Human Nature: The Double Character of Dr. Jekyll Essay

Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” is physiognomy. We can see this in the

Considering The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as an Effective Representation of Evil

Embodiment of religious notions of good and evil. One of the main Christian concept is the one of temptation caused by the dual nature of humanity hence the concept of evil hiding in the light. This can be seen throughout the entire novella with the onomastic name of Hyde, as pointed out by Utterson’s pun, can also mean “hide”. Evil was therefore hiding, lurking, within Dr Jekyll the entire time but was emphasised by strict moral value and finally set free with Dr Jekyll transgressive experiments. This transgression to the natural and universal orders seem to affect his surroundings, the night is now “accursed”. The “constellations looked down upon (him)”, he defies God for he admits he had defied his “unsleeping vigilance”. This extract describes how the transformation operates on multiple level including the metaphorical one, it has also a highly religious value, showing the metaphorical meaning of good and evil and how it can be read as a cautionary tale of hubris. But then, what were social pressures at the time and how can this duality be explained

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

“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 world as we know it is constantly moving and changing; events occur that can affect people’s lives even if they are thousands of miles away. Whether or not these happenings are good or evil can shape one’s mindset and outlook on the actions they take themselves. Both have distinct strengths and weaknesses; however, the real question one must ask is which side of the spectrum is more capable of influencing humanity. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson, a wealthy and well-respected doctor by the name of Henry Jekyll, who believes that man is not one but two separate people, constructs a potion which unearths his inner evil (Mr. Edward Hyde), and in the end is engulfed by the strength of his malevolent persona.

There isn’t a distinctive difference between good and evil, however, they do intertwine with one another. Dr. Jekyll, who is upright and of good virtue in the eyes of society, has finally came in contact with his secret darker side. In a letter, he explains his understanding of the binate nature of human: “It was on the moral side, and in my own person, that I learned to recognize the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both.” (10.1) On their weekly Sunday walk, Mr. Utterson listened to Enfield tell him the tragic story about an assault.

Good and evil and not one but two, they are separate from each other but consisted in one body. Dr. Jekyll conflicts with the duality of human nature. Jekyll reveals that he struggles with letting the evil inside him to escape. Even though Dr. Jekyll is a well respected, good man, he allows the evil in him to go wild, such as Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde is a man looked down on, a man of sinful actions who is pure evil. When, Hyde starts to control Jekyll, Jekyll realizes what it finally means to have evil take over good.

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

Besides, Jekyll’s good nature living in well-to-do citadel and the other sinister half of his home the laboratory is dark wicked airy feeling. This is the place his alter ego emerges. Hyde’s appearance is frightening. He’s strange and looks somewhat unhuman, ugly and deformed. " Indeed the Jekyll and Hyde one person divided in appearance and character.

When witnesses and victims of Mr. Hyde describe what he looks like they say he has many deformities and is repulsively ugly. The author describes the same person Dr. Jekyll as cunning

Everyone loves the classic age-old battle of good vs. evil. Just watching until the very end to find out that good eventually prevails is arguably the most satisfying thing about the rivalry and why filmmakers as well as authors take on the theme so often. However, good vs. evil is also something that human beings simply cannot escape. As long as there is good in the world, there will be evil; also, as long as evil exists, there will be some good to stop it. In Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, he presents the reader with many different themes throughout. The main theme in Jekyll and Hyde is good vs. evil and the battle between the two. The second theme is repression and how repression affects the characters throughout the novel. Stevenson focuses on the battle between good and evil and the tendency to repress the true self in his classic work in order to emphasize that all people have within themselves these same struggles.

Many stories include a general theme of good and evil- whether it be one character’s war against his own self or two different characters against each other. In “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson, both of these ideas are included through the separation of Jekyll’s “good” and “evil” sides into two different people. Dr. Jekyll’s will, Mr. Hyde’s appearance, and the incident of the letter all suggest that Jekyll and Hyde are two separate people derived from one to represent good from evil.

Stevenson's Representation of Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the best-known narratives of all writings. Indeed, it is familiar to the point that many individuals expect the story has been in presence for longer than it has been. According to my previous English teacher, the names of Jekyll and Hyde are often utilized to portray the conduct of a calm individual who is caring and delicate, however, who suddenly changes into a horrible, pitiless individual when tanked. Throughout the story, Stevenson uses various literary devices, although, the one most effectively presented in his novel is the one of imagery. Imagery helps enforce the set mood and develop a stronger theme in the story.