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An in-depth look at the themes of DR.JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
A discussion of the main themes and sub-themes of Dr. Jekyll and MR. Hyde brief quotations to be used in essays
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THE MAJOR THEMES OF “THE STRANGE CASE OF DR.JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
Duality of man
Jekyll asserts that “man is not truly one, but truly two,”
Stevenson uses the characters of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to expresses his beliefs about
human duality by introducing them as two contrasting characters. Using two completely
different characters with different names and appearances gets his message of human
duality across effectively.
“It was on the moral side, and in my own person, that I learned to recognise the
thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in
the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only
because I was radically both; and from an early date . . . I had learned to dwell with
pleasure, as a beloved daydream, on the thought of the separation of these elements.”
This quotation appears midway through Chapter 10, “Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of
the Case," which consists of the letter that Jekyll leaves for Utterson. The letter allows
us finally to glimpse the events of the novel from the inside. In this passage, Jekyll
discusses the years leading up to his discovery of the potion that transforms him into
Hyde. He summarizes his theory of humanity’s dual nature, which states that human
beings are half virtuous and half criminal, half moral and half amoral. Jekyll’s goal in his
experiments is to separate these two elements, creating a being of pure good and a
being of pure evil. In this way he seeks to free his good side from dark urges while
liberating his wicked side from the pangs of conscience
How is the duality of mankind shown in the novel?
In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Stevenson shows the duality of man through:
the character of Dr Jekyll
the character of Mr Hyde
, the differences between them both
Quotes on the theme of Duality
“The two hands are in many points identical” (said by Guest)
“If it was my master, why had he a mask upon his face?” (said by Poole)
“Man is not truly one but truly two”.
“I felt younger, lighter, happier in body..”
“I had gone to bed Henry Jekyll, I had awakened Edward Hyde,”
“my devil had been long caged, he came out roaring”
“all human beings are commingled out of good and evil”
“If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers”
“disconsolate prisoner”
How does Stevenson
Evidence Analysis
show this?
This shows that Dr Jekyll was kind
…every mark of
Dr Jekyll is perceived as a and everyone believed him to be so.
capacity and kindness
highly influential, kind, The fact that he 'cherishes' Mr
Dr - you could see by his
educated and popular Utterson tells us that he loves his
Jekyll looks that he
scientist. He is the friends very much and cares about
cherished for Mr
embodiment of 'goodness.' other people. He is a genuinely
Utterson.*
compassionate person.
Mr Hyde is perceived as
...haunting sense of This shows that Hyde's appearance
a cruel, ugly, vicious
unexpressed and personality terrifies others – they
Mr man who commits wild
deformity with which always remember seeing him. The
Hyde acts of violence against
the fugitive impressed fact that his appearance is 'haunting'
innocent people. He is the
his beholders. shows how grotesque he is.
embodiment of 'evilness'.
*Dr Jekyll… [was] a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty,
with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity
and kindness – you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr
Utterson a sincere and warm affection.
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