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Symbolism In Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde

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The short fictional novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tells the tale of a dedicated London lawyer named Gabriel Utterson who searches for truth after a close friend of his named Henry Jekyll, gradually spirals downward, committing unspeakable acts of violence and depravity following his first ingestion of a mystical potion. Utterson must uncover the buried secrets kept by the withdrawn doctor and childhood friend before it is too late, while also investigating the puzzling murder of a respected senator and former client of his. Prominent themes in the book such as the polarization of the human psyche, the paradoxical effect of silence and the inherent, thinly veiled darkness that lies in commercial centers and popular cities …show more content…

Hyde’s physical appearance, the symbolism of the lab connecting to Dr. Jekyll’s home, and the symbolism of the mystical potion taken by Dr. Jekyll all help convey the powerful themes that transcend the book. First and foremost, Mr. Hyde’s physical appearance described by those that have seen him commit horrible atrocities signifies his alternate or dual personality as he crosses societal boundaries. Transformed from a tall, revered and affluent doctor, to a shorter hairier uglier looking figure, Dr Jekyll represents the part of society most of us try to embrace while his more nefarious counterpart represents the greatest fears of society-- a killer without a motive who feels euphoric and rejuvenated after slaying innocent prey. The lab that connects Dr. Jekyll’s home to his lab also allows readers to acknowledge the vastly different personalities that a person may have. After having its door broken down, this same lab illustrates that secrets cannot be kept indefinitely, especially those that regard personality and there will eventually come a time when a victor is chosen between the aforementioned good and evil combating inside an individual’s head. The potion that is discovered to have helped transform Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde could represent a plethora of external and internal catalysts. Today, substances like drugs and alcohol may have a similar effect to the potion taken by Dr. Jekyll. Internal factors like greed and gluttony could also symbolize the potion’s effect on the mind and body. Many of the listed substances don’t create something that isn’t already there; rather they expose our conscious and subconscious desires and in some cases amplify them. This is where genetics and natural, inherent proclivities come into play, making certain behavior like smoking and drinking enticing. These can sometimes reveal our true nature. Dr. Jekyll longed for true freedom and through the simple intake of a potion he was able to attain a

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