The setting of the book resembles the characteristics of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; features shown by Dr Jekyll tend to be more genteel, comfort, loved and well presented whereas Mr Hyde’s features tend to focus more on the night life, dark, evil experiences. Night is usually associated with evil because stereotypically evil represents darkness and the cold leaving people feeling uneasy and insecure. Mr Utterson who provides the narrative framework has characteristics based upon Dr Jekyll and so when he follows Mr Hyde he is appalled with the lifestyle and attitude of the Victorian London; poor.
The door represents Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde because Dr Jekyll goes in one door and comes out another as Mr Hyde. Stevenson uses the doors and windows as duality because as readers we know that the doors and windows have meanings, the windows are more likely to represent Dr Jekyll because they are transparent, everybody loves to look in windows; they can see themselves whereas Mr Hyde represents the door because most doors are dark and their objective is to isolate people, keep people away from what secrets they harbour. This is represented by ‘the dark, dirty, dingy door’ in chapter one which is located in a horrible part of London. Jekyll’s house tell us that he is ambiguous, there is an unsure side to him, an example of this is ‘one house, however, second from the corner, was still occupied entire; and at the door of this, which wore a great air of wealth and comfort, though it was now plunged in darkness except for the fan-light’. This shows us that Dr Jekyll has two-sides to his character which links back to duality because two things have been fixed together to become one, for example dark and light, black and white.
The role of Mr Utterson in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a dependable narrator. As readers we are expected to believe his word because he is a trustworthy person, this is why he is closely involved with most of the storyline. He is also like a reader in some ways because we are expected to experience and share his reactions, so he therefore is also an important character for readers to follow. Also Mr Utterson reads Dr Jekyll letters; this is where we as readers and he as a narrator discover the truth of the double life Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde lives. As readers we get to experience more Mr Utterson’s characteristics. This is demonstrated by ‘Mr Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance’, this show to us that he has a very manly appearance, a father figure that people can look up to. He doesn’t smile but is somehow a lovable person which explains why he befriends Dr Jekyll; he is concerned for his welfare which links to the caring character we are introduced to. That is how he looks on the inside but I suppose we would say he is the complete opposite on the outside; this is represented by ‘cold, scanty, lean, long, dusty and dreary’. This is a good example of duality because two extremes have been bought together to become one. Knowing that Mr Utterson is an important character in the story it seems to give people a better understanding of why he may influence our reactions as readers. Readers are induced to listen to him because he is recognised as a respectable citizen.
Dr Jekyll is described as ‘well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a stylish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness’, you can see this through his looks and warm affection. However Mr Hyde is described as ‘cold blooded and evil’, he is even associated with night and has a foreboding urea over himself. For example ‘he was perfectly cool and made no resistance, but gave me one look, so ugly that it brought out the sweat on me as if I was running’. This describes duality because it contrasts between the two characters leaving us in great despair as to how this can happen. Stevenson describes Mr Hyde as pale and devilish; he gave an impression if deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, this description about his appearance gives the characters and readers a hitherto unknown disgust, loathing and floor. The language and duality is used in this way to add more mystery and suspense to the story, making a more interesting novel viewing the different languages used by just one person.
Overall Robert Louis Stevenson explores duality mainly through Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by demonstrating the floors that we as readers come across. Throughout the story he contradicts what is really happening, my view of the story is that Stevenson wants readers to experience the different type of emotions Dr Jekyll is feeling and understand why and what gives him that push to create Mr Hyde.