Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - THEME STUDIES

Duality of Man - THEME STUDY

The central theme of the novella. Stevenson explores the idea that every human has two sides: one moral + rational (Jekyll), + one base + instinctive (Hyde).

“Man is not truly one, but truly two.” - Antithesis in “not truly one, but truly two” highlights internal conflict. Adverb “truly” emphasises the sincerity + depth of this duality. Suggests duality is an innate part of human nature, not a surface-level flaw. Repetition “truly” emphasises the question of man’s true nature OR emphasises the complexity of man’s ‘true nature’. Underscores Jekyll’s belief that human nature - fundamentally dual, composed of 2 separate + distinct entities.

“I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man.” - “recognise” - Jekyll’s realisation - human nature is divided into 2 opposing forces, bith of which are inherent + primal - contrasting personalities.

“All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil.” - “commingled out of good and evil” - even seemingly virtuous individuals have a capacity for evil, juxtaposition - for everyone to be created out of 2 contrasting natures.

“The polar twins should be continuously struggling.” - constant struggle of dual natures of man, good + evil aspects of human nature, highlights ongoing struggle for dominance.

Symbols:

Jekyll’s house - grand, well-kept / well-maintained front of Jekyll’s house contrasts w/ neglected, dirty back door, symbolising his public + private selves.

Hyde’s appearance - described as repulsive, deformed figure, contrasts sharply w/ Jekyll’s appearance, further emphasisng separation between two sides of his personality.

Jekyll’s quotes - confession, “I learned to recognise the thorough and primitive duality of man” - encapsulates the theme of duality + inherent conflict w/in human nature.

Context -

• Victorian society valued repression + respectability

• Stevenson critiques this by suggesting suppression leads to darker consequences.

• Influenced by contemporary idea of Freud’s theory of the id, ego, + superego (though published later, it’s retrospectively relevant).

Science vs. Religion - THEME STUDY

Jekyll’s experiments challenge religious views of the soal + morality, reflecting Victorian anxieties about scientific advancement.

“Unscientfic balderdash” - Dismissive tone shows Lanyon’s rejection of Jekyll’s transgressive + mystical science, showing the Victorian fear of de-evolution - dangerous, unethical experiments. Colloquial language indicates scorn + fear. Highlights the tension between traditional science + dangerous, unethical experimentation.

“crushed phial” - shows how science can be destructive, in the same way that science…

“there lay the body of a man sorely contorted and still twitching.” - … destroyed his life + personality - “contorted” - science changed who Jekyll was.

“I was not much more than a boy, and I remember the effect the sight had upon me. It was like a monkey jumped from among the chemicals.” - Hyde’s phyical appearance + primal, animalistic that Jekyll associates w/ him - emphasises the idea that Hyde is a product of scientific experiment + science can lead to an inhumane transformation. “not much more than a boy” - reacting like that at such a young age → makes the reader question if his true nature is de-evolved/primal.

Context:

• Darwin’s Origin of Species (1859) caused uproar - people feared science was overstepping and defying God’s word (the bible).

• Jekyll’s work mirrors Victorian fears of “playing God” + moral corruption through science.

Repression + Victorian Society - THEME STUDY

Characters, especially Jekyll, are shaped by the need to maintain a respectable facade, which causes internal conflict.

“Hence it came about that I concealed my pleasures.” - Verb “concealed” suggests secrecy + shame. Implies a hidden life beneath a respectable exterior. Reflects the duality forced by societal expectations.

“if it came to trial, your name might appear” - Utterson isn’t only concerned about Hyde’s actions but also the potential damage to Jekyll’s reputation - social standing + reputation were prioritised over legal consequences. “might” - provisional modal verb - shows how Utterson is doubting Jekyll’s innocence.

“I had been safe of all men’s respect.” - reveals jekyll’s primary motivation for creating Hyde - people were constrained by society’s judgement - Jekyll had to remain a respectable gentleman by the eyes of society - so created Hyde to escape these constraints + unleash his shameful desires. “safe” - he wants his repuation to remain untarnished from his repressed desires.

“My devil had been long caged, he came out roaring.” - “My” - possessive pronoun, “devil” - symbolic noun for his darker, primal instincts - confined for a long time and so its now released w/ destructive force. “he came out roaring” - repressed his instincts for so long that when released, they’re more impactful than ever - unhealthy Victorian expectations caused this.

“Wrestling against the approaches of hysteria.” - “Wrestling” - the struggle of confining to Victorian society’s perfectionist standards, “hysteria” - breaking point of repression, foreshadows complete transformation into Hyde.

Context:

• In Victorian London, reputation was everything.

• Stevenson critiques how repressing natural desires leads to psychological fracture + evil (Hyde).

Good vs. Evil - THEME STUDY

Jekyll represents good; Hyde, evil. Stevenson suggests evil is a natural + seductive part of humanity.

“Edward Hyde was so much smaller, slighter + younger than Henry Jekyll.” - Triplet of adjectives reflects Hyde’s physical inferiority but also his undeveloped moral self. Could imply evil is part of man but kept hidden / ‘younger’. Also symbolises how Jekyll’s indulgence in evil grows over time.

“All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil.” - “commingled out of good and evil” - even seemingly virtuous individuals have a capacity for evil, juxtaposition - for everyone to be created out of 2 contrasting natures and thus resulting in the two parts being in direct conflict with one another.

“These polar twins should be continuously struggling.” - “polar twins” - good + evil aspects of human nature, highlights the ongoing struggle for dominance between both sides.

Hyde as the manifestation of evil - Stevenson depicts Hyde as an inherently violent character + he displays no remorse for his crimes. Stevenson highlights Hyde’s separateness from human society + the world “evil” is used repeatedly in reference to him.

Context:

• Victorian society believed in the perfectibility of man, yet Stevenson shows evil as innate + inescapable.

Appearance vs. Reality - THEME STUDY

Many characters judge based on appearances. Stevenson warns that evil can hide beneath a respectable exterior.

“With something displeasing, something downright detestable.” - Repetition of “something” shows inexpressible revulsion Hyde provokes. Hyde’s evil is visceral - it’s felt, not always seen. Suggests evil isn’t always visible, challenging surface-level judgements.

Context:

• Emphasises hypocrisy in Victorian society, where appearances were polished but deceptive.

The Supernatural + the Gothic - THEME STUDY

The novel’s steeped in Gothic traditions - mystery, horror, + the supernatural - used to explore psychology.

“A certain sinister block of building… bore in every feature the marks of prolonged and sordid negligence.” - Sibilance (“sinister… sordid”) creates a hissing, unsettling tone. The personification of the building reflects Hyde’s moral decay. Gothic imagery symbolises the hidden evil w/in the city (+ Jekyll).

Context:

• Gothic genre was popular in the 19th century to explore fear, madness, + the unknown.

• The novel mixes science + the supernatural to reflect contemporary anxieties.