The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Reinterpretations have played a major role in all forms of entertainment. They provide another, unique perspective on something old, something you may have read or seen. They make it possible to relive, or re-experience something that you cherished, or they can enable you to love something you hated. Reinterpretations have a lot of artistic power, as can be seen in a review of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson, compared to The Incredible Hulk, directed by Louis Leterrier. The value of reinterpretations can be explored through the use of these two texts by looking at the theme of duplicity in man, and analysing the characters Bruce Banner and Dr Jekyll.

“I tend to think that good and evil exist and that the quantity in each of us is unchangeable. The moral character of people is set, fixed until death,” a quote from Michel Houellebecq, who is a French author, filmmaker and poet, is a theme represented in the novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Robert Louis Stevenson is a author who presents the good and evil in this novella, explaining the roles of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is having no impact whoever he was on the life of the two, also thinking in the way that he could choose who he wants to be, and being perfect, and showing a theme of perfection along the way. In this novella there were two different personalities, conjoined in one person, with

To get the image of what individual characters were like Stevenson had to give clear and detailed information on the description of each character. This was essential as in the Victorian times there was no television and the book had

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1886. The novel is set in Victorian England and follows a man by the name Dr. Jekyll, a respected doctor. Dr. Jekyll is a revered man in society and has every intention of remaining that way. However, one day he goes too far with one of his experiments and he creates a draught that unleashes a split personality within him. This personality goes by the name of Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll does not seek a cure at first because he enjoys having an outlet for all of his desires that are deemed unacceptable by society. Hyde commits evil deeds, such as murdering an old man and trampling a young girl, which Dr. Jekyll could never normally let himself go through with. Dr. Jekyll believes that he can remain a good, reputable man even when a part of him is doing wrong. However, he soon learns that this is impossible. Soon after, Dr. Jekyll loses control over his ability to transform into Mr. Hyde. At first, he would only change during the night. Then, he started transforming during the day as well. Dr. Jekyll finally admits that the problem is starting to get out of control. However, he cannot create a remedy any longer. Dr. Jekyll is eventually completely overtaken by Mr. Hyde and the reader does not hear from him again. In this novel, Dr. Jekyll illustrates the duality of human nature through his struggle to choose between good versus evil, societal expectations versus unacceptable desires, and

During the latter portion of the nineteenth century, Robert Louis Stevenson published his novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The fin de siècle saw the rise of different thoughts and ideas surrounding science and society. These concepts and interpretations sparked the discourse surrounding the theory of degeneration; which was the concern that civilization would fall to a lower state of being. This chapter will be reading multiplex personality as a manifestation of this broader cultural fear. Stevenson’s story played upon the changes society was facing during this time and the interest in scientific explanations for mental illness. He creates the character of Dr Jekyll, a scientist who invents a potion to unlock his inner,

As Robert Grudin said in _______, “there is an almost tragic duality between outer and inner worlds, between the rush of experience and the immobility of awareness”. Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, brilliantly exemplifies the philosophical phenomenon that is the duality of human nature through the 2 main characters that coexist interdependently together, Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. According to Webster’s dictionary, the duplicity of human beings is based on the contradictory doubleness of thought, speech, or action; the quality or state of being twofold. Stevenson’s novel touches upon a variety of factors and concerns, one of which being the duplicity of man. The subject is articulated through the exploration of comparing and contrasting opposites; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s physical attributes, their mentalities/personalities, and finally, the manner by which their environmental surroundings aid in contrasting their characterizations.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Russian soldier from World War II once said: “The battleline between good and evil runs through the heart of every man.” This quote is pertinent to the prevailing theme in the novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The predominant archetypal theme is “good and evil exist in all humans, and we live our lives struggling with these two forces.” This theme describes the duality of good and evil in Dr. Jekyll—the good being Jekyll and bad being Hyde— and the struggle he has with both sides fighting for dominance within himself. Each side wants to become his only existing persona. The emotional mindset and physical attributes of Jekyll and Hyde show the good and

