Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Duality of Human Nature
- Jekyll confesses to Utterson that he is
fascinated by the duality of his own nature
and believes that it is a condition that affects
all men. He has an obsession with his own
darker side which not only gives the novel its
plot but gives psychological implications.
- Before the climax of the novel (where it is
revealed that Hyde and Jekyll are the same
person) the duality and contrast between their
characters creates tension between good and
evil, the suggestion is made that everyone's bad
side will overcome their good side.
- Hyde is portrayed as
evil looking and
dwarfed with a violent
temper whereas Jekyll
is a respected man of
science and is good
natured and is the
leader of a circle of
friends. Not only are
these two men halves
of one person's
character but they are
polar opposites. Hyde's
takeover of Jekyll
seems to present a
fuzzy representation of
duality. It isn't quite
clear whether
Stevenson intends to
suggest that Jekyll
believes that you are
half good and half evil
or whether you are
good with evil urges. He
could be trying to
suggest that if you let
the dark urges get the
better of you then they
will be uncontrollable
and will ultimately take
over your god side.
- Jekyll's disorder also has an impact on the other characters. For
example, Utterson is introduced as a loyal, kind man who seldom
seems to stray away from that description which suggests as his
character is so set in place that he too may be suffering from
darker urges.