Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Themes

DUALITY OF HUMAN NATURE

The good part follows the conscience and the selfish part of human nature is interested purely in pleasure. This duality is presented through Jekyll.

- Duality is seen as natural, recognising the 'thorough and primative duality of man'

- There is a source of trouble and misery that 'lies at the root of religion and is one of the most plentiful springs of distress'

- Jekyll makes a doomed attempt to seperate the two parts of himself, which can only fail because 'this too, was myself'

- Human nature is not just a dual but a 'polity of multifarious, incongruent and independent denizens'

- Jekyll believes there are multiple dual natures.

The evil side of Jekyll is represented in the character of Mr Hyde.

- Jekyll acknowledges that Hyde is 'alone in the ranks of mankind, pure evil'

- Hyde's evil lies in being entirely selfish

- He will do whatever he wants to satisfy his own appetites without any regard for other people

Good is generous and kind to others. The good side of Jekyll is represented in the character of Mr Hyde.

- Enfield describes Jekyll as one of Utterson's 'fellows who do what they call good'

- When freed from his bad thoughts, Jekyll works for charities, is religious and is a good friend

- Utterson says that 'he did good'

Hyde's acts of violence and destruction contrast heavily with the nature of Jekyll. Hyde represents evil in the duality.

- He tramples the small innocent girl

- Carew, who is described as 'an innocent and old-world kindness', is attacked and murdered by Hyde

- Hyde also defaces a religious book

There is more about evil than good. Though Hyde is purely evil, Jekyll is a mix of both. Aspects considered good are defined in relation to what is bad, which makes it hard to think about goodness on its own.

- Enfield and Utterson are friends, though 'it was a nut to crack for many, what these two could see in each other'

- Utterson, Lanyon and Jekyll are friends who dine together

- Jekyll and Lanyon are professional friends, though they fall out over Jekyll's approach to science, leading to Lanyon thinking he is 'wrong in the mind'

- Utterson's friendship with Jekyll leads him to investigate Hyde and become involved in the story

- Poole asks Utterson, as Jekyll's friend, to help him at the end of the novella

- Jekyll turns to Lanyon as one of his 'oldest friends' when he needs chemicals from his cabinet

Science is mainly presented by both the characters of Lanyon and Jekyll as they are both practicing scientists. However, they have considerably different views and they disagree with each other on how science should be conducted.

- Lanyon follows a rational type of science, described by Hyde as showing 'narrow and material views'

- Jekyll has a 'mystical and transcendental' approach, which Lanyon considers 'unscientific balderdash' and 'scientific heresies'

The transformation of Jekyll to Hyde is bizarre, and normal science cannot describe it. Jekyll describes his experience in an abstract, poetic language that does not communicate scientific fights.

- He speaks of 'the trembling immateriality, the mist-like transience' of the physical body

- He says the potion 'shook the very fortress of identity'

- The drug does not cause the good or evil

- The effect of the potion depends on the state of the person - it is just a reaction to the chemical

- Jekyll is a respectable man but feels he hides a dark inner identity

- Hyde appears to be normal, but he is actually a 'child of hell'

- Enfield and Utterson assume Hyde has blackmailed Jekyll to give his wealth to him if Jekyll is to die or disappear

- Lanyon looks physically ill before his death, but it is the result of seeing Jekyll's transformation into Hyde

- Utterson assumes Jekyll's behaviour means that he is ill and seeking a cure