Pre 1914 Prose

GCSE English Literature

Pre 1914 Prose Coursework

In what way does Robert Louis Stevenson explore the concept of duality in ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’?

In the novella ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, Robert Louis Stevenson explores the concept of duality in a variety of ways. You can see duality in the both characters, the house and laboratory as the setting. You can also see duality in the authors own life as it was suggested that he, like Jekyll and Hide was leading a double life, respectable by day and debauches by night. He surely witnessed the double standards and hypocrisy of the middle-class. There was a variety of theories exploring duality during the Victorian Times. The dualities in the text reflect the doubleness of the Victorian times as there were Poor and the Rich, also the respectable and the criminal and lastly the moral and the debauched.

In the Victorian Society, there were many examples of duality. There was wealth and poverty; this explores the difference between people lives in the Victorian society. We can see this by:

‘The street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighbourhood’ whereas ‘the street was small and what is called quiet but it drove a thriving trade on the week-day’.

This tells the reader the difference between the poor side and the rich side in Victorian times, this also tells the reader about the difference between the weekdays and the weekends. There was also duality between the moral and the debauched; because most of the Victorian wanted to be respected therefore they had to be moral. Also there was duality between the respectable and the criminal, because most of the Victorian were respected and therefore there weren’t must criminals in the Victorians as most people were respected.

Victorians were shocked with Charles Darwin’s theory as it opposed Christian beliefs, on which the whole society was based on. His theory implied that humans were descended from apes. The Scientific theory was; evolution theory whereas the religious theory; creationism. Charles Darwin’s theory was controversial because it challenges the bible and also Victorians thought it was challenging God and going beyond the knowledge and experience humans should have. Chares Darwin’s theory suggested that life evolves according to its environment. He introduced the idea of the ‘Survival of the fittest’; the animal most suited to their environment will survive. There ...

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Also in the Victorian society there was a famous psychologist, Sigmund Freud who popularised the theory of the unconscious. Your unconscious is part of your mind where you have thoughts and feelings of which you are not fully aware. This is usually where socially unacceptable thoughts or desires get buried away from the conscious part of the mind. He split the human mind into two parts; the ‘Id’ and the ‘Ego’. The ‘Id’ is part of your unconscious were there are hidden urges, drives and desires whereas the ‘Ego’ is part of your conscious were the ego controls the id. The ego’s purpose is to keep the id under control.

Jekyll wanted to explore his other nature because as he was a respectable Victorian gentleman therefore he could only act in a respectable way and couldn’t act in the opposite way therefore in the novella Dr Jekyll creates a potion that would form him into Mr Hyde so he could explore the shocking side of humans without having to ruin Dr Jekyll reputation. However the consequences of this leads to Dr Jekyll losing control of Mr Hyde and therefore Dr Jekyll has to kill himself at the end in order to stop Mr Hyde from gaining full control and undertaking dreadful action. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are the complete opposite of each other. Dr Jekyll is referred to as a

‘A large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty’

Whereas Mr Hyde is more of a

‘Pale and dwarfish’

This tells us that Dr Jekyll had more of a positive image whereas Mr Hyde had a negative image. We can also see that Mr Hyde was also described in a negative way by

‘something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.. deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity’

This tells us that Mr Hyde was described in a negative way as not many people were fond of him. He was also not respected as much as Dr Jekyll even though they are the same person.

It also tells us that Dr Jekyll was the opposite of the short, stumpy and deformed as this was Mr Hyde.

Another difference between them is that Dr Jekyll is more of a sincere, kind and friendly man whereas Mr Hyde was referred to Satan, we can see this by

‘Every mark of capacity and kindness… a sincere and warm affection’

This tell us that Dr Jekyll looked more class and respected whereas Mr Hyde was referred to Satan and other horrendous language

‘If I ever read Satan’s signature upon a face, it is on that of your new friend’

This tells us that Mr Hyde was referred to Satan whereas Dr Jekyll was more of a kind and well-mannered man even though they were the same person. In addition to this, Mr Hyde was always referred to an animal or something primitive. We can see this by

‘Is it the mere radiance of a foul soul… ape-like fury… snarled aloud into a savage laugh’

This tells is that in the novella Robert Louis Stevenson referred to Mr Hyde as an animal or ape, this was not acceptable during the Victorian times as there was Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Even thought they were the same person, the differences between them shoed that they were completely the opposite of one another and that

‘Man is not truly one, but truly two’

This also tells us that Robert Louis Stevenson took in consideration of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution where there was fear of man having dual nature and the beast versus the man.

Stevenson has given Jekyll and Hyde separate sides of the house to express their differences and duality of both the characters. Stevenson has described the side of Dr Jekyll house as the

‘Pleasantest room in London’

This told us that Dr Jekyll house was most liked as many people went there and he always had parties. Also in the novella, Stevenson described Jekyll house as

‘a great air of wealth and comfort…large, low roofed, comfortable hall, paved with flags warmed by a bright, open fire and furnished with costly cabinets of oak’

This tells us that Dr Jekyll house was very pleasant and relaxing to stay in because everything about it is comfortable, luxurious and expensive. This suggests that Dr Jekyll was a pleasant gentleman and respected in every way. In contrast, Mr Hyde house was the opposite to Dr Jekyll even thought it was the same house but different sides. We can see this by

‘Showed no window, a blind forehead of discoloured wall on the upper; and bore in every feature the marks of prolonged ad sordid negligence. Which was neither equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained. Tramps slouched into the recess and struck matches on the panels. The school boy had tried his knife on the mouldings.’

This tells us that Mr Hyde had an unwelcoming house and because there was no window this gave a sense of secrecy or something to hide. Also the house seemed filthy and no one had respect towards the house as they damaged and vandalised the house. Therefore Stevenson Jekyll and Hyde separate sides of the house to show in contrast the duality of the two men and where they live although they are the same person.

Robert Louis Stevenson explores the concept of duality in ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by their appearances and characteristics. He also shows the duality between them by giving them separate sides of the house. I think that the author does show the concept of duality In the novella by showing the difference between them even though they are the same person. He also shows it as in thee Victorian times there were two theories that were both hated and liked by the Victorians. The two theories were Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution were men started as animals and the other theory is Sigmund Freud theory id and the ego were there are two sides of a person; the good and the bad.

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