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what is the main idea of dr jekyll and mr hyde

by Prof. Genesis Collins Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Stevenson writes about the duality of human nature – the idea that every single human being has good and evil within them. Stevenson describes how there is a good and an evil side to everyone's personality, but what is important is how you behave and the decisions you make.

Full Answer

Why did Dr. Jekyll leave everything to Mr. Hyde?

who does Jekyll leave everything in his will to? why does this upset utterson? At first, Jekyll leaves everything in his will to Mr. Hyde. This upsets Utterson because Hyde is a mean and nasty person. utterson and dr Lanyon were both friends with which main character

Is "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" a typical Gothic novel?

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a classic of late Victorian Gothic. Just a glance at the little wordle I've created shows just how the novel fits neatly into this category. But for those of you not sure about what Gothic is then here's a brief explanation.

Who is the bad guy Mr Hyde or Dr. Jekyll?

Dr. Jekyll is the protagonist and Mr. Hyde is the antagonist. Dr. Jekyll is more stable and aware of his actions. He has a public-self and private-self. Dr. Jekyll portrays himself as a greatly respected man publicly, but privately, he secretly engages in bad behaviors.

Is Dr jekell and Mr. Hyde considered a mystery?

‘The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is a mystery novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1886. At the time it was written, the Victorians that read it would have been shocked at the events that unfolded as the story progressed.

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What are three themes from Jekyll and Hyde?

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Themes overviewscientific development.good vs evil and the duality of human nature.nature and the supernatural.

What is the purpose of Dr Henry Jekyll in the novel?

Dr Jekyll is determined as he wants his experiment to succeed. He is so determined that he risks losing everything in order for him to succeed - his friendships, reputation and wealth.

Why is Mr Hyde important in the novel?

Hyde's importance to the novella as a whole It is his character and actions that drive Jekyll to his destruction. He is also responsible for all the main events of the novella – the trampling of a young girl recalled by Enfield, the murder of Carew, the death of Lanyon and the destruction of Jekyll.

Who is the bad one Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde?

Jekyll's transformed body, Hyde, was evil, self-indulgent, and uncaring to anyone but himself. Initially, Jekyll controlled the transformations with the serum, but one night in August, he became Hyde involuntarily in his sleep. Jekyll resolved to cease becoming Hyde.

How does Dr. Jekyll represent good?

Good, on the other hand, is shown in the novella as being generous and kind to others: Enfield describes Jekyll as 'one of your fellows who do what they call good' (p. 5). When freed from his bad aspects, Jekyll works for charities, is religious, is a good friend and 'he did good' (p.

What significance could the title of the chapter Dr. Jekyll was quite at ease have?

What significance could the title of the chapter have? The significance that the title has is that he is really not at ease, in fact his life is very hectic and crazy.

What kind of character is Dr. Jekyll?

Henry Jekyll. A respected doctor and friend of both Lanyon, a fellow physician, and Utterson, a lawyer. Jekyll is a seemingly prosperous man, well established in the community, and known for his decency and charitable works. Since his youth, however, he has secretly engaged in unspecified dissolute and corrupt behavior ...

Who is Dr. Jekyll What is interesting about his will?

A prominent, popular London scientist, who is well known for his dinner parties, Jekyll is a large, handsome man of perhaps fifty. He owns a large estate and has recently drawn up his will, leaving his immense fortune to a man whom Jekyll's lawyer, Utterson, thoroughly disapproves of.

What is the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?

It is about a London legal practitioner named Gabriel John Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde. The novella's impact is such that it has become a part of the language, with the vernacular phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" referring to persons with an unpredictably dual nature: outwardly good, but sometimes shockingly evil.

Who wrote the book "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde"?

For other uses, see Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (disambiguation). Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. The work is also known as The Strange Case of Jekyll Hyde, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, or simply Jekyll and Hyde. It is about a London legal practitioner named Gabriel ...

What does Utterson read in Jekyll and Lanyon?

Utterson reads Lanyon's letter, then Jekyll's. Lanyon's letter reveals his deterioration resulted from the shock of seeing Hyde drink a serum that turned him into Jekyll. Jekyll's letter explains he had indulged in unstated vices and feared discovery.

What does Utterson fear about Hyde?

Utterson fears Hyde is blackmailing Jekyll, as Jekyll recently changed his will to make Hyde the sole beneficiary. When Utterson tries to discuss Hyde with Jekyll, Jekyll tells Utterson he can get rid of Hyde when he wants and asks him to drop the matter.

What did Stevenson write about?

While still a teenager, he developed a script for a play about Deacon Brodie, which he later reworked with the help of W. E. Henley and which was produced for the first time in 1882. In early 1884, he wrote the short story " Markheim ", which he revised in 1884 for publication in a Christmas annual. According to his essay, "A Chapter on Dreams" ( Scribner's, Jan. 1888), he racked his brains for an idea for a story and had a dream, and upon waking had the intuition for two or three scenes that would appear in the story Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Biographer Graham Balfour quoted Stevenson's wife Fanny Stevenson:

Why does Jekyll make a potion?

