Jekyll And Mr Hyde Symbolism

734 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Jekyll and hyde contrast

Society contains two types of people: the good and the evil; but, both types of people combat an inner battle, unable to decide which side should take control. In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson uses humanity’s battle between pure and vile. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are essentially the same person, but they have been split by their personalities; good and evil. Hyde is evil, proving to be the complete opposite of Jekyll. He enjoys seeing innocents in pain and relishes the act of killing. Being the pure side of the person, Jekyll is caring, kind and helpful. Although he is different from Hyde, Hyde’s presence brings negativity to Jekyll’s good character. Stevenson illustrates humanity’s dual personality through the symbolism of the two personalities’ appearances, the two characters’ behaviors, and the …show more content…

Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s appearances. As a stereotypical depiction of good and bad, the evil persona is ugly and appears to be suspicious at first look. Dr. Jekyll, the good personality, is handsome and seems to be kind-hearted. Stevenson vividly describes Hyde, “…so ugly that is brought out the sweat on me like running...” (3). Hyde’s hairy, animal-like appearance symbolizes how society compares his evil and impure personality to that of an animal. The comparison accentuates the difference between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, showing how separate a man’s two personality could be. Stevenson’s usage of appearance to define their contrasting personalities. Stevenson utilizes the individuals’ appearance to completely describe the dual personality of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson also uses the stereotypical appearance of good man to symbolize his kind acts versus the murderous evil acts that Mr. Hyde commits. The author uses the characters’ appearance as well as their appearances to symbolize the battle between pure and

Show More
Related

  • Does Stevenson Create Suspense In Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde

    1987 Words  | 4 Pages

    From reading the last chapter, we can all see that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are easily viewed as a symbol about the good and evil that exists in all men, and about the struggle these two sides in the human personality. Hyde has a short temper and is made to look evil. “I observed that when I wore the semblance of Edward Hyde, none could come near me at first with a visible misgiving of the flesh”. Jekyll is arguing that Hyde is the perfect physical embodiment of the evil inside him, implying that Hyde looks evil. Stevenson has also explored which aspect of human personality is superior, good or evil. Since at the start of the book Hyde seems to be taking over, you might argue that evil is stronger than good. However, Hyde does end up dead at the end of the story, suggesting a failure of the weakness of evil. Since Hyde represents the evil in Jekyll he is therefore symbolically represented being much smaller than Jekyll as “Jekyll’s clothes are far too large for him”. But as the plot progresses Mr. Hyde began to grow and becomes more powerful than Jekyll, and the reason for Hyde to become more powerful is due to the fact that Jekyll enjoys what Hyde does, which allow Hyde to gradually destroy the good in

    Read More

  • Jekyll And Hyde Duality Essay

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stevenson focuses on two different characters Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but in reality these are not separate men, they are two different aspects of one man’s reality. In the story, Dr. Je...

    Read More

  • Marxist Theory and Class Relations in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    870 Words  | 2 Pages

    Within the text of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson portrays a complex power struggle between Dr. Jekyll, a respected individual within Victorian London society, and Mr. Hyde a villainous man tempted with criminal urges, fighting to take total control of their shared body. While Dr. Jekyll is shown to be well-liked by his colleagues, Mr. Hyde is openly disliked by the grand majority of those who encounter him, terrified of his frightful nature and cruel actions. Throughout Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson portrays the wealthy side of London, including Mr. Utterson and Dr. Jekyll, as respected and well-liked, while showing the impoverish side as either non-existent or cruel.

    Read More

  • Stevenson's Use of Literary Techniques to Portray Evil in Jekyll and Hyde

    3971 Words  | 8 Pages

    Stevenson’s most prominent character in the story is the mysterious Mr Hyde. Edward Hyde is introduced from the very first chapter when he tramples a young girl in the street, which brings the reader’s attention straight to his character. The reader will instantly know that this person is a very important part of this book and that he plays a key role in the story. This role is the one of a respectable old man named Dr Jekyll’s evil side or a ‘doppelganger’. This links in with the idea of duality. Dr Jekyll is described as being ‘handsome’, ‘well-made’ and ‘smooth-faced’. On the other hand, Mr Hyde is described as being ‘hardly human’, ‘pale and dwarfish’, giving of an impression of deformity and ‘so ugly that it brought out the sweat on (Mr Enfield) like running’! These words all go together to conjure up an image in the mind of an animal, beast or monster. During the novel...

