The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde takes place during a time in London when people flocked to the city for jobs resulting in great competition and deceit. As the city grew in size with powerful men there became issues of appearance and reputation where men of high status began to dance with the devil allowing their evil nature to show itself. The social scene at the time required people to hide this evil nature so men and women began to create two sides of themselves so that they could maintain and uphold their reputation hypocritically. A well maintained reputation was necessary for business transactions, social events, and relationships with other people in the community. The importance of reputation did not stop at the higher class …show more content…
His knowledge of the potential danger is evident in: “let out the beast Hyde” (Stevenson 86). The text here makes it obvious that Jekyll is aware of Hyde’s true nature as he refers to him as a “beast”. For readers, using the word beast to describe Hyde give little reference as a beast is not an animal found in the wild but rather a dark creature that lives within the imagination. Most people separate their imagination from reality due to the unknown behavior of the imagination’s creations. The hypocritical separation of Jekyll’s thoughts and actions is most presented to readers through Jekyll’s scientific division from Hyde because Jekyll had been aware of his actions yet continued to transform into the deadly version of himself. Jekyll articulated his inner conflict of his two sides throughout his final letter stating: “It was on the moral side, and in my own person, that I learned to recognize the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I was radically both; and from an early date…I have learned to dwell with pleasure, as a beloved daydream, on the thought of the separation of these elements” (Stevenson 67). Jekyll reveals here that the hypocrisy that surrounds human nature is one that is developed young and instilled …show more content…
Utterson becomes very engrossed in duplicitous behavior as his curiosity of Hyde and worry for Jekyll grows. The text then uses Mr. Utterson to demonstrate the most realistic two-sided behaviors as he investigates Hyde even when it may compromise a life-long friendship. Utterson’s words and actions begin to misalign in the beginning of the text as Enfield makes the claim, “No, sir, I make it a rule of mine: the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask,” and Utterson agreed, endorsing this statement as if it was his own (Stevenson 7). “Queer Street” refers to an imaginary place where people with who are wrong or have difficulties live. In this use, Enfield is referring to a situation which may seem wrong or out of place looking like this place which he wants to maintain great distance from. Enfield exhibits his hypocrisy in this statement as he is somewhat of the town gossip with the details of any happens, often making himself involved to get more details like the case with the little girl. While Utterson is talking with Enfield about the dramatic scene with Hyde and the little girl, Utterson begins to ask questions he already knows the answers to, “And you never asked about – the place with the door?” which he clearly knew belonged to Dr. Jekyll but still dove deeper into the gossip to remain unsuspicious and disconnected from the truth (Stevenson 6). However, this was not the only time that
Instead of choosing Stevenson’s hometown, Edinburgh, the obvious choice of setting, he chose London to locate the novel. An example of the streets of London and why this proves to be a suitable location is “The street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighbourhood…the line was broken by…a certain sinister block of building…[which] bore in every feature, the marks of prolonged and sordid negligence.” The “block of building” in question turns out to be Hyde’s. Having his rooms described as neglected and “sinister” suggests that his entire presence spreads darkness like a disease. The use of the word “dingy” suggests that London could be dark and dreary whereas “shone” make this road seem as if it is bright and lively. The idea that London can change from pleasant to dismal within the turn of a street enhances the suggestion of
Stevenson develops the idea that evil can be seen visibly through physical appearance, and is always the ugliest form of a human being. When Dr. Jekyll transforms into the 100% evil Mr. Hyde his mentality and mindset changes, but so does his appearance. Stevenson depicts the change from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde as a change that can be visibly seen. Mr. Hyde is much uglier than Dr. Jekyll, as well as more evil in nature. When Mr. Utterson first sees Mr. Hyde he considers him deformed and repulsive, “Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, and he spoke with a husky,
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is set amongst the ominous and unsettling streets of Victorian London in the 19th century, which creates a chilling setting in the novel. The importance of setting is that it reflects most of the major themes of the novel like the duality of man, mystery, and good versus evil. Stevenson uses a lot of realistic and imaginative description to set up the mood and atmosphere. Gothic seems to be also one of the major themes in the novel which tend to interlink with secrets like Dr. Jekyll’s connection to Mr. Hyde. Settings like the mysterious empty London helps to create the effect of darkness and evil
