ipl-logo

Examples Of Duality In Jekyll And Hyde

1220 Words5 Pages

Jekyll & Hyde: The Duality of Scientific Philosophies The novella “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” has many elements of science compiled inside the story. The main scientific occurrence of the story is the duality between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which is what creates the basic concept of the story. The whole story plays around with this idea of duality and also on different scientists in the novella’s perspective on science. By “different scientists”, the novel refers to Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Lanyon. While Dr. Lanyon is a firm believer in rationalism, heterodoxy and reluctance, Dr. Jekyll embraces the insane, mystic side of science due to this, Dr. Lanyon acts as a foil to Dr. Jekyll throughout the story, while the reader is left to choose which …show more content…

Jekyll, Dr. Lanyon has a more organized and principled perspective on science. Dr. Lanyon’s scientific point of view can be compared to a stereotypical outlook of how scientists are like in real life. However, Dr. Lanyon’s philosophy can be seen as dull, uncreative and safe, in contrast to Dr. Jekyll’s philosophy. During the novella, Dr. Jekyll expresses his distastefulness for Dr. Lanyon’s idea when he says, “Oh, I know he’s a good fellow-you needn’t frown-an excellent fellow, and I always mean to see more of him; but a hide-bound pedant for all that; an ignorant, blatant pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon” (Stevenson 24) Dr. Jekyll does have a sense of respect for Dr. Lanyon but he believes that Dr. Lanyon could be so much more with his scientific talent, if he wasn’t such a mundane spirit. Although Dr. Lanyon does have a very straightforward and humdrum scientific mindset, it must be noted that his experiments never caused any harm to anybody-- compared to Dr. Jekyll’s lab endeavors. This statement helps one dive deeper into the mythos of which scientific philosophy would be the most suited for the quotidian life …show more content…

Although the answer is relative, the author evidently seems to have an idea of which scientific metaphysics he deems is superior. Even though Dr. Lanyon was a supposed anthesis to Dr. Jekyll, the two scientists were still friends, but at the same time their ideas clashed forging some sort of rivalry between them. We have an example of their relationship when the author says, “For these were two old friends, old mates both at school and college, both thorough respecters of themselves and each other, and, what does not always follow, men who thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company” (Stevenson 16) emphasism on Dr. Lanyon’s relationship with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Utterson is advertised as well as the fact that amidst their differences, they all still care for each other profoundly as good friends. The friendship sadly came to an end once Dr. Lanyon witnessed Mr. Hyde’s transformation into Dr. Jekyll, which discursively also put an end to Dr. Lanyon’ life. By killing off Dr. Lanyon, Robert Louis Stevenson illustrates the general victory of Dr. Jekyll’s philosophical view in his perspective, which was also hinted at previously in the book when it was Mr. Utterson came to the conclusion that, “it was unlikely that the doctor should fear death; and it is what I was tempted to suspect.” (Stevenson 36) which proves that Mr.

Show More
Related
236 Words | 1 Pages

In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde , the dualities reflected of the Victorian times. Where people lived a double-life because the norms society set for honourable individuals to comply with were to high for people to come after . Double standards created along of this and fuelled the deception of the middle-class . As society allowed , they lived superficially respectable , moral lives . Alternatively , at night , when doors was closed , that was when people started showing who they really were , showing their dark and desires from the deepest part of their mind .

Read More
682 Words | 3 Pages

Whenever he gets injected with the test, Mr. Hyde comes to life. The 2003 movie of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde contains juxtaposition, symbols and irony. In the film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, juxtaposition was one of the main things that helped build up the story. For example, Dr. Jekyll's theory was that there is good and evil in everyone and he wants to figure out how to divide them.

Read More
1321 Words | 6 Pages

Jekyll is seen performing scientific practice, attempting to achieve a goal which can be argued to exceed his mental capacity. Dr. Jekyll wished to remove his dark side, tampering with the duality of man. He expressed hatred towards is his darker side. It shows this in the quote “many a man would have even blazoned such irregularities as i was guilty of;... I regarded and hid them with an almost morbid sense of shame.”

Read More
1619 Words | 7 Pages

Lanyon is able to resist temptations and unlike Jekyll, he does not join in on his progressive scientific research. When Utterson confronts Jekyll about his distressing will, Jekyll describes his opinion of Lanyon to Utterson stating that although he knows Lanyon is a good-hearted person he is still a “hide-bound pedant. ”(24) The play on the words “hide” alludes to Jekyll's “Hyde” further proves that in giving into temptation Jekyll is really the one who ends up ‘hiding’. However, eventually Lanyon breaks and gives into temptation allowing him to witnesses the scientific discoveries he for so long refused to experience.

