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 …show more content…
In the letter that he addresses to Utterson, Jekyll tries to inform Utterson of his distressing situation and how dire it is becoming. A secondary and more miniscule conflict is between Jekyll and Lanyon. The two doctors have differing opinions on the work that Jekyll chooses to pursue. This difference causes a ripple in their friendship which Lanyon elaborates on by saying “‘... it is more than ten years since Henry Jekyll became too fanciful for me. He began to go wrong, wrong minded; and though of course I continue to take an interest in him for old sake’s sake as they say, I see and I have seen devilish little of the man. Such unscientific balderdash would have estranged Damon and Pythias’” (Stevenson, 45). In this passage, Lanyon explains to Utterson the means of why himself and Lanyon are estranged from one another. There have been a few times in my life when a friend and I had grown distant from differing interests and opinion. Specifically, I had a friend, who I still am in contact with, who changed schools and became involved with a crowd whom I thought were unsavoury because of the choices that they made and the influence that they had on my friend. She changed, what seemed like, overnight. Looking back on it now, I realize that I should not of distanced
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,
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.
Mr Hyde is introduced surprisingly to the reader because of his iniquitous action performed on the little girl and this is very different from the way in which Mr Enfield and Mr Utterson are introduced. Mr Utterson and Enfield are introduced to be sincere gentlemen shown to have prestige in the society as Mr Utterson has a respected job of a lawyer and Mr Enfield is the ‘well known man about town’ whereas Mr Hyde is instantly portrayed as sadistic, merciless and ferocious. Mr Hyde “trampled over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground” therefore this ensures that the reader’s response to Hyde is negative because only a malevolent person would do this despite being mature. The fact that he trampled over the little girl without any reason suggests that he may attain pleasure from doing such hideous activities which would give Mr Hyde an image of being sadistic
Just as the emotions between a parent and toddler can change any second from loving to embarrassed and angry, the two main characters in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, struggle through a family-like relationship. Throughout the novel, the relationship between Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde changes from a close, family-like relationship to one of hatred toward the end of the book. Changes in the relationship between Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde can be seen in: observations by Mr. Utterson, Dr. Jekyll’s state of mind before and after the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, and Dr. Jekyll’s confession.
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
“A man is not truly one, but truly two” this is ideology from the character Dr. Jekyll in the famous Victorian Gothic novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde published by Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson’s novel touched upon the dual nature of humankind, and helped the Victorian era understand the evolution in scientific inquiry and technological advances of a resistant audience. Stevenson’s novel reflects his view on the theory of evolution engaged by scientist of Victorian Era, and the themes and his characters indulge in the progression of man and his view of the human mind. His diction interests the audience bringing life to the story and creates the longevity through all aspect that continue to influence the minds of modern
“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” is a gothic novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson that was first published in 1886. It’s about a lawyer from London named G.J. Utterson who explores strange events that involves his old friend Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. The novel’s influence on language is extraordinary, with the phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” coming to the meaning of a person of diversity in moral character from one situation to the next (French literature).
“All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone, in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.” (Stevenson 45)
The key ideas in chapter 1 of ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr
Dr Lanyon first appears in Chapter 2 when Utterson goes to consult him about the strange will of their friend Dr Jekyll. He is described as a "hearty, healthy" gentleman with a warm manner of welcoming his friend that is based on "genuine feeling". (2) This emphasis on his good qualities and his genuine friendship is important. (3) It makes us trust him and believe his judgement may be right when he says that, because Jekyll "began to go wrong", he has seen little of him during the last ten years. In fact, he becomes uncharacteristically agitated and talks angrily of Jekyll's ideas as "scientific balderdash". This raises our level of interest in what Dr Jekyll might be involved in. (4)
“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,
In the novel “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde” there is a theme of good vs evil. Good being Dr. Jekyll and evil Mr Hyde they have the inner fight between themselves, because they are the same person.Robert louis Stevenson uses Diction,imagery,and details to contrast the character of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde
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.