How does stevenson explore the duality of human nature in "Jekyll and Hyde"

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How does Stevenson explore the duality of human nature in “Jekyll and Hyde”

 Robert Louis Stevenson wrote “The strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” in 1886. It is thought to be an example of a ‘supernatural fiction’; this is when one of the characters goes against the laws of nature. The main themes are usually good and evil, hate and love. One of the characters tries to change from one state to another and this usually amuses the reader because in some way it crates tension, excitement, pity and terror as the characters struggle to change back to their normal natural self.

The novella was written during the reign of Queen Victoria. At this time, England was just industrialising and becoming powerful in both literature and technology. The people of the Victorian England were so vulnerable because they were forced to believe in Christianity and almost everyone practised it. They also believed that there was God and Satan. This encouraged writers to write horror novels. Most horror novels used to scare the Victorian readers because they used to have a character that opposed the readers believe or human nature like Hyde.

Stevenson creates horror in “The Strange case of Jekyll and Hyde” by exploring the duality of human nature. Firstly, Duality means two sides, two meanings, two behaviours or characteristics. While Human nature means an attribute that is only associated with human beings or behaviours, attitudes, emotions or physical appearance that is only associated with human beings. Duality of human nature means the two sides of human behaviour, attitude, emotions and physical appearance. Duality is created in many different characters but the main and obvious duality is in the characters of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’. These characters inhabit one body but they are two dissimilar personalities. Dr Jekyll is spilt into two contrastive individuals who hold different attributes, perceptions and attitudes to life. Dr Jekyll is a kind, noble, honoured and respected doctor, while Mr Hyde is the Villain, ‘bad-guy’ and also the hidden side of Dr Jekyll character  

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 All Gothic and horror Novels usually have a Gothic beast in them this is because the aim of all Gothic and horror novels is to terrify and instil fear in the reader’s mind and the best way this is accomplished is by including horrid and sordid creatures, characters or beasts into the novel. Beasts and horrid creatures create fear because of their physical appearance, actions and their interactions with others characters in the novel.

All Gothic beasts usually have some form of abnormality or deformity. This used to scare the readers of the Victorian times because they were very religious and ...

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