    Read More

  • Dr Jekyll And Hyde Character Analysis

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ve duality of man;… if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both” Thus, Stevenson creates in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, two coexistent, and eternally opposed components that make up a “normal” individual. However, here, good and evil are not related but are two independent entities, individuals even, different in mental and physical attributes and constantly at war with each other. Evil now does not require the existence of good to justify itself but it exists simply as itself, and is depicted as being the more powerful, the more enjoyable of the two, and in the end ultimately it is the one that leads to Dr. Jekyll's downfall and death. Stevenson creates the perfect metaphor for the never-ending battle between good and evil by using Jekyll and Hyde. However, this novella is perhaps one of the few that truly show the power of Evil.

    Read More

  • Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    901 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mr. Hyde is the monstrous side of Dr. Jekyll from their book “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” In their story, Dr. Jekyll is a brilliant scientist who has created a formula that turns him into Mr. Hyde. It is stated that, at some point, Dr. Jekyll became addicted to the potion. Though it is unclear what would cause the addiction, since it would be Hyde who would experience the “high” and not Jekyll himself. Hyde is the contrast to Dr. Jekyll, and is considerably more brutal and immoral. Modern incarnations depict him as becoming incredibly muscular after the transformation, though in the original work it is only implied that Hyde is stronger, retaining his previous physique. It is consistent that Hyde is shown to be ugly, perhaps even deformed.

    Read More

  • Jekyll and Hyde: Duality of Human Nature

    685 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a riveting tale of how one man uncovers, through scientific experiments, the dual nature within himself. Robert Louis Stevenson uses the story to suggest that this human duality is housed inside everyone. The story reveals “that man is not truly one, but two” (Robert Louis Stevenson 125). He uses the characters of Henry Jekyll, Edward Hyde, Dr. Lanyon, and Mr. Utterson to portray this concept. He also utilizes important events, such as the death of Dr. Jekyll and the death of Mr. Lanyon in his exploration of the topic.

    Read More

  • Relationship Between Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde

    1274 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is equally scandalous, if not more than the fading bond between Basil and Dorian. Stevenson’s story line only consists of one duplicitous person, Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll is an intellectual scientist who is able to drink a potion and morph into an evil brute. The freedoms he utilizes when he is Mr. Hyde fascinate him and he develops an addiction to the evilness of Hyde. Time only tells that “Mr. Hyde is Dr. Jekyll’s parasite” (Nabokov 22). Thus, Jekyll loses touch with his soul as his transformation into Hyde becomes increasingly irreversible. As Hyde, Jekyll is deformed and monstrously unattractive. Jekyll takes his intellectual ability of transforming into Hyde to the extremes and as a result becomes uglier when he is Hyde, similar to how Basil remains flawed because of his intelligence. Dr. Jekyll, fearful that he has gone too far with his experiment cries, “The ugly face of iniquity stared into my soul” (Stevenson 77). At this point Hyde has manifested himself within Jekyll and there is no resolution to keep the two separated. The goal was “to make Jekyll’s evil side before and after the hydization a believable evil” (Nabokov 21). The blood of both personalities is so cold, allowing believable evilness to occur. It is not until Jekyll’s suicide of himself and Hyde is complete that the blood can rid itself of its evil

    Read More

  • The Dual Nature of Man: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    607 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Jekyll first turns into Hyde, he feels delighted at his newfound freedom. He states: "... And yet when I looked upon /that ugly idol in the glass, I was conscious of no repugnance, /rather of a leap of welcome..."(131). Now he could be respected as a scientist and explore his darker passions. Stevenson shows duality of human nature through society.

    Read More

  • Humans and Our Alter-Egos Portrayed in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Steveson

    576 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novella ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ which was written by Robert Louis Stevenson in the Victorian era was a book first published in 1886 in England. This book brought a huge amount of success to the author. In this book Stevenson explains to the reader that humans have multiple sides to each other, and he explains that there isn’t just one central attitude. Stevenson explains to the reader that humans have a lot of different sides to each other some good and some bad. He also explains how duplicitous humans are and the theory of having an alter-ego. His concept explains how humans can have one side and act one certain way and then at the same time switch to a different side of themselves and act completely different and they may not even know themselves that they act like this.