First, it is obvious that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an example of duality in Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Throughout the novel, the two characters are introduced as two different people. Dr. Jekyll is handsome and “good” in the eyes of society, and Hyde is ugly and “evil” through society’s eyes. Stevenson describes Dr. Jekyll as “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty” (19), and Mr. Hyde as “pale, dwarfish” (17) and not human like. The description of these characters is showing us the two sides of one man. Stevenson is trying to tell us that everybody has a good and evil side, and they also have a curiosity about their darker side. He believed that people know they have a bad side, but they refuse to accept the truth, as the ‘dark side’ is so unpleasant. The duality of good and evil associates with the modern-day reader because we see that an individual, even

The novel portrays the idea of the “Duality of a Man” by showing how Dr. Jekyll struggles with his two personalities: his good and wicked sides, and how his evil deteriorates him throughout the story, thus showing that everyone holds some type of evil within themselves. In the work The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Stevenson argues that the good and evil of a person are aspects of human nature and can lead to conflict and destruction. Utterson was speaking to Jekyll regarding Hyde, and when Jekyll heard about what was said, his face turned pale as if he heard something so heartbreaking and scary. In chapter 3, Utterson says "I have been learning something from young Hyde." The large, handsome face of Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the

Many times the people one meets do not always represent their true selves. This idea serves as one of the major themes in Robert Louis Stevenson’s book The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. When the reader learns that the two title characters are the same, it becomes evident that Mr. Hyde represents Dr. Jekyll’s true self. It becomes clear to the reader that Hyde represents Jekyll’s true self when, one night, as Jekyll is sleeping in his bed, he naturally transforms into his alternate identity, Hyde. In the novel, Dr. Jekyll explains, “Yes, I had gone to bed Henry Jekyll, I had awakened Edward Hyde” (139).

Robert Louis Stevenson explores the duality of human nature in a compelling way in "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," a work that follows Dr. Jekyll's transformation into his evil alter ego, Mr. Hyde. Stevenson explores the darkest sides of human psychology with vivid imagery and engaging storytelling, providing insightful insights into the difficulties of morality and the results of uncontrolled desire. The central idea of Stevenson's work is dual identity, and he makes the case that people have battling impulses within them that can cause intense internal conflicts. Stevenson's argument reveals the never-ending conflict between good and evil that rages inside each of us and offers a profound remark on the complexities of the human

Robert Louis Stevenson, a Scottish author, wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is a horror and a science fiction book. The story took place in London, England, during the Victorian era.

The dual character combination of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the most well-known in literature and is arguably the most blatant example of duality Stevenson uses to try and get the theme of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde across. The dual personalities Dr. Jekyll possesses are stark examples of the animalistic and civilized sides of man that inherently resides in all men. The virtuous Dr. Jekyll serves as a portrayal of the more rational, human side of man. When Mr. Utterson attends Dr. Jekyll’s dinner party he paints a picture of a quintessential Victorian man when describing Jekyll’s appearance, “well

Actually he finds it nearly impossible to coordinate their extremely different demeanors. Mr. Utterson’s discovery of Dr. Jekyll’s shocking separation occurs only in the final chapter of the novella (Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case). At this point in the novella Mr. Hyde’s depraved violence has been frequently contrasted to Dr. Jekyll’s kind and honorable characteristics. After John Utterson first in counters Edward Hyde he describes him as “the picture of disquietude… he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation” (Stevenson 1652). In contrast to Hyde’s animalistic characteristics Jekyll is described with the most respectable terms such as tall, polite, intelligent, and honorable. Only after Utterson has read Lanyon’s letter and Jekyll’s confession does he truly recognize that Jekyll and Hyde are the same man. The last two chapters are text documents and depart from Utterson’s narration, leaving the reader to ponder the reality of Dr. Jekyll’s dual existence. Throughout The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Stevenson has laid the fundamentals of evidence proving that the duality is in fact inherited in human nature. This is shown when Dr. Jekyll confesses, “man is not truly one, but truly two” (Stevenson 1682). By claiming this Dr. Jekyll has presented duality as a universal condition.

Jekyll and Mr. Hyde influence each other, Stevenson focuses on individual’s perspective. By illuminating on individual’s conflict and perspective, it makes reader to sympathize Dr. Jekyll’s dilemma. Because of social status, he can’t be free, but when people recognize Mr. Hyde as Dr. Jekyll, it will influence to his social status. Additionally, Victorian era time period affects to author’s perspective in the book a lot. It is unique for everyone to overcome internal conflicts, and the author portrayed it in extreme method. Stevenson ultimately claims that in reality, everyone has