Through Dr. Jekyll’s experience, he depends almost wholly on the loyalty of his friends. Many people look at Dr. Jekyll and see a good and honest man, and they appreciated that. So, in other words, Dr. Jekyll had set a good reputation for himself, and he had an obligation to uphold it. However, his good reputation could easily be destroyed in a matter of seconds, if anyone found out his secret. Dr. Jekyll’s alter ego, or other personality is the complete opposite of himself. Mr. Hyde shows a side of Dr. Jekyll that many people would not think possible. Only a few people had met Mr. Hyde, and those who did noticed something was off, but could not quite place it. “He was small, as I have said; I was struck besides with the shocking expression of his face, with his remarkable combination of great muscular activity and great apparent debility of constitution, and—last but not least—with the odd, subjective disturbance caused by his neighbourhood” (Stevenson 64). With this description of Mr. Hyde, it’s obvious why Dr. Jekyll feared that if his secret got out, it could ruin his reputation. Through looking at the novella closely, loyalty both helped prevent and expedite violence and tragedy. Dr. Jekyll’s friends loyalty prevented them from getting hurt for only a little amount of time, for they would soon find out the truth. Loyalty also played a big part in expediting violence and tragedy in so many ways. Mr. Utterson and Dr. Lanyon would do anything for their dear
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson uses very rich diction so that his audience can visualize every detail of the setting and characters. In Dr. Lanyon’s letter to Mr. Utterson describing how he came to know of Dr. Jekyll’s deception and secrets, he also describes Mr. Hyde. This was the first time in the novel that Mr. Hyde was descriptively described. The diction Stevenson used influenced not only the visual aesthetics of the reader but several themes and gives the reader foreshadowing. Dr. Lanyon first describes Mr. Hyde’s clothing as “enormously too large”, and goes into further detail by observing that his pants were too long for him and were “rolled up to keep them from the ground” and “the collar sprawl wide upon his shoulders” (Stevenson). Dr. Lanyon’s description also foreshadows the truth behind Dr. Jekyll’s secret because Dr. Jekyll was described as a large man, “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty” (Stevenson). Mr. Hyde’s description also included Dr. Lanyon’s surmise that “there was something abnormal and misbegotten in the very essence of the creature” (Stevenson). In the last chapter, the letter from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Utterson, the audience gets a sense of shame and understanding from Dr. Jekyll. Stevenson’s diction strongly influences the reader’s perception of Dr. Jekyll’s letter. His use of words like “morbid sense of shame,” “driven to reflect deeply and inveterately on that hard law of life,” and “shed a strong light on this consciousness of the perennial war among my members” (Stevenson), imply the emotional impact that Dr. Jekyll’s experiments had on
On their weekly walk, a particularly practical lawyer with the name Mr. Utterson listens as his friend Mr. Enfield tells an awful story of violence. The tale describes a dark figure called Mr. Hyde who treads over a young girl, disappears into a random door on the street, then intently pays off her relatives with a check signed by a respectable gentleman. Because Utterson and Enfield dislike gossip, the agree to drop the subject. However, one of Utterson’s clients and close friend, Dr. Jekyll has will documents written to Mr. Hyde. Soon, Utterson starts having nightmares of a faceless figure who courses through the streets of London at night. Confused, the lawyer visits Jekyll and friend Mr. Lanyon to try and learn more about Hyde. Lanyon confesses he doesn’t really see much of Jekyll anymore, because of a dispute they’ve had over the course of Jekyll’s research, which Lanyon states as “unscientific balderdash.” Interested, Mr. Utterson watches over a building Hyde visits, which is actually a laboratory attached to Jekyll’s
Dr. Henry Jekyll is a respected doctor and a friend of Lanyon, a fellow physician and Utterson, a lawyer. He is a well-respected man in the city of London and is known for his charitable works. On the outside, he seems like a harmless individual. What the people of London don’t know is that since a boy Dr. Jekyll has taken part in unnamed corrupt behavior that could ruin his reputation if discovered. Dr. Jekyll finds that the “evil” part of his personality is troublesome, so he takes matters into his own hands and invents a tonic that can allow him to fully become his darker half. This, in turn, brings about the uncanny Mr. Edward Hyde; a creature not of the rational world and free of conscience. His appearance alone is but enough to make one’s hairs stand on end. Mr. Hyde is a violent and irate man who represents the fleshy, sexual aspects of a personality that Victorian men of that time period felt the need to hide. Anyone who crosses his path tells of his
Within the same passage, Jekyll remarks that he became “conscious of a heady recklessness” and felt “more wicked, tenfold more wicked” (54). These subtle descriptions appear to be somewhat hidden as Dr. Jekyll’s euphoria overwhelming fills the page and, as a result, may fool the reader into believing that succumbing to certain desires is simply natural. However, Stevenson wittingly choses to add minute details to demonstrate that Jekyll is gradually, yet unknowingly, losing his “better half.” Through his joy, the author is able to reflect how humans can be unaware of the monstrous actions they are partaking in, bringing a sense of unease to the reader. By welcoming this monster, Stevenson is able to convey the notion that humans all have wicked desires hidden within. The moment one unleashes such desires out is the moment one loses their humanity.