    Read More

  • Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Essay

    1005 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dr. Jekyll is a symbol of both the good and the bad in mankind, while Mr. Hyde represents pure evil. For instance, when Dr. Jekyll is himself, he is seen as a respectable man who is adored by his colleagues: “he became once more their familiar quest and entertainer; and whilst he had always been known for his charities, he was now no less distinguished for religion” (Stevenson 29). However, when Dr. Jekyll transforms to Mr. Hyde his morals are quickly disregarded. An example of this occurs when Mr. Hyde murders Sir Danvers, shortly after Dr. Jekyll submits to the temptation of changing to Mr. Hyde: “instantly the spirit of hell awoke in me…with a transport of glee, I mauled the unresisting body, tasting delight from every blow” (Stevenson 56). Even though the carnal side of Dr. Jekyll enjoys the incident, this event also illustrates the conscience side of Dr. Jekyll because in the mist of this brutal murder, he begins to feel guilty for committing the crime.

    Read More

  • Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Character Analysis

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the author Robert Louis Stevenson uses Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to show the human duality. Everyone has a split personality, good and evil. Stevenson presents Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as two separate characters, instead of just one. Dr. Jekyll symbolizes the human composite of a person while Mr. Hyde symbolizes the absolute evil. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, who are indeed the same person, present good and evil throughout the novel.

    Read More

  • Dr. Jekell And Mr. Hyde

    819 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Dominion of Evil The term “Jekyll and Hyde”, now a part of our common language, can be found in most dictionaries. Random dictionary definitions of “Jekyll and Hyde” include: 1) “One who has quasi-schizophrenic, alternating phases of pleasantness an unpleasantness.” 2) “A person having a split personality, one side of which is good and the other evil.” 3) “This phrase refers to a person who alternates between charming demeanor and extremely unpleasant behavior.” This concept revolves around the experience of Dr. Jekyll, enabled by drinking a potion, into living as his own living side, whom he names Hyde. Stevenson intended Jekyll’s character to be pronounced Je (French word for “I”) Kill (Je-Kill = I kill), as an indication that the doctor wanted to isolate the evil portion of himself, appropriately named “Hyde,” meaning low and vulgar hide or flesh which must hide from civilization. When Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the story Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, he portrayed man’s evil nature as a portion of his total makeup, and showed that the evil portion will often express itself more forcefully and powerfully than do the other aspects. Throughout life, a person can develop a sense of the conflict that actually involves one’s good and evil natures. Often a person’s current actions reflect their childhood experiences. Jekyll, described by Stevenson, born wealthy, grew up handsome, honorable, and distinguished. Yet, throughout much of his life, he commits secret acts which he thoroughly regrets. Early in Jekyll’s development, Stevenson had him recognize a “profound duplicity of life...so profound a double dealer” and “that man is not truly one, but truly two.” Intellectually, he evaluates the differences between his private life and his public life and, ultimately, he becomes obsessed with the idea that at least two different entities, maybe even more, occupy a person. Jekyll’s reflections and his scientific knowledge lead him to contemplate the possibility of scientifically isolating these two components. With this in mind, he begins to experiment with various chemical combinations. When Jekyll discovers the correct formula and drinks it, he is approaching a hardy fifty years of age; after his transformation into Edward Hyde, he feels younger, lighter, and more sensual, thereby indicating the appeal of the evil side. At that point, he acknowledges “the thorough and primitive duality of man.” He sees the necessity to try to separate the two selves, to hide that shameful part of himself from the world, and therefore stay in control of his evil nature.

    Read More

  • Duality of Man and Soul

    906 Words  | 2 Pages

    Due to their concealed yet present inner evil, humans are naturally inclined to sin but at the same time resist temptation because of influence from society, thus illustrating a duality in humanity. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde focuses on how humans are actually two different people composed into one. The concept of dual human nature includes all of Hyde’s crimes and ultimately the death of Jekyll. Jekyll proposes that “man is not truly one, but truly two,” and describes the human soul as a constant clash of the “angel” and the “fiend,” each struggling to suppress the other (Stevenson 61, 65). Man will try to cover up his inner evil because once it rises to the surface everyone will know the real...

    Read More

  • What Is The Relationship Between Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde

    611 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first time I read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde I was horrified. My mom had handed me an old dog-eared novel that smelled faintly of dust to entertain myself with while she did some work. Looking curiously at the fairly read book, I wondered what could possibly be so strange about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, so I settled down on my bed and began to read the pages earnestly. The story gripped me until the last page and I could not stop thinking about what I had just learned: friendly Dr. Jekyll had actually drunk a potion to transform into sinister Mr. Hyde. Remembering how evil Mr. Hyde had been sent waves of fear through me. At that moment, my nine-year-old self forgot it was fiction. Flinging the book under my bed, I dashed

    Read More

More about Jekyll And Mr Hyde Symbolism

Open Document