The Duality of Human Nature

816 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How is duality of human nature presented in dr jekyll and mr hyde

In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson expresses the concept of the duality of man. Using gothic literature, he depicts the idea of man’s doubled nature. Stevenson demonstrates through the character Henry Jekyll the duality of human nature and the constant battle of good and evil inside all individuals.
In Victorian society, maintaining a good reputation is of utmost importance (Perkins 207). For instance, Dr. Henry Jekyll always focuses on pleasing society to sustain his high social standing (209). He continually donates his time to his friends, church, and various charities (208). As most individuals do, Jekyll alters his personality to fit the situation he is in (Saposnik 88). As the novel progresses, Jekyll realizes, “With every day, and form both sides of my intelligence, the moral and the intellectual, I thus drew steadily nearer to that truth, by whose partial discovery I had been doomed…that man is not truly one, but truly two…” (Stevenson 68). Jekyll’s realization of possessing multiple personalities initiates his idea that there could be a way to separate his two sides (Oates 210; Saposnik 93). With a goal to remove evil from his community life, Jekyll initially seems to have good intentions; however, morality becomes a temptation (Perkins 208). The doctor quickly becomes consumed in his scientific work to create a way to completely isolate his evil. His longing to create a concoction to split his personality cause him to forget his loyal friends, who begin to think the Jekyll has gone mad (Stevenson 35). When Jekyll finally concocts the potion to separate his good and evil, this power becomes a temptation catalyzing the growth of evil within him (Perkins 208; Stevenson 73).
Je...

... middle of paper ...

... of the duality of man. Throughout the novel, Stevenson uses his character Jekyll to represent the good side of man and uses Hyde to stand for the unseen evil capable in all individual. Due to the fact that both sides of man, good and evil, are fused together, there is no way to successfully destroy either side, without the destruction of the one preferred.

Works Cited
Oates, Carol Joyce. “Criticism.” Novels for Students. Ed. Elizabeth Thomason. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 210-212. Print.
Perkins, Wendy. “Criticism.” Novels for Students. Ed. Elizabeth Thomason. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 207-210. Print.
Thomason, Elizabeth, ed. Novels for Students. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Print.
Saposnik, Irving S. Robert Louis Stevenson. Boston: Twayne, 1974. Print.
Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. London: Harper, 2010. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Mr Hyde Eulogy

    568 Words  | 2 Pages

    Within every being exists temptations, whether it be quiescent or dynamic, which fluctuates from one individual to another. Commonly negative, temptations ascend from lesser qualities of man and expose an individual to develop even more reprehensible ambitions. The story of a one man’s dark wishes is explored in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”. Properly termed, Stevenson perused the unnerving case of a respectable, proletariat-class doctor, who becomes associated and obsessed with Mr Hyde. It is this presence of the “duality of human nature that is created consistently throughout the Gothic Literature”.

    Read More

  • The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    530 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Robert Louis Stevenson’s, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dual nature of man is a recurring theme. Jekyll constantly struggles with good and evil, the expectations of Victorian society, and the differences between Lanyon and Jekyll.

    Read More

  • Jekyll And Hyde Duality Essay

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    Despite being published in 1886, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson remains to be recognized and referred to as one of the initial studies of the duality of human nature and mans struggle between two natural forces – good and evil. The story takes place during the Victorian Era in which society is already somewhat constrained and cruel and explores the human struggle between being civilized and facing the more primitive aspects to our being. According to author Irving S Saposnik, “Henry Jekyll’s experiment to free himself from the burden of duality results in failure because of his moral myopia, because he is a victim of society’s standards even while he would be free of them.” Henry Jekyll, an English doctor faces duality when he comes into battle with his darker side. Creating a personification under the name of Edward Hyde in order to fulfill his desires, Dr. Jekyll feels as if he will be able to control the face that he wants seen to public vs. the one in which he wants to keep more private. “Hence it came about that I concealed my pleasures; and that when I reached years of reflection, and began to look round me, and take stock of my progress and position in the world, I stood already committed to a profound duplicity of life.” (10.1) The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story about how people are scared to acknowledge personal duality so they keep silent and in this case, create a personification in order to fulfill evil desires without thinking through the consequences of such actions.

