I think this is especially effective when someone is describing something or someone. For example, when Enfield describes the physical appearance of Mr. Hyde; ‘He is not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.’
This quote shows Enfield’s true feelings. This is signified by the use of the words ‘downright detestable’ and the fact he gives two reasons of his dislike towards this man’s appearance. In using ‘downright detestable’, he is exclaiming his disgust towards the physical appearance of this man by emphasising the word detestable, and by calling it ’displeasing’ as well as ’downright detestable’, it shows that he has very strong thoughts towards this, and as a reader you feel that you are feeling his true feelings towards the man.
It is also effective when Jekyll shows his ideas. This is seen when Jekyll quotes his joy of finding he could separate his personality and become a different person altogether; “I had learned to dwell with pleasure, as a beloved daydream, on the thought of the separation of these elements."
This Quote symbolises the happiness of Jekyll at his ability to separate his personalities, in which he refers to as ‘the separation of these elements’. This is a key quote in the story because it is the first time we get a first person account of the duality between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is also the first time we learn of Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde being a ‘daydream’, whereas throughout the book I personally thought it would be a burden on Henry Jekyll’s life.
The appearances of these two men are outstandingly different. This is a main reason as to why it was such a shock for the reader when we found out that Jekyll and Hyde was in fact the same people. All their physical features are totally different. Jekyll is a well built, proud and handsome man whereas Hyde is a small, slight, very secretive and even ugly man. This is described by Jekyll in his full statement of the case: The evil side of my nature, to which I had now transferred the stamping efficacy, was less robust and less developed than the good which I had just deposed. Again, in the course of my life, which had been, after all, nine tenths a life of effort, virtue and control, it had been much less exercised and much less exhausted. And hence, as I think, it came about that Edward Hyde was so much smaller, slighter and younger than Henry Jekyll.
This quote is describing how Jekyll had spent ‘nine tenths’ of his life as a good man, full of effort on his life and towards other people, as well as complete self control, has had lots of time to flourish and develop in the world to become the good, kind man that everybody knew as Henry Jekyll. His other side however, the side he describes as ‘Edward Hyde’, he says is much smaller, slighter and younger than his other side, Henry Jekyll. This is due to the fact that this side represents the other part of his life, which you could call the other ‘one tenth’ of his life. This side is so much smaller and slighter because this side is ‘much less exercised and exhausted’.
People that come into contact with Hyde always express their distress and discomfort of being around him. A good example of this is when Lanyon comes into contact with Mr. Hyde. In the chapter called Dr. Lanyon’s Narrative, Lanyon describes what he experienced when he first set eyes upon Mr. Hyde; ‘something abnormal and misbegotten in the very essence of the creature that now faced me — something seizing, surprising, and revolting’
This quote explains the exact thoughts of Dr. Lanyon on the appearance of Hyde. I think the last word in this quote is perhaps the key word, revolting. This is a word of pure disgust and when used to describe a man, you know that you would not want to come across this particular person. He also describes him as an ‘abnormal and misbegotten creature’. This animalistic reference indicates that Lanyon does not even consider Hyde a human being, again emphasising his discomfort and being in close contact with him.
As stated in the introduction, most Victorians were primarily religious. This meant that they were mostly dismissive of scientific ideas, especially those dismissing God. Science was a new concept to Victorians, so the ways in which they practised it was very different from modern times. So, for example, some scientists would employ people to find fresh bodies for them. By doing this, they could learn more about human anatomy. This act is commonly known as grave robbing.
There are many symbols in this story. Perhaps the main one is the door. This is a direct reference to duality. One door, Hyde’s, is a poorly kept door, with lots of scratches and is extremely unclean. We see this in the narrator’s explanation of how the door looks: “The door, which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained”. This quote describes the appearance of the door, which we find out to be that of Mr. Hyde’s, as a very undesirable door and is being used to reflect not only the appearance of Mr. Hyde himself, but also his personality. The other, Jekyll’s door, was grand and well kept. It looked like, and was, the entrance to a grand hall for a very well off person. We know this because the narrator explains Jekyll’s door as: “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” This symbol is used because it shows that Jekyll’s door has a large degree of difference to that of Mr. Hyde’s, however, the same technique is still being used – using the description of the door as a way to describe the person that resides behind it. This therefore will mean that Jekyll is a great, wealthy man who has a comfortable appearance and personality whereas looking at Hyde’s door, Hyde would be described as an untidy and unclean man, with an unattractive personality as there is no bell or knocker for contact.
Another main symbol is the fact that both doors lead into the same house. This is an important part of the story as it shows a connection between Jekyll and Hyde, and Hyde’s door leads directly into the laboratory in the back of Jekyll’s house.
Another connection directly between Jekyll and Hyde is Henry Jekyll’s will. In his will it states that ‘upon the death or disappearance of Henry Jekyll pass on all my possessions to Mr. Hyde’. This is another direct connection between Jekyll and Hyde.
And finally, the other main symbol is handwriting. This is important because Jekyll’s handwriting is the same as Hyde’s, however they are both slanted differently. This is a strong indication that, the two characters are in fact 2 very different sides of one person.
In conclusion, I think that Stevenson did explain duality well. He managed to keep the suspension of the mystery of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde right up until the very end which is difficult when the two characters in question are the main characters. I think Stevenson was also a little brave to write the story in the time that he did, with it being something completely new to the majority of people at the time. Even now, people know little about it and this book gives an extensive insight to the subject of duality.
The novel gives the reader a clear insight into the concept of duality through the narrative structures that were used. This can be especially recognisable in the use of first person narrative as it gives the reader the ability to picture themselves in the scene that is being described.
This therefore meant that after reading this book I feel like I have a good understanding of duality, and all the consequences that prevail from it.