The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde By Robert Stevenson
Can one live completely separate from the inner battle of good and evil? Can man live completely virtuous or intensely psychotic devil? We think the answer lies in the tale of Dr. Jekyll and his counterpart, Mr. Hyde. But is it really? Author Robert Stevenson might have been hinting at something more than just what would happen if a respectable human being let out his selfish desires out. No, I think it was an exploration of what life would be like, without control. Yes, humans should be allowed to live free and be who they are, but there is a level of control we learn as infants and children to control our urges. We learn to have a tight rein on our urges for violence, glutton, and sex. It is something we inherit and learn from those around us. But I believe that Mr. Stevenson wanted to explore the idea of a mild-mannered man(Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Utterson), and …show more content…
In Chapter One, when we meet Mr. Hyde, the embodiment of Jekyll’s urges, we see the first urge, “Well, sir, the two ran into one another naturally enough at the corner; and then came the horrible part of the thing; for the man trampled calmly over the child's body and left her screaming on the ground”(1.8) Hyde walks over a child he fell, not quickly as if he wanted to go away, but slow and melodically. He walks snail pace across the child to savor and taste what killing and death feel on an emotional level. Why would Stevenson explore that aspect of killing? I think it is because a quic murder is too normal, too known. We hear of those stories of people shooting stabbing running into others with their cars to kill people. But stepping on a child, snail paced and sadisticly, is something only a unrepressed human would think of doing. To feel the emotional toul of killing a child slowly, painful, enjoying the moment of it, is what Stevenson really wanted to show us about Hyde. To show us he isn’t just a criminal, he is an the incarnation of the serpent from
Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Reputation Analysis
986 Words | 4 PagesHe does this to establish a black and white contrast between one who has the ability to withstand his desires and one who dwells on the possibilities of diving good and evil. In the beginning of the novella, he shows Utterson to be “austere with himself” (1) and substituted gin to subdue his taste for alcohol. Utterson, being much older than Jekyll is gifted with his ability to retain self-control, whereas Jekyll is more imaginative and dreams of the impossible. Essentially, Stevenson contrasts Utterson and Jekyll’s vulnerability to desires to demonstrate what others do in order to control their
Does Stevenson Create A Sense Of Terror In Dr Jekyll And Hyde
589 Words | 3 PagesStevenson creates various moments of apprehension throughout the novel to evoke a sense of terror. When Edward Hyde is first introduced in the novel, he takes a major role in a plot changing event. He “tramples calmly” over a child's body only to leave her “screaming” on the ground in agony and betrayal. Hyde is portrayed as careless and convulsive through his actions; this allows for a sense of mystery to settle in one's mind. The fact that he has left the child in pain on the ground, at night, emphasizes Stevenson's use of an event to create a strategic reaction towards a specific character.
Temptations In Jekyll And Hyde
1619 Words | 7 PagesAs soon as Jekyll gave into the existence of Hyde and created a compound he also compounded his situation or made it worse, emphasizing the negativity in giving into temptation. Soon after his transformation Hyde having been suppressed for two months, kills Sir Danvers Carew. Jekyll recalls the event saying “I struck in no more reasonable spirit than that in which a sick child may break a plaything. ”(87) The metaphor of equating murder with breaking a children's toy connects back to the first incident with Hyde where he tramples the child.
Homosexuality In Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde
586 Words | 3 PagesMr. 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
Jekyll And Mr Hyde Human Nature Essay
813 Words | 4 PagesWhen 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.
Symbolism In Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde
592 Words | 3 PagesAs Stevenson was fascinated by Darwin theory of evolution he decided to portray it in his work. Due to the fact that in Victorian times the idea of rationalism was popular and that people weren’t supposed to show their strong emotions their darker sides were repressed and The locked doors and curtained windows of Jekyll’s house form the imagery of a man locking away the truth that lurks inside; Jekyll turning into Hyde is a metaphor of what happens when the unconscious mind is revealed; the murder of Carew symbolizes the repressed mind striking out at the conscious mind. The whole narrative is about unpeeling the layers that hide the repressed desires inside Jekyll Stevenson also uses several narrative points of view to intensify the feeling of a frightening outsider. As Hyde is often narrated in a mysterious way through different characters perspectives which slowly reveals horror a feature used in gothics.
