Jekyll And Hyde Duality

“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:” (Stevenson 43) Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde brings many complex issues up throughout the book. This quote calling out the most sincere of Stevenson’s believes. That man is twofold; the amalgamation that we are of our good and evil parts and that we become most like the side we allow ourselves to be.
Throughout the essay Stevenson paints Dr Jekyll as the good well-kempt doctor, conversely from the very beginning painting Hyde as a deformed monstrocity whose home is “prolonged and sordid neglected” (Stevenson 2) Dr Jekyll is a highly venerable

In his final statement we are shown the reality of this idea, throughout the rest of the book we are introduced to the ideas of a pure evil character somehow entwined with the life of the truly good doctor. In the end it is revealed that they are in fact the same person. “It was the curse of mankind” “were bound together” (Stevenson 43) The transformation between Jekyll and Hyde can be seen in two parts both the physical differences and the psychological differences. Hyde being physically described as “downright detestable” and giving off a “strong feeling of deformity” (Stevenson 5). These physical characteristics of ugliness make Hyde appear mean and evil, as the darkness that infects society. In opposition, though Dr Jekyll is described as “well-made” and even goes as far to say that he possesses “every mark of capacity and kindness” (Stevenson 12). A dramatically stark compassion to the abomination previously described. Furthermore, we eventually see the stark differences in the minds of these characters. Both through their actions, and through Jekyll’s final statement. Our first interaction

So though an adult may harbor both good and evil sides; Their evilness is something self fostered and enforced. My believe is enforced through how Dr Jekyll is the one who first decides to take the drug. He grows tired of menial goodness and gives way to his dark side fostering and allowing that side to infect. If the side of Dr Jekyll were truly good, he’d have had no desire to ever concoct the potion and risk letting Hyde into the world. So perhaps Dr Jekyll was the human amalgamation, and Mr Hyde broke off as the fragment of evilness with no fragment of pureness to counterbalance him. Ultimately I believe it is society and social interaction that begins to corrupt us in our evil ways as can be seen in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as the monster is initially benevolent only turning wicked after the constant distress and rejection of