Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde Dual Personalities Essay Example
"And yet when I looked upon that ugly idol in the glass, I was conscious of no repugnance, rather a leap of welcome. This, too, was myself." Dr Jekyll's recognition here unsettles the easy way of reading Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, where Hyde is imagined merely as a terrifying monster who must be destroyed. With close attention to the text, argue whether Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde shows good and evil as linked or separable in human nature.
INTRO
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a classic mystery story, enticing to all audiences merely upon it's suspense alone. When Stevenson first wrote the story (after recalling a dream he had) he had only the intentions of writing such an entertaining tale. Yet at the suggestion of his wife, he decided to revamp the mystery to comment on the dual nature of man and of society in general.
I believe that Stevenson is suggesting that "All human beings are commingled out of good and evil.", as spoken by Dr Jekyll.
HYPOCRISY & THE GOOD MAN
Stevenson is suggesting that good and evil are inseparable in human nature. By discussing such themes as the hypocrisy of society, and the suppression of passion he proves that Stevenson proposes that we must feed our evil souls as well as the good.
Throughout the novel Stevenson portrays the central characters Utterson, Lanyon, Enfield and Jekyll as, to put it plainly boring. Each of these characters appears to be a fine, upstanding citizen, yet inside they harbour deep desires they consider as blasphemous as a short skirt on Sunday. Utterson enjoys wine, whilst the other characters allude to prostitutes, betting halls and public houses.
All of these "indulgences" are deemed unacceptable, forcing Victorian society to subdue their urges, and focus upon being "good." Most of the noblemen succeed at this strange game of deception, throughout the novel Utterson is referred to as good, a "good man" on countless occasions.
Dr Jekyll also develops a guise of a pure "good
INTRO
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a classic mystery story, enticing to all audiences merely upon it's suspense alone. When Stevenson first wrote the story (after recalling a dream he had) he had only the intentions of writing such an entertaining tale. Yet at the suggestion of his wife, he decided to revamp the mystery to comment on the dual nature of man and of society in general.
I believe that Stevenson is suggesting that "All human beings are commingled out of good and evil.", as spoken by Dr Jekyll.
HYPOCRISY & THE GOOD MAN
Stevenson is suggesting that good and evil are inseparable in human nature. By discussing such themes as the hypocrisy of society, and the suppression of passion he proves that Stevenson proposes that we must feed our evil souls as well as the good.
Throughout the novel Stevenson portrays the central characters Utterson, Lanyon, Enfield and Jekyll as, to put it plainly boring. Each of these characters appears to be a fine, upstanding citizen, yet inside they harbour deep desires they consider as blasphemous as a short skirt on Sunday. Utterson enjoys wine, whilst the other characters allude to prostitutes, betting halls and public houses.
All of these "indulgences" are deemed unacceptable, forcing Victorian society to subdue their urges, and focus upon being "good." Most of the noblemen succeed at this strange game of deception, throughout the novel Utterson is referred to as good, a "good man" on countless occasions.
Dr Jekyll also develops a guise of a pure "good