Why Does Jekyll Create Hyde
702 Words | 3 PagesOne of the reasons I personally believe Jekyll creates Hyde is to not face the consequences of murdering someone. As most know, Jekyll is a well-respected man and has a good reputation. The man he creates "Hyde" is almost the opposite. Hyde murders a man named Sir Danvers Carew in the novella. Hyde then has an awful reputation after trampling a girl, and murdering
Jekyll And Mr Hyde Good Vs Evil Analysis
731 Words | 3 Pages“The man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground” (3). Mr. Hyde ran over a young girl late into the night without feeling any guilt. Robert Louis Stevenson shows the archetypal theme of good and evil exists in all people in the novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde. Good and evil exist in all people and we struggle with these two forces. This is shown through Jekyll because he is good with a little bad in him, this is also shown through Hyde, who is evil with some good, and it is lastly shown with the lab because it brings good and evil into Jekyll’s life.
Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Research Paper
532 Words | 3 PagesJekyll and Mr. Hyde. It can be so confusing to try to explain why Dr. Jekyll felt so trapped, and why he felt that he had to separate himself into two separate personalities. Perhaps it was because of his youth, when he tasted the pleasures of sin for a short while. Maybe he even felt guilty because he wanted the evil side of life and longed to do whatever he pleased, even though it would cause pain and hurt to others. Dr. Jekyll thus separates himself into two people who share the feeling that they need to do whatever they want.
The Theme Of Repression In Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde
525 Words | 3 PagesJekyll and Mr. Hyde” because the story takes place in Victorian England we see that the characters have no room for expression of emotions or violence. Everything they do is secret, so the more Dr Jekyll is repressed, the more he wants to be Mr Hyde. The original characteristics of Henry Jekyll are reflected as “...life of effort, virtue, and control” (pg. 172) because, most of his life his vice activities were maintained a secret. According to Jekyll, when evil is separated into one body, one will not know right from wrong because there is no conscious in a being of complete evil which was Hyde for
Conflict Between Good And Evil In Dr. Jekyll And Hyde
1037 Words | 5 PagesThis in itself is answered and directly bought up by Jekyll in the book, with the quote: I believe that this quote explains that Dr. Jekyll feels that although Hyde is pure evil, he knows that there is also an evil side to Jekyll – he allowed Hyde to exist, fully well knowing that Hyde would be dangerous. Alongside the titular Hyde and Jekyll is Utterson – Jekyll’s best friend who is only trying to find the truth and bring righteous justice – compared to his colleagues, he is a lot less judgmental of bad actions; and will only choose to judge when he has answers. Throughout the story, Utterson is trying to find out the truth about Hyde – who he is, and where he came from, et cetera – as well as Jekyll, wanting to know information like why he entrusted his fortune to such an unknown and shady person such as Hyde – as shown in the
Knowledge And Consequences In Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
1591 Words | 7 PagesDr. Jekyll is viewed as a smart man with a lot of knowledge, however, due to Jekyll not being satisfied with his life, he is determined to get more out of his live and is willing to do anything to fulfill his determination. Dr. Jekyll expresses this when he states, “[A] grinding in the bones, deadly nausea, and a horror of the spirit that cannot be exceeded at the hour of birth or death. Then these agonies began swiftly to subside… [t]here was something strange in my sensations, something indescribably new and, from its very novelty, incredibly sweet. I felt younger, lighter, happier in body within I was conscious of a heady recklessness, a current of disordered sensual images running like a millrace in my fancy, a solution of the bonds of obligation, an unknown but not an innocent freedom of the soul.” (Stevenson 57).
Dr Jekyll And Hyde Book Report
1581 Words | 7 Pages“I would still be merrily disposed at times; and as my pleasures were (to say the least) undignified, and I was not only well known and highly considered, but growing toward the elderly man, this incoherency of my life was daily growing more unwelcome. It was on this side that my new power tempted me until I fell into slavery.” (Stevenson 62) This line is very obvious at pointing how Dr. Jekyll is getting bored of his dignified and mannerly life. He is losing the balance that kept him satisfied.
Jekyll And Hyde Duality
151 Words | 1 PagesOverall, 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
Realism In Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde
1492 Words | 6 PagesStevenson 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
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