Jekyll and Hyde Good vs evil Stevenson presents the idea of duality through the differences between Dr Jekyll and mr Hyde. Throughout the novella, there is a repeated antithesis as the good of Jekyll is compared to the “detestabillity” of Hyde. Jekyll has a highly respectable front and is known for a having a good reputation, however Hyde is infamous he known for being evil and is strongly disliked by all he meets. Hyde is described as “like Satan” and “devilish” empathising his pure evil and his dangerous and deplourable nature. Whereas Jekyll is often described as a respected man and is “well built”. These contrast further reinforce the sheer difference in the two possible side of man. Emphasing duality of ones nature and how man is made …show more content…
For example Jekyll describes Hyde as the “evil side of my nature” the use of the word “my” shows how Jekyll really felt as if he owned Hyde, and originally felt in control of him. As the novella carries on mr Hyde gets even more evil gaining power along the way and eventually Jekyll’s control is lost and he no longer has any power over Hyde. It could also represent how Jekyll felt Hyde was a true part of him, they weren’t two separate people but two parts of one whole. This could be Stevenson’s way of criticising the dual nature and hypocrisy of Victorian society. In chapter 10 Jekyll also says when he (Hyde) murdered sir Danvers Carew he “tasted delight with every blow” this shows how Jekyll really truly enjoyed being Hyde and carrying out the evil acts that he committed. Jekyll and hyde are together as one and not two separate people and he is “commingled ... out of good and evil” to create a sadist like character who enjoys wrong doings. Contextually Victorian gentleman wouldn’t want to be seen enjoying this, this is why Jekyll used Hyde to carry out this part of him, they wouldn’t want to create a scandal or ruin there reputation which was very important to …show more content…
They act as agents of disorder and chaos and cloud judgement of reality. The play begins with the witches when they meet on the heath they say “when shall we three meet again, in thunder,lightning or in rain” the use of paethetci fallacy where the weather i reflecting the mood symbolises destruction and instantly introduces a dark and disturbing tone to the play. It could also be to show the witches undeniable power and how they can use the weather to create an ominous toe and cause disaster. “The instruments of darkness” are a manipulative catalyst of all evil throughout the play. For example, they say “fair is foul and foul is fair” this suggest not all is as it seems and creates a eerie and mysterious tone. It also represents how good and evil can easily be mistaken as one another, this is a prominent theme throughout the play. This immediately “fogs” Macbeth’s vision tempting him towards the unforgiving. Lady Macbeth’s bond with
For example, Stevenson describes Hyde’s complexion as a “ghastly pallor,” which suggests that he is a deathly shade of white. He also characterizes Hyde as “troglodytic,” meaning that his appearance resembles that of an uncivilized creature who lives in a cave. After several transformations into Mr. Hyde, Jekyll is said to appear “haggard” because of how tolling the experience was. A final example of gothic vocabulary is the repeated use of the word “evil” to describe Hyde and his
Jekylls sort of alter ego that soon threatens to take over Jekyll’s life and represents the forces of evil, or the hidden nature of mankind. Right from the novel's start, Hyde’s terrible looks and characteristics such as “A face of deformity and disease” (Stevenson 16) show the reader that he will be negatively looked at for the rest of the story. Hyde represents the power of evil and its ability to alter a person's behavior much like an addiction. At the same time, Dr. Jekyll serves as a metaphor for an individual's moral convictions.
he truly was pure evil and it is incomprehensible how much wrong doings he has because an torment he put on jekyll. “Under the strain of this continually impending doom and by the sleeplessness to which I now condemned myself, ay, even beyond what I had thought possible to man, I became, in my own person, a creature eaten up and emptied by fever, languidly weak both in body and mind, and solely occupied by one thought: the horror of my other self.” Dr Jekyll was truly in fear of his other half Mr Hyde Dr Jekyll may have been guilty of the crimes but truly Mr Hyde was the because of the crimes . He was truly split but was petrified by fear. dr jekyll was struggling and in fear of his other half mr
Mr. Hyde is the embodiment of Jekyll’s repressed homosexuality. Firstly, Hyde’s victims reflect Jekyll’s repressed feelings. The first victim is “a girl of maybe eight or ten” (Stevenson 3). His act of trampling the young girl shows his resentment toward women. This is because the Victorians try to force their views onto him and that he should be
The character of Dr. Jekyll is portrayed as being respectable and well-regarded in society, while Mr. Hyde is seen as disreputable and dangerous. Victorian morality: The novel reflects the strict moral standards of Victorian society. There are several references to the idea
Dark imagery is used excessively throughout the novel to symbolize and illustrate the forces and ideals of evil. One of the more well known beings of evil within Macbeth are the witches, also known as the Weird Sisters, who Macbeth goes to to learn small pieces
When the story opens, a story is being told about how Hyde trampled a young girl. Rather than stay on the scene, he retreats. It is Jekyll who provides the family with a check in order to keep them silent about the tragedy. Mutual friends of Jekyll’s, Mr. Utterson and Dr. Lanyon, are suspicious of the possible individual who could be terrorizing London, and they begin to investigate on their own. Jekyll wanted to separate his good side from his evil impulses creating a potion that would allow him to do that physically.