Utterson saw Jekyll since they were good friends he saw that this person in front of him was not his good friend. Dr.jekyll the good the kind and Hyde is turning him into a dark, and evil person. All these things that are happening to Jekyll is making his body sick, deadly looking. “This master Hyde, if he were studied though he , must have secrets of his own:black secrets, by the look of him; secrets compared to which poor Jekylls worst would be like sunshine.” (18 Stevenson) This quote shows that Dr.jekyll is good,compared to Hyde he is good. Even Dr.Jekyll’s Darkest deepest secrets compared to Hyde’s secrets Jekyll’s look like sunshine, and cant even compare to Hyde’s secrets. “Now that that evil influence had been withdrawn, a new life began for Dr.Jekyll.”(31 Stevenson)This Quote shows that Mr. Hyde is evil. Hyde’s evil influence on Dr.jekyll who was a good man and Mr.Hyde was turning him into something evil. With his evil influence gone Dr.Jekyll can be himself; a good man.”It turns me to think of this creature stealing like a thief to harry’s bedside; poor harry what a wakening!” (18 Stevenson)This quote shows that everyone had a bad feeling about Mr.Hyde, Utterson knew that Hyde was bad, and evil. Utterson hated to see his oldest friend Dr.jekyll get his life ruined by a a thief and and
If Hyde represents all that Victorian London characterized as the East End, then Henry Jekyll, in turn, represents London's West End. As Hyde and Jekyll are dual natures of the same entity, then so are London's East and West sides. Throughout the novel, Stevenson could be using the theme of duality to represent the growing social and economic barriers that existed between these two parts of the city - especially during the 19th century. More importantly, if the novel can be interpreted as a homoerotic commentary of 19th century London, then Stevenson could certainly be observing the obvious increase of homosexuals in the East End, which incited fear and indignation from their more upper-class neighbors to the west.
however Hyde did not answer all of a sudden he " broke out in a great
In the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde it is regarded that these identities are two different persons but this is not the case, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are one in the same. There is much confusion when reading this literary work by Robert Louis Stevenson; this piece is regarded as horrific and disturbing in many ways. But the biggest twist is when it is reveled to the reader that these two people are the same and that below the surface of Dr.Jekyll is an evil man who enjoys committing evil acts. Mainly that Dr. Jekyll believes he has no choice but to commit these horrid acts because he has no control over is evil side. I don’t believe this is the case, Hyde isn’t a real person and doesn’t exist, nor is he someone who commits
a wooden door on a wall with no windows, and is revealed to lead to
There are two film interpretations of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, one of which was more original and advanced for having been made in 1931. This interpretation violates Victorian morality, using the theme of the story all about sexual repression. Another version that was created in 1941 stole pieces of the screenplay from the 1931 film. Both of these films could not be more different, yet they do have some similarities that can be noticed on screen.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde not only conflicting forces but also affected by each other and dual natures. The book is written in only Dr. Jekyll’s perspective, so this paragraph will going to explain about Dr. Jekyll. Existence of Hyde provokes to know him more or to have a hard time (Suffered, wanted to destroy Mr. Hyde). In the story, Mr. Hyde couldn’t control himself and committed a crime. “Well, sir, the two ran into one another naturally enough at the corner; and then came the horrible part of things; for the man trampled calmly over the child’s body.” (Stevenson 3). Through this, Dr. Jekyll was suspected to blackmailed by Mr. Hyde, which decreases his social status and it could bring him big influence during Victorian era. Not only negative effect, but also positive effect exists. For instance, in beginning of the story, Dr. Jekyll has a lot of inner conflict, and due to that conflict, he seems always unorganized. “The thoughts of his mind, besides, were of the gloomiest dye; and when he glanced at the companion of his drive he was conscious of some touch of that terror of the law and the law’s officers which may at times assail the most honest.” (Stevenson 22). The narrator reveals this in chapter ‘The Carew murder