The struggle between Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde reflects upon the duality of man, in between good and evil
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Introduction
Dual nature of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and the duality between good and evil The struggle between Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde reflects upon the duality of man, in between good and evil. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the novel in the 1800 where T.V and other forms of entertainment didn't exit, therefore the Victorian audience, found it entertaining to read. The novel explores the attitudes of the Victorians people with regard to their obsession with keeping a respectable society However, despite this public decency, Stevenson appears to be suggesting that underneath the surface, people's behaviour was not quite as respectable as it should be. Stevenson believed that there is light and dark in all of mankind- man is not truly one, but truly two. Most of the characters are seem as having professions considered to be important and influenced, such as lawyers, doctors and politicians, all representing respectability. Mr Jekyll liked to indulge in pleasures but his status prevented him to do so, he creates an alter ego for himself to live out his passions. ...read more.
Middle
The door stood out from the rest of the street because all the other buildings were well kept. Mr Enfield has a flash back, he remembers the time Mr Hyde tramples over the girl and describes him as a 'juggernaut'. The first victim of Hyde was the little girl. I think the reason why Stevenson chose a little to be the first victim of Hyde is because a child represents innocence and he is trying to say that Hyde is pure evil with a cold heart. The description of the street reinforces the theme of duality because it is a dingy neighbourhood and there are shops like 'rows of smiling women' this raises a question why is Dr Jekyll living in a tawdry neighbourhood. Jekyll appearance is a lot different from Hyde he is smoothed face where as Hyde looks as if though he is deformed and short. I think the reason why Hyde is short is because the evil side of Dr Jekyll hasn't developed properly. ...read more.
Conclusion
Stevenson explores the theme of double through symbols and characters. Most of the novel is set at night, and the fog becomes almost a character hiding people in the city. Where ever wine is present there is positive happening but it can also symbolize evil because too much wine can transform a person making him drunk. This happens to be like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, when he drinks the potion. Stevenson tries to create an atmosphere which is based on (emphasise) tension between order and disorder-duality. He finds the truth. However, even Utterson seems to have a double life, and in his quest he examines his own conscience "and the lawyer, scared by the thought, brooded a while in his own past, groping in all the corners of memory, lest by chance some Jack-in-the-Box of an old iniquity should leap to light there" Dr Lanyon dies because he was exposed to the pure evilness of Jekyll's experiment that went wrong. The evil, Jekyll created, killed Dr Lanyon, indirectly. When forced to confront his divided self, Lanyon could not bear to think that he may have his own Mr Hyde in him. So he kills himself. ?? ?? ?? ?? Mizanur Rahman 10m2 ...read more.
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