How Stevenson Explores the Nature of Good and Evil in the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde The story is about a doctor called Jekyll who has an alternate identity called Hyde. Until the last two chapters it is told from the view point of Mr Utterson; a friend of Jekyll’s who is trying to piece together the story. It uses features of gothic novels such as doppelganger which is an alternate identity. It also uses multiple narratives to make the reader think, it also helps the reader solve the case themselves, and piece the story together, from the evidence given. To a certain extent Stevenson also uses the monster feature in the form of Edward Hyde. In this novel, Stevenson was trying to show that good and evil are not …show more content…
He is described as “some damned Juggernaut” about him whereas Jekyll is described as fair. Another way they use doors is to suggest some thing hidden as in “behind closed doors”. Utterson finds that when Hyde is staying in Jekyll’s house in his place he stays in the cabinet with the doors closed to hide him self. I also feel this idea of two sides is also used to mimic what was going on in Victorian society at that time. They were pretending to live one way of life while living a different one altogether. Many types of gothic novels especially from the Victorian era use the monsters to represent certain fears of the society. In the time period this novel was written there were many fears of using science to try and play God. The Victorians believed you shouldn’t try and use science to change, or try and duplicate what God has created. That is why I believe that the monsters that are used in gothic novels of that time period, such as Frankenstein and this story, where creations of scientific experiments in which the scientist tried to play God, have gone awry. In Frankenstein the scientist was trying to create life, and his creation, after taking the lives of those close to him ended up destroying him. In this the scientist tried to split his good and bad side and the bad side ended up consuming the good, and again he killed innocents. I feel another purpose behind this is to say that even if we could play God
Stevenson writes ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ with the intention of showing the reader the duality of man and explores this through the juxtaposition of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this novella, Stevenson also uses the environment and setting of the story to represent the contrast between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
“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
The Concept of Evil in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Stevenson The substance of the Bible and Greek myths - the premise of the evil that is in man - sometimes lurking deep in the psyche, sometimes controlling and consuming like a wild beast, is explored in Robert Louis Stevenson's (1850-94) short Victorian novel of 1886. Rarely does the mere title of a novel have the myth-making depth to grip the imagination and ensure its place in our language for generations to come. Today everyone knows what is meant by a 'Jekyll and Hyde character'. A handful of other novels with this quality perhaps come to mind; including 'Frankenstein'.
This story is also a way for Stevenson to have a go at hypocroisy and
In this essay I am going to look at Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll, the first
Stevenson's Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Stevenson uses the characters of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to expresses his beliefs about human duality by introducing them as two contrasting characters, instead of just one character. Using two completely different characters with different names and appearances gets his message of human duality across more effectively rather than using just one character that turns a different colour when its angry, for example.
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
with him again. Also in the later Dr Jekyll wrote that he was going on
“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,
In the novel “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde” there is a theme of good vs evil. Good being Dr. Jekyll and evil Mr Hyde they have the inner fight between themselves, because they are the same person.Robert louis Stevenson uses Diction,imagery,and details to contrast the character of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde
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
Stevenson makes clarification with giving the dark evil character as an alternative personality of Dr. Jekyll which is Mr. Hyde. Stevenson begins to peruse the case of a respected doctor who becomes associated with Mr. Hyde. The unusual, mysterious circumstance is the fact that the two men is the same person. “The doctor experiments in his own laboratory trying to divide effort to improve the quality his own life” (Hedlund). The reading explains the struggles and mental state of Dr. Jekyll.
The well-known story titled The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde written by Robert Stevenson (2003), can be interpreted in many different ways as evidenced by several critics contrasting themes. Garrett provides a strong focus on the conflicting identities of good and evil living within a man whereas Brantlinger’s focus is to reveal the inspiration behind Stevenson’s ‘Allegory’ and connect it to similar works of its time period. Linehan takes a different approach by comparing sexuality of man to the underlying evil of human nature. In comparison, Wright uses the popular theme of conflicting identities and brings light to the relationship with the theory of addiction. While all authors connect the overall meaning of the story back to the dual nature of man, Wright provides a unique perspective in which focuses on conflicting forces of temptation and control in human nature.