Descriptions Good and evil has been in our world for countless years. Numerous books have been written about this theme. In Robert Louis Stevenson’s mystery novella, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the author uses physical descriptions of Jekyll and Hyde to reflect good and evil. Jekyll is pictured as the perfect gentleman. Jekyll, Lanyon, and Utterson are at a dinner party, when Utterson looks over at Jekylland describes him as, “a large, well-made, smooth-faces, man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness” (Stevenson 17). Jekyll has done good his whole life. He has been helping people by being a doctor and caring for patients. On the other hand, Hyde is picture as an evil force in the book. Utterson
By creating Mr. Hyde as this physically grotesque creature, it enhances the readers understanding of the power of evil. If Dr. Jekyll was only transformed mentally from good to evil, it would not have the same effect as transforming mentally and physically. The physical appearance of Mr. Hyde gave everyone who saw him an instant feeling of foulness and darkness. Dr. Jekyll wrote about his first encounter with Mr. Hyde in the letter he wrote to Mr. Utterson, “It came about that Edward Hyde was so much smaller, slighter, and younger, that Henry Jekyll. Even as good shone upon the countenance of the one, evil was written broadly and plainly on the face of the other,” (Stevenson. 71). Dr. Jekyll could take one look at Mr. Hyde and know that he was evil. This idea of evil being something that can be observed from ones appearance is not only found in Stevenson’s novel, but also in literature and media across the world. Another prominent example of evil being depicted as ugly is in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. Rowling writes about a group of ghost like creatures that feed on the souls of wizards called
Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a classic mystery from the Victorian era. Good and evil is found in everybody but it's up to you to choose. In Robert Louis Stevenson novella Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Stevenson uses physical descriptions to reflect good and evil in London and Soho.
Hyde’s appearance suggests, his behavior is also vicious. One night he tramples over a child’s body leaving her screaming and a sight “hellish to see” (Stevenson 3). Another night he breaks out in rage and beats a man to death with his cane for no apparent reason. As opposed to Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde has no conscience; he feels no remorse in his actions. Mr. Hyde is the embodiment of pure evil, which is why no one could recognize that this man is actually the other half of Dr. Jekyll.
Jekyll talks about the years before the creation of the potion that transforms him into Hyde. He summarises his finding of the dual nature, human beings are half good and half evil. Jekyll’s goal in his experiments is to separate two opposite elements, creating a person with only good characteristics and a being of only evil. He does this because he wants to free his good side from dark urges. He fails this experiment, in fact he only manages to create a whole evil person ‘Mr Hyde’. In the letter, Jekyll says ‘I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man . . . if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both.’ The events of the novel inform the reader that the dark side (Hyde) is much stronger than the rest of Jekyll, this is why Hyde is able to take over Jekyll. This letter is really important for the reader so that the whole novel is understood. A lot of horror is created and it is all quiet in the reader's mind. The reader feels horrified by the way in which Jekyll seems to love and care for Hyde. Jekyll’s words make the reader angry that a man who was so good could enjoy becoming so
This quote characterizes Mr. Hyde, because it tells the reader that Hyde is the crazy one; Hyde’s
In the novel evil is portrayed by Mr. Hyde and as the novel progresses evil begins to gain more power over good, Mr. Hyde begins to take over Dr. Jekyll and becomes more dominant. Jekyll is beginning to lose control and his evil side is taking over:
“All human beings are commingled out of good and evil.” Robert Louis Stevenson was no fool when it came to understanding the duality of human nature evident within mankind. In his novella, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson is able to explore his interests concerning the dark, hidden desires that all human beings are guilty of possessing. In his story, a well-respected professional by the name of Dr. Jekyll experiments with the idea of contrasting personalities and successfully undergoes a physical separation of such identities—one which would soon wreak havoc upon his very existence. As a result of his success, Edward Hyde is born. Hyde, characterized as a miniscule and terrifying, apelike figure from the start,
The novel Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson contains frequent situations where conflicts among the characters arise. This literary classic also has a prominent and iconic villain depicted in one of the title characters, Mr. Hyde. The general plot of the novel is as follows; Utterson, a respected lawyer, and Enfield, Utterson’s cousin, are on their weekly walk when Enfield tells Utterson about his first encounter with Hyde. During his retelling, Enfield explains how he witnesses Hyde trample a young girl in the street and then pay for her family’s silence in the matter. Utterson nor Enfield are one to indulge in gossip, so they put an abrupt end to the conversation. Soon thereafter, Utterson visits his and Jekyll’s mutual
The book portrays Hyde in like an animal; short, hairy, and like a troll with gnarled hands and a horrific face. In contrast, Jekyll is described in the most gentlemanly terms; tall, refined, polite and honorable, with long
Dr. Jekyll is a good-hearted man and donates to charities. He helps as many people as he can, which makes him even more likable. He is also very neat and organized. Mr. Hyde, however, is mean and rude to people. He doesn’t want to help anyone and only worries about himself. He tends to ignore people in need and only helps himself. He is also very dirty and unorganized. His house was also very messy when people went to visit after the
Stevenson clearly aims that the reader should be conscious towards the fact that we all possess both good and evil aspects within our characters and that it is up to us which one we act upon. But also to be aware of the fact that should we choose to release our inner ‘Hyde’ he will grow increasingly greater in power and become intensely difficult to control – eventually overpowering our soul and possibly resulting in our untimely deaths. But also we should be aware that prominent figures in society – such as members of governments and respected celebrities – may too be contaminated by evil behind closed doors. Overall, Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel ,’ The Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ is one which explores the theme of evil and deepens the readers understanding of the nature of
The theme of the book is basically good vs evil and split personality. Mr Utterson tries to solve the case of Dr Jekyll's will that's linking to the mysterious man Mr Hyde. No one in London knows who Mr Hyde is, and the few people who saw him described him as "weird" and slightly "deformed". In the first chapter, Mr Utterson said Mr Hyde is "Not easy to describe". And that there is something "wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable", and "He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point.
I was the first that ever did so for his pleasures. I was the first that could thus plod in the public eye with a load of genial respectability, and in a moment, like a schoolboy, strip off these lendings and spring headlong into the sea of liberty” (Stevenson, p. 63). Dr. Jekyll considered himself a genius for having the ability to separate the two entities of his good and evil
Utterson followed Hyde through the London streets, aware of how bizarre such a pairing must appear-- more so than Utterson his cousin. The most notable difference between himself and Hyde was their height, for while Jekyll possessed a few inches over the lawyer, in his dwarfish state he reached not half as tall as Utterson. Doubtlessly, Hyde held himself in such a manner (with head high, chin stuck out defiantly, a constant scowl about his lips, and one first clenched constantly against his side) which allowed him to overcome some sense of inadequacy and loss. missing something Utterson believed Jekyll’s reasoning true-- that he tried to be a good person, and as Hyde was the manifestation of his wickedness… the lawyer jolted from his thoughts
At first, Hyde doesn't really show his face. He's smaller than Jekyll is in size and he's symbolic of the inner evil in Dr. Jekyll.