Good, however, is shown to overcome evil, by the actions and events taken and that had occurred within the novel. The "evil", Mr. Hyde, being born of good, the evil deeds only present while the novel 's "good," Dr. Jekyll is not, and the novel’s end, where Dr. Jekyll deciding to not let his darker half kill any longer and makes a decisive and sacrificial decision. All of these point to this concept that good prevails and triumphs evil no matter the cost and no matter the strength or power of evil whether it be an overwhelming gap or a tiny little crack. Dr. Jekyll was a good man and a good surgeon, doctor, and scientist, but he was not without his own vices and set of foreboding dark impulses. These he found a hassle to deal with and also big troubles.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jekyll’s depiction as a gentleman comments on the contrasting characteristics of the superior upper class with the low class by reflecting on the lifestyle he had and the experiences that he went through during the Victorian era. In the capitalist system of Victorian London, Stevenson's commentary on Jekyll's character highlights the flaws and shortcomings of a society that values wealth and status above morality and compassion. Jekyll's tragic story serves as a warning about the dangers of attempting to maintain power and status at any cost, which eventually leads to one's own demise. In 19th-century London, gentlemen held a highly ranked position in Victorian society. Their reputation was built on their ability to maintain order and stability while also pursuing professional careers that allowed them to accumulate wealth.
Dr. Jekyll is seemingly good, kind, and benevolent; while is not purely good he is a moral gentleman. He started his experiment so he could totally separate the bad and the good in himself into two separate beings. He did not succeed, however, for Dr. Jekyll is plagued by the feeling that he wants to become evil again, thus he wants to become Mr. Hyde. It is important to note that Mr. Hyde is completely evil; he has no goodness in him, in contrast to Dr. Jekyll who was a troubled mix. Mr. Hyde feels no remorse for any evil he has done and actually feels elated when he does commit a moral sin.
The comparison of light and dark is a form of imagery used in William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth to produce a contrast between good and evil. After the death of King Duncan, violations to the natural order through the sun not rising, reflect the corruption and anguish of Scotland. Darkness is also used every time the witches come into a scene giving the appearance of evil and misconception. The use of a candle once lady Macbeth has gone insane is a metaphor that the good of the light will protect her from the evil within. The ideas of light being good and darkness symbolising evil are used throughout this tragic play to establish the mood and scenery.
Overall, Stevenson’s presentation of the duality of man is conveyed by the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde because towards the end of the novel. Jekyll begins to realise that the schism which once caused them to despise one another, help them understand each other situation. Jekyll even begins to ‘pity’ Hyde toward the end of novel, praising his ‘love for life’ by calling it ‘wonderful’, as his creator he consequently acknowledges the condescending attitudes towards Hyde, unfairly for his appearance, however rightfully so for his actions. Moreover, like Darwin’s theory, Hyde could never be accepted into society, often being characterised as a ‘brute’. Additionally, Jekyll’s actions would be condemned by the Victorian readers, as he was
Stevenson also warns readers of the all-consuming nature of evil. This is indisputably epitomised in the character os Dr. Jekyll as he succumbs to his “other self”, Hyde, and is unable to escape from the insidious nature of Hyde. Only death was able to relieve Dr. Jekyll of his immoral and “wicked” side (Stevenson 1689). Therefore, the text could be viewed as a 19th century social novel that allegorises the evils and immoral vices of
The theme of duality in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" suggests that all humans have both good and evil within them, and that attempting to completely suppress one's dark side can have dangerous consequences. In Robert Louis Stevenson's Gothic novella "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," the author explores the theme of duality by using the characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to represent the two sides of human nature. Through the characters' struggles and the consequences of their actions, the novel suggests that all humans have both good and evil within them, and that failing to acknowledge and balance these two sides can lead to destruction and chaos. In "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," the author uses various details to support the theme of duality and
Jekyll first finds out that Mr. Utterson wanted to talk about his will he immediately tries to change the topic this gives a sense of secrecy and mystery. This leaves the reader to wonder what Dr. Jekyll is trying to hide, furthermore when Mr. Utterson tries to pursue the topic by mentioning that he has “been learning something of young Hyde” The doctors features darkened “he grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes” This is the first link Stevenson gives us between the Mr. Hyde who is almost shrouded in secrecy throughout the novel and the respectable Dr. Jekyll, this generates a sense of mystery in the reader trying to figure out what the relationship between the two are. Soon afterwards Jekyll convinces Mr. Utterson to keep Hyde a private matter and tells him everything is under his control and he can “be rid of Hyde” at any moment he pleases. However on the second reading the reader knows that the situation is in fact quite the contradiction to what he just said, so this gives an effect of dramatic irony.