Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Summary

Stevenson writes ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ with the intention of showing the reader the duality of man and explores this through the juxtaposition of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this novella, Stevenson also uses the environment and setting of the story to represent the contrast between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel written by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and published in 1886. It concerns a lawyer, Gabriel Utterson, who investigates the strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the reclusive Mr. Edward Hyde. This novel represents an ideology in Western culture; the perpetual conflict between humanity’s virtuosity and immorality. It is interpreted as an accurate guidebook to the Victorian era’s belief of the duality of human nature. This essay will explore Mr. Edward Hyde and whether Stevenson intended for him to be a mere character in the novel or something of wider significance.

Now this story does not follow Dr. Jekyll through his journey of creating his evil alter ego. Moreover he is not even the first initial character that we are introduced to in the novella; we are first introduced to a man named Mr. Utterson. He is actually the lawyer of Dr. Jekyll and he takes an interest in his newfound protégé who is referred to as Mr. Hyde. His negative feelings towards Mr. Hyde, beget a personal investigation into his life and his connection to Dr. Jekyll. Sadly he does not realize the truth behind the mystery of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde till the end of the novella, where he finally discovers the secret from reading Dr. Jekyll’s last words written in a letter addressed to him after Dr. Jekyll’s untimely death.

Mr. Utterson observes a close relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, because Dr. Jekyll favors Mr. Hyde by helping him throughout the novel. Dr. Jekyll cares for Mr. Hyde by helping him avoid trouble. For example, Dr. Jekyll pays 90 pounds to prevent the blackmail of Mr. Hyde when he steps on the little girl (3). Dr. Jekyll acts like a parent to Mr. Hyde, “If I die or disappear for more than three months...I wish to leave everything I own to my dear

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

Utterson, Lanyon, Enfield, Jekyll... one of these does not belong. Clearly, within the context of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Henry Jekyll struggles to fit himself into the strict Victorian society. In the events leading to his demise, he longs to separate his firm, polished face from his true inner self; from here, Stevenson paints this juxtaposition with the use of several point-of-view techniques. When Utterson, the protagonist, “[stands] a while when Mr. Hyde had left him... putting his hand to his brow like a man in mental perplexity” (Stevenson 19), he clearly becomes the literal center of attention for the story’s opinions and perspectives. Rather than giving an omniscient style to the novel, Stevenson provides an external viewpoint in order to engage his audience. The use of point-of-view techniques in Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reinforces the audience’s reaction to the story’s moral dilemma.

An earlier party to the knowledge that Jekyll and Hyde are one, he has already lost his life to that secret. A man who believes in rationalism and moral rectitude, Lanyan simply cannot adapt to the truths uncovered in the revelation of Hyde: improbability and "uttcr moral turpitude" (SC, 80). He sinks slowly into death, his body following the lead of his "sickened" soul. His too is a kind of suicide, a death permitted, if not willed. Lanyan simply cannot accommodate himself to the horror of Jekyll unveiled.

The sophisticatedly-constructed novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ was devised in 1886, during the revolutionary Victorian era, by the author, Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson developed a desire to write in his early life and ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ cemented his reputation. The novel is widely known for its shocking principles that terrified and alarmed the Victorian readers. ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ plays with the idea of the dual nature of man, his two identities. On the surface, Dr Jekyll is a conventional, Victorian gentleman, but below the surface lurks the primitive, satanic-like creature of Mr Edward Hyde. One of the elements that play a significant part in the novel is setting. Stevenson subtly uses the setting to

Yet, ironically, Jekyll seems to happy and starts to hang on with his friend like in the old days. So, what is the problem between them? As I have admitted before, Jekyll and Hyde are the same person so, Lanyon realizes this. “The rosy man had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away; he was visibly balder and older; yet it was not so much these tokens of a swift physical decay…” Lanyon shocks when he realizes the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and that shock makes him sick and sad. I think the reason of his death is ridiculous and exaggerated.