    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

  • Use Of Diction In Dr Jekyll And Hyde

    169 Words  | 1 Pages

    In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson uses diction, imagery, and details to characterize both sides of his main character

    Read More

  • dr jekyll and mr hyde

    1192 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this essay on the story of Jekyll and Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson I will try to unravel the true meaning of the book and get inside the characters in the story created by Stevenson. A story of a man battling with his double personality.

    Read More

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

    3971 Words  | 8 Pages

    This essay will focus on how Robert Louis Stevenson presents the nature of evil through his novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. Using ideas such as duality, the technique used to highlight the two different sides of a character or scene, allegories, an extended metaphor which has an underlying moral significance, and hypocrisy; in this book the Victorians being against all things evil but regularly taking part in frown able deeds that would not be approved of in a ‘respectable’ society. This links in with the idea of secrecy among people and also that evil is present in everyone. The novel also has strong ties and is heavily influenced by religion. Stevenson, being brought up following strong Calvinist beliefs, portrays his thoughts and opinion throughout the story in his characters; good and evil.

    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

  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    959 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Man is not truly one but truly two writes Dr. Jekyll in his full. statement of the case, if applicable. In a way, this idea of Stevenson's foretells. Sigmund Freud's theory of the constantly fighting Id (inner child). ego (the part restrained by the self) and the superego (the restraint).

    Read More

  • Jekyll and Hyde: Duality of Human Nature

    685 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story takes place during the Victorian age, a time when there were only two categories of people: good people and bad people. There was no way that one man could be considered acceptable without suppressing his evil side almost entirely. The reason that Jekyll restrained his evil side for so long was because of this dichotomous Victorian society. Most people, including Jekyll’s friends, Lanyon and Utterson, are content to stay molded in this ideal. However, Dr. Jekyll soon became tired of this hypocritical mindset and states that he “it was rather the exacting nature of my aspirations…. that made me who I was and…. severed in me those provinces of good and ill which divide and compound man’s dual nature” (123). He had determined that he would find a way to indulge his more human nature while still yet living in acceptance among his colleagues. Dr. Jekyll soon did discover a method, but it inevitably came with a curse. Stevenson uses this to display that people generally tend to go with the societal flow and conform to other people’s ideas so that they will fit in.

    Read More

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

    607 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin with, Stevenson shows duality of human nature through society. During the Victorian era, there were two classes, trashy and wealthy. Dr. Jekyll comes from a wealthy family, so he is expected to be a proper gentleman. He wants to be taken seriously as a scientist, but also indulge in his darker passions.“...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..."(125).

    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

  • Human Nature: The Double Character of Dr. Jekyll

    1690 Words  | 4 Pages

    Victorian morals are significant in the establishment of duality due to the moral conflict it initiates. Stevenson introduced the theme of duality not merely because of contrasting characters and an appealing storyline. Present evidence indicates that Victorian society was constantly disturbed by an inescapable sense of division (Saposnik 88). The presence of two opposing personalities conflicted with the Victorian conscience. Likewise, Victorian society feared the type of behaviors and person represented by Jekyll and Hyde. Hyde is considered the "brutal embodiment of the moral, social, political, and economic threats which shook the uncertain Victorian world" (Saposnik 100). Everything about Jekyll was eerie and defied the Victorian ethics from his physical appearance to his inconsiderate actions. The setting also played an important role with Victorian morals. London was a location where virtue and vice was most clearly present. This is where evil battled the good of Christianity. London was the center of the Victorian world and was the great arena of moral conflict as well....

    Read More

  • The Doppelgänger in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1492 Words  | 3 Pages

    Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Jay Parini. Vol. 14. Detroit: Gale Research, 1987. Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 Jan. 2012.

    Read More

  • Robert Louis Stevenson Duality Of Man

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson primarily to portray the ‘dual’ nature of man and presented in numerous perspectives and point of views. These various methods of presenting a story all have particular uses and benefits which Stevenson exploits to the full in presenting a story that seeks to establish the fact of the duality of man and argues how if not properly harnessed and controlled, one of the ‘parts’ would ultimately subdue the other and collect more authority on the life and actions of the person whom they interplay. However there are 3 major types of narrations that are clearly indicated in the story of Dr.jekyll and Mr. Hyde. These are the third person narrative, framed narrative, and the personal narrative.

    Read More

More about The Duality of Human Nature

Open Document