, Mr. Hyde is the cruel and evil side of dr. jekyll mr. hyde is the evil side. Dr, jekyll was given the nobel peace prize for a number of reasons. For example he introduced the distinction between cooperative games in which agreements of binding can be made and also non cooperative games
Dr. Jekyll being an eminent doctor, with a powerful social and educational background, has an extremely sophisticated and refined appearance “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty” (44). As the quote suggests Dr. Jekyll has a majestic and renowned persona. The charity he does for the society, and his living Standards are all visible through the appearance he manifests. On the other hand, Hyde being Dr. Jekyll’s contrivance, to carry out evil purposes has an unattractive appearance and a repellent demeanor. “There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable” (35). As per the quote Hyde looks very ugly. His deeds are uglier and compliances suitably to his physical self. Dr. Jekyll is