Written by Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel that combats with major themes and lessons. The story is set in Victorian London, England with John Utterson as the protagonist. Starting off with mystery, the reader is introduced to Richard Enfield, Utterson’s polar opposite and friend, who tells the story of a young girl who was attacked by a hideous creature by the name of Edward Hyde. Utterson takes it upon his hands to find who the unknown monster is. After investigating and observing Henry Jekyll, a respected doctor and friend, who has been acting suspicious throughout the novel, Utterson concludes that Dr. Jekyll is Mr. Hyde himself.

Character development determines what ways characters affect the progress of the plot; therefore in both novels, one can identify events that begin to answer each novel’s mysteries. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Lanyon receives a registered letter from Henry Jekyll, that presents a list of duties he wishes Lanyon can do in his favor. He asks if he can go to his drawer in his lab, to pick up items that are to be given to a man, that would visit Utterson’s dwelling that same evening. The items included salt, a vial of blood, and liquor. That evening Edward Hyde, the strange looking man, arrived and used the items Utterson had picked up. In the next moment, it was no longer the strange man that stood before Utterson, but Henry Jekyll. As a reader, this discovery explains that Jekyll took a special potion, which changed his identity of Mr. Hyde to Dr. Jekyll. This also explains that the murderer of Sir Danvers Carew was Jekyll in Hyde’s body. Lanyon states, “The creature who crept into my house that night was, on Jekyll’s own confession, known by the name of Hyde and hunted for in every corner of the land as the murderer of Carew.” (Stevenson, Page 59) This quotation signifies the verification of the murderer, as well explains why the letters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were identical. This further develops the plot, as characters are developed which help justify the mystery in the novel. Elizabeth’s letter written to Victor Frankenstein, expresses

Utterson is a longtime friend of Dr. Jekyll. He starts noticing a lot of unusual behaviors among Jekyll. Utterson is also hearing and seeing crazy actions of a suspicious man named Mr. Hyde. Actions such as, Mr. Hyde pummeling a small girl and killing a man. As the reader and Mr. Utterson, it is clear that these men are completely different people.

Throughout the novel, it is important to examine what Utterson suspects of Jekyll. While Jekyll clearly is acting strange, Mr. Utterson is blind to the fact that this is truly Dr. Jekyll¹s problem and instead blames Mr. Hyde for blackmail. The question remains, blackmail for what?

This plot development by the usage of Utterson can be found in chapter 6: "I have buried one friend to-day," he thought: "what if this should cost me another?" And then he condemned the fear as a disloyalty and broke the seal”(Stevenson p.30). The function of this narrator is customary to help the readers to get a more broad view of what is occurring in the story. Moreover, this kind of narration allows readers to be privy to all actions of the characters, events that take place in the story, and many of the character’s thoughts throughout the story. Besides this, Mr. Utterson is not just there to develop the plot as he finds answers, he is also an important person, which means he needs to be described as a trustworthy person to maintain the style of discovery through his eyes.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was written during the height of the Victorian era. In this period, there were huge debates concerning pursuing desire versus doing what was socially acceptable. There were also constant scientific discoveries being made. Stevenson 's piece, using a telescopic framework, is a product of romantic and Victorian traditions since it incorporates Victorian gentlemen, dark romantic subjects and duality within both Victorian and Romantic society. Being a gentleman and upholding your reputation in the Victorian era was the most important character trait, and seeing how a perfect gentleman like Dr. Jekyll could have such an evil side was a shock for society. The actions of Mr. Hyde went completely against social norms and expectations. Romantic topics like the subconscious, fears and nightmares/dreams are also depicted in this work. As well, there is something dark beneath the facade Victorian people wore. The contents of the story have an eerie vibe and demonstrate the potential dangers that people keep hidden. And finally, duality within Victorian and Romantic society is evident throughout the piece with self-control against desires and what’s on the surface against the subconscious. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde takes place during a time of large scale social