Theme Of Dualism In Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde - 972 Words

In 1886 Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a best selling novel, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It told the terrifying story of the power of addiction and the monsters that lurk within all of humanity. In this story many readers are intrigued by the psychological depth that Stevenson puts into the duo of Dr. Jekyll and his alternate personality Mr. Hyde, and even today the names of this alternating couple have become a kind of parable for any â€Å"devil in disguise†. The theme of dualisms main role is proven in this story as the theme when Jekyll undergoes radical changes in his emotional state and personality and assumes the character of Hyde. Through these changes, Stevenson portrays the duality of human nature and moral standard, and as Henry Jekyll†¦show more content†¦In the novel, Hyde is repeatedly described as not human, and is associated with satan strictly because he differs from all other humanity. Hyde is an unmixed essence of evil, unlike all other humanity in whic h they posses degrees of both good and evil. Stevenson emphasizes the evil side of Mr. Hyde, which caused the â€Å"imprint of deformity and decay† in his appearance. Even Jekyll describes Mr. Hyde as a â€Å"child of Hell† in whom â€Å"nothing lived but fear and hatred†. Jekyll denies any responsibility for Hyde‘s actions, yet recalls his faint awareness of each experience. In retrospect, Mr. Hyde was not the antagonist. He had just slowly been transformed into a slave of the disgraceful pleasures of Dr. Jekyll, and given a name. What really sets Hyde’s identity apart from the rest of humanity is that he is engulfed in Dr. Jekyll’s evil and it consumes his personality leaving him with nothing but wickedness. In that sense, he is a full personality. Jekyll makes a clear account of being aware that Hyde was within him, even though Hyde is utterly aloof to Jekyll. In an article, Gish states that, â€Å"Hyde is neither unconscious nor represse d, and Jekyll does not create him; Jekyll merely allows him to be released† (â€Å"Jekyll and Hyde†). Therefore, the character is doubled, not halved, since Hyde has none of his character. Later in the story, Jekyll begins toShow MoreRelatedJekyll And Hyde Dualism Essay1315 Words   |  6 Pageswould be â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.† This novella deals with many themes that intertwine together to form a complex idea of dualism. It has aspects from personality division and the ultimate question of how good and evil can tie into Victorian society’s view of public and private life. Stevenson the personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with evil and good aspects as well as the public and private life to demonstrate a clear understanding of dualism. In the novella Stevenson drawsRead MoreJekyll And Hyde Character Analysis968 Words   |  4 PagesStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, explores the duality of human nature. He writes this novel to show us that humans have split personalities, and that there are two sides to human’s personality: good and evil. In the late-Victorian literature, duality appears to be a common theme; serving as a way for modern readers to analyze late-Victorian literature and culture. Stevenson weaves throughout the novel a theme of duality + which appears in the characters of both Jekyll and Hyde as well as inRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1012 Words   |  5 PagesRobert Louis Stevenson’s â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† is a classic Victorian tale of good and evil. The novel tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected scientist who so desperately needs to separate his morality from his self-indulgence. Aware of the evil side of his own being, he seeks to be free of it through scientific experiments resulting into the â€Å"bestial† Mr. Hyde. It’s a simple tale about the good and evil that exist in all of us. Through his brilliance, StevensonRead MoreGood Vs Evil : Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1724 Words   |  7 Pagesbut instead the mirror hails Snow White. Then, the Queen transforms into a witch in order to be the fairest of them all, similar to the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde transformation. Dr. Jekyll transforms to Mr. Hyde in order to change identities. Both stories, share the idea of dualism or the idea of being two different people and both characters, the Queen and Dr. Jekyll, have one side presenting good acts, and other side presenting evil acts. These stories are also similar because they both written inRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1619 Words   |  7 PagesCase of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1886, is a glimpse back in time to the Victorian era. The novella highlights the Victorian morality and the Victorian model of life. The key features of Vic torian morality include a set of moral values pillared in sexual restraints, low tolerance policies on crimes and a strict social code of conduct. Dr. Jekyll is a respected member living in the Victorian society, who abides to all the rules and regulations. Mr. Hyde is hisRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde : Literary Review1515 Words   |  7 PagesThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Literary Review The Romantic era was plagued with class conflict, poverty, and labor issues. The Victorian novel allows those who had access to them discover and focus on moral issues with society. Among the novel that were created during the era, the genre of a gothic novella emerged. Well knowns gothic novellas included Frankenstein, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Robert Stevenson’s gothic novella The StrangeRead MoreDuality Of Human Nature949 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the most predominant themes in literature is the duality of human nature. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, dualism is a view of human beings as constituted of two irreducible elements. Many pieces of literature concentrate on how every human possesses an animalistic and barbarous nature. In the novel The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and the short story William Wilson by Edgar Allan Poe, the ideaRead MoreThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1147 Words   |  5 PagesIn 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