What view of human nature does Stevenson present in the novel The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Question: What view of human nature does Stevenson present in the novel “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”? Throughout Stevenson’s life he experienced things by looking at them in two different perspectives. He later went on to exhibit his experiences by writing a novel about split personality called “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. This essay will comment and explain Stevenson’s view of human nature within the novel. What is human nature? In my opinion human nature is the natural disposition of a human being, his/her inborn inclination to act, speak and so on. However, his/her behaviour, social attitudes, thoughts and concepts of life can be cultivated and nurtured by his/her parents/guardians. In the novel “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” a number of themes are explored, one of the most important theme is the duality of human nature and from which the novel is centred. Although we do not come to terms with the duality until the last chapter when the Jekyll- Hyde relationship is revealed we confront the theory of a dual human nature after having witnessed Hyde’s crimes and his ultimate eclipsing of Jekyll. The text not only posits the duality of human nature as its central theme but also forces the reader to examine the root courses of this duality and to think back upon each of the novels events and relate it to themselves. Duality in many aspects of the novel features as a device used to intensify the plot. The novel “the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” was written in 1880 in the later part of ... ... middle of paper ... ...es as is shown by Stevenson in his novel. Evaluating my conclusion I have come to believe that using today’s modern science, we can class Dr. Jekyll’s personality as a multiple personality disorder. In Dr. Jekyll’s confession, Stevenson succinctly summarises, “man will be ultimately known for a mere polity of multi-farious, incongruous and independent denizens.” Stevenson does not indicate any-type of amelioration devices to rid all aspects of evil from good in a dual personality. Does this indicate that such a device is non-existent? In theory, one cannot live without the other, because in the end when Jekyll kills himself, Hyde also has to die with him. Events that we would describe as good and evil happen all the time. Labelling the events as such is strictly a need of man to understand life. Good and evil as concepts are man-made and man defined.
In this essay I am going to look at Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll, the first
In Robert Louis Stevenson’s, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll’s struggle between two personalities is the cause of tragedy and violence. Dr. Jekyll takes his friends loyalty and unknowingly abuses it. In this novella, Stevenson shows attributes of loyalty, how friendship contributes to loyalty, and how his own life affected his writing on loyalty.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story about a smart doctor who makes a drug that can make the evil side of a person come out. This drug changes Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde. The author does not mention that Dr. Jekyl...
The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a book based on a man with two different personality’s and two physical appearances, his own as well as a strange man who goes by the name of Mr Hyde a mysterious dark individual who lurks in the dark and pounces once spotting his prey weak an vulnerable. The character of Mr Hyde was created after Dr Jekyll created a special chemical solution which he drank, subsequently transforming himself into this different creature. Dr Jekyll ever since has been fighting with this other side, this evil vicious man in order to bring peace among him self and others, but the evil Mr Hyde is forever eager to release his side. This leaves Dr Jekyll fighting to maintain normality, and get rid of the demon he has created.
Addiction is a behavior that leads to actions that not only hurt others but is ultimately a path to one’s own self-destruction. From the beginning of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, it is clear that Dr. Jekyll never had complete control over the drug or Mr. Hyde; however, once Hyde commits suicide in order to dodge punishment, we know how awful Jekyll’s addiction to Hyde had been. Jekyll was so far out of control of Hyde that Mr. Hyde had the ability to end both of their lives simply because Hyde did not wish to be punished.
Page, Norman. "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson." Encyclopedia of the Novel. Eds. Paul Schellinger, Christopher Hudson, and Marijke Rijsberman. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1998.
In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, the dual nature of man is a main theme. Jekyll says: "Man is not /truly one, but truly two"(125), meaning all people have both a good and a bad side. Dr. Jekyll creates a potion to fully separate good and evil, but instead it awakens a dormant character, Mr. Hyde. Throughout the novel, Stevenson uses society, control, and symbolism to tell the reader about human nature.
In Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll, in grave danger, writes a letter to his good friend Lanyon. With Jekyll’s fate in Lanyon’s hands, he requests the completion of a task, laying out specific directions for Lanyon to address the urgency of the matter. In desperation, Jekyll reveals the possible consequences of not completing this task through the use of emotional appeals, drawing from his longtime friendship with Lanyon, to the fear and guilt he might feel if he fails at succeeding at this task. Through Jekyll’s serious and urgent tone, it is revealed that his situation is a matter of life and death in which only Lanyon can determine the outcome.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Gothic 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde can be read in a number of ways through any number of different lenses, which makes for a versatile novella, and an interesting read for just about anyone. It also makes for a great novel with which to learn literary analysis. Using The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde one can see how Freudian psychoanalysis, though it had not been so developed at the time of the novel can intersect with homosexual undertones, and how the manifestations of the repressed can come to light when the subject of homosexuality is not properly addressed.
Texts are a representation of their context and this is evident in Robert Stevenson’s novella: “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”, where many values of late nineteenth century Victorian England values were reflected through the themes of the novel using language and structural features. These values included: technological advances, reputation and masculinity and are demonstrated in the text through literary and structure devices as well as the characterisation of the main character.
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a confusing and perplexing one. R.L. Stevenson uses the devices of foreshadow and irony to subtly cast hints to the reader as to who Mr. Hyde is and where the plot will move. Stevenson foreshadows the events of the book through his delicate hints with objects and words. Irony is demonstrated through the names of characters, the names display to the reader how the character will fit into the novel. These two literary devices engage the readers; they employ a sense of mystery while leading the readers to the answer without them realizing the depth of each indirect detail.
Oftentimes, we’ve heard many real-life stories about good people who commit evil deeds, they have sacrificed their morality, consciousness and reputation for the sake of their inner needs. In the story “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, Stevenson demonstrates the theory of human nature’s duality by the internal conflict of Dr. Jekyll who has suffered in his consciousness and inner needs, or virtue and vice. The point is we all are struggling in the duality of human nature with our good side and bad side everyday. Accordingly, the best solution to deal with this conflict is to let both of our good side and bad side out but do so with lots of control and measure.
In conclusion, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, represents many themes of duality in human nature. This is represented by the characters of Henry Jekyll, Edward Hyde, Hastie Lanyon, and John Utterson. Some themes represented are the duality in conforming to societal conventions, curiosity, and temptation. Stevenson utilizes significant events including the deaths of Lanyon and Jekyll, and the transformations of Jekyll into Hyde to prove “that man is not truly one, but two” (125)
In Robert Louis Stevenson’s the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a scientist, Dr. Jekyll, creates an alter ego using a draught in order to escape the harsh views of society. As Mr. Hyde, he commits heinous crimes against citizens and becomes addicted to the perception of freedom from Victorian laws. Best stated by Norman Kerr about addiction, “there is an inebriety derangement of the mental faculties, so that the consciousness, perception, reasoning, power, and conscience are impaired” (Kerr 138). The character Dr. Jekyll illustrates the condition of addiction in the Victorian era through the motifs of the obsession with appearance and duality.
Mr. Hyde and Dorian Gray are characters that nearly match each other in their symbolism and manner. However, it is the key differences that make them remarkably interesting as a pair. They symbolize the battles between good and evil, though they have differing interpretations of morality.