Read More
1581 Words | 7 Pages

“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson is a book that intrigues one’s mind, because it makes us question ourselves about the balance between the two opposing forces. The story starts out with Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and a great friend of Dr. Jekyll, hearing about Hyde for the first time, who is very shady and somewhat misconfigured. Mr. Utterson hears about Hyde’s bad reputation, and his usage of Dr. Jekyll’s laboratory; therefore, Mr. Utterson suspects some kind of relationship between Hyde and Dr. Jekyll. Mr. Utterson’s friend Lanyon, who is a doctor, dies after Dr. Jekyll goes into seclusion; Mr. Utterson goes to Dr. Jekyll’s house to seek the truth behind Lanyon’s death, but he instead sees Hyde dead. Mr. Utterson

Read More
731 Words | 3 Pages

Jekyll lives his life as a good person with some evil and he struggles with this threw out the whole novella. Dr. Jekyll shows his good side

Read More
1591 Words | 7 Pages

Irresponsible Use of Knowledge & Consequences Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein and Robert Stevenson 's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are two horrific tales of science gone terribly wrong, it emphasizes the saying, with great power comes great responsibility. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tells the story of Dr. Jekyll who, while searching for a way to divide his good self from his bad impulses, creates a potion using science that transforms himself into a man without a conscience. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a bright young doctor who, devastated by the death of his mother, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. In the texts, authors Robert Stevenson and Mary Shelley use multiple literary elements to emphasize that knowledge

Read More
532 Words | 3 Pages

Dr. Jekyll is seemingly good, kind, and benevolent; while is not purely good he is a moral gentleman. He started his experiment so he could totally separate the bad and the good in himself into two separate beings. He did not succeed, however, for Dr. Jekyll is plagued by the feeling that he wants to become evil again, thus he wants to become Mr. Hyde. It is important to note that Mr. Hyde is completely evil; he has no goodness in him, in contrast to Dr. Jekyll who was a troubled mix. Mr. Hyde feels no remorse for any evil he has done and actually feels elated when he does commit a moral sin.

Read More
151 Words | 1 Pages

Overall, Stevenson’s presentation of the duality of man is conveyed by the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde because towards the end of the novel. Jekyll begins to realise that the schism which once caused them to despise one another, help them understand each other situation. Jekyll even begins to ‘pity’ Hyde toward the end of novel, praising his ‘love for life’ by calling it ‘wonderful’, as his creator he consequently acknowledges the condescending attitudes towards Hyde, unfairly for his appearance, however rightfully so for his actions. Moreover, like Darwin’s theory, Hyde could never be accepted into society, often being characterised as a ‘brute’. Additionally, Jekyll’s actions would be condemned by the Victorian readers, as he was

Read More
1037 Words | 5 Pages

The novella Jekyll and Hyde tells the tragic story of a battle between good and evil, a battle for total control over the mind and soul. The clash between the pure and impure sides of man: a fight to the finish. It explores the aspect of a person’s good and bad side; holy and unholy, the one who bathes himself in God’s light and the one whom plays with The Devil’s fire. The battle between the good-willed Dr. Jekyll, and his evil persona: the murderous Mr. Hyde. The author, Stevenson, presents this in numerous ways and describes the two conflicting sides well.

Read More
1545 Words | 7 Pages

In the gothic novel “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, Robert Louis Stevenson depicts an idea of the supernatural realm. It is a tale of a man that is well-known among the townspeople as Dr. Henry Jekyll. The doctor transforms into a being completely opposite of himself. Being a man of science, he feels a compulsion to create a potion that will release his alter ego, Mr. Hyde, while protecting his true identity. Throughout the story, many examples of symbolism are presented to the reader.

Read More
813 Words | 4 Pages

In the novel, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson explores the complexity of human nature. He uses characters and events in the novel to present his stance on the major theme: “man is not truly one, but truly two” (125). Branching from this major theme are many more specific views on the idea that human nature is divided into good and evil. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are two very different people who occupy the same body. Human beings struggle with good and evil and Stevenson goes to the extreme to to show this relationship.

Read More
1002 Words | 5 Pages

Jekyll and Hyde TCEA 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. The emotional mindset and the physical attributes of Jekyll and Hyde show the good and evil within themselves.

Read More
999 Words | 4 Pages

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a short novel written by Robert Stevenson, shocking the audience with its sudden twist. Told mostly from the view of Mr. Utterson, Jekyll’s lawyer, he goes through the mysterious connection between Jekyll and a horrible man named Mr. Hyde. In the end of the novel, it is discovered that Jekyll is Hyde, taking a potion to transform into the hideous man. After several transformations into Hyde, Jekyll finally glances into a mirror, seeing a short, hideous and hairy man, much different from the tall and clean Jekyll. In the novel, Stevenson uses mirrors to represent Hyde’s physical manifestation, an object that reflects within the person, and he uses the mirrors to show the unstable duality of the individual's psyche.

Read More
2180 Words | 9 Pages

Representation of Scientists in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Towards the end of the 19th century, the portrayal of science in literature became more frequent than before; science has been progressing and it began to spark the interest of the readers of fiction. Supernatural elements in stories have been ascribed to scientists and experiments rather than God and miracles. However, since science still covered much of the unknown and inexplicable, the characters of scientists have occasionally been given almost godlike powers, thus prompting the readers to consider the question of morality. The scientist characters in both Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have initially been successful with their scientific experiments and achieved groundbreaking discoveries, but have ultimately been punished for having gone too far with their experiments on humanity.

Read More

More about Examples Of Duality In Jekyll And Hyde

Related Topics

Open Document