He creates a serum, or potion, in an attempt to separate this hidden evil from his personality. In doing so, Jekyll transformed into the smaller, younger, cruel, remorseless, and evil Hyde. Jekyll has many friends and an amiable personality, but like Hyde, he becomes mysterious and violent.

How long did it take Stevenson to rewrite the book?

Stevenson rewrote the story in three to six days. A number of later biographers have alleged that Stevenson was on drugs during the frantic rewrite; for example, William Gray's revisionist history A Literary Life (2004) said he used cocaine while other biographers said he used ergot. However, the standard history, according to the accounts of his wife and son (and himself), says he was bed-ridden and sick while writing it. According to Osbourne, "The mere physical feat was tremendous and, instead of harming him, it roused and cheered him inexpressibly". He continued to refine the work for four to six weeks after the initial revision. The novella was written in the southern English seaside town of Bournemouth, where Stevenson had moved to benefit from its sea air and warmer climate.

Why did Jekyll develop a potion?

Lanyon’s and Jekyll’s documents reveal that Jekyll had secretly developed a potion to allow him to separate the good and evil aspects of his personality. He was thereby able at will to change into his increasingly dominant evil counterpart, Mr. Hyde.

Why does Poole want Utterson to come to Jekyll's house?

Weeks later, Poole requests that Utterson come to Jekyll’s home, as he is fearful that Hyde has murdered Jekyll. When Poole and Utterson break into the laboratory office, they find Hyde’s body on the floor and three documents for Utterson from Jekyll. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content.

What does Utterson see when he meets Hyde?

Utterson goes to see if Jekyll is harbouring Hyde, and Jekyll gives Utterson a letter from Hyde, in which Hyde declares that he will be able to escape. However, Utterson’s clerk notices that Jekyll and Hyde appear to have the same handwriting.

How long has Lanyon seen Jekyll?

Lanyon says that he has seen little of Jekyll for more than 10 years, since Jekyll had gotten involved with “unscientific balderdash,” and that he does not know Hyde.

Is Hyde bigger than Jekyll?

Hyde is quite a bit smaller than Jekyll, perhaps indicating that evil is only a small portion of Jekyll’s total personality but one that may express itself in forceful, violent ways. The story has long been interpreted as a representation of the Victorians’ bifurcated self.

Who explored the theme of evil and good?

The theme was explored explicitly by Oscar Wilde in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) and by H.G. Wells in both The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896) and The Invisible Man (1897). In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson suggested that the human propensities for good and evil are not necessarily present in equal measure.

Who is Vicky Lebeau?

She is a contributor to 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2012), where an earlier version of this Britannica entry first appeared.

What is Dr Jekyll's obsession with his own dark side?

The Duality of Human Nature. Dr. Jekyll confesses to Utterson that he has for a long time been fascinated by the duality of his own nature and he believes that this is a condition that affects all men. His obsession with his own darker side gives the novel its plot but also its profound, psychological implications.

Why is the mystery of the book suspenseful?

Much of the suspense associated with the mysteries of the novel are suspenseful solely because they are deliberately kept secret or repressed by the characters. The novel's secrets come out in spits and spurts. Enfield shares his story with Utterson, but he is only persuaded to share Hyde ’s name at the end. Utterson, upon hearing Hyde's name, does not reveal that he has heard it before, in Jekyll's will. From that point on…

What is the tension between science and reason?

Jekyll and Mr. Hyde creates a tension between the world of reason and science and the world of the supernatural, and seems to suggest the limits of reason in its inability to understand or cope with the supernatural phenomena that take place. Jekyll confesses at the end of the novel ...

Does Enfield share Hyde's name with Utterson?

Enfield shares his story with Utterson, but he is only persuaded to share Hyde ’s name at the end. Utterson, upon hearing Hyde's name, does not reveal that he has heard it before, in Jekyll's will. From that point on…. read analysis of Reputation, Secrecy and Repression.

Is Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde a male story?

Like many stories of Robert Louis Stevenson’s era, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde shows a world dominated by men and most of the featured characters are male. The streets of London, where all this violence takes place, are painted by the writer as a masculine society, particularly full of academic, well-educated men who keep in each other’s confidence ...

What is the name of the creature that Utterson describes in the book Hyde?

Certainly, the novel goes out of its way to paint Hyde as animalistic—he is hairy and ugly; he conducts himself according to instinct rather than reason; Utterson describes him as a “troglodyte,” or primitive creature.

What does Utterson suspect Jekyll first of?

Similarly, when Utterson suspects Jekyll first of being blackmailed and then of sheltering Hyde from the police, he does not make his suspicions known; part of being Jekyll’s good friend is a willingness to keep his secrets and not ruin his respectability.

What is the duality of human nature?

The Duality of Human Nature. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde centers upon a conception of humanity as dual in nature, although the theme does not emerge fully until the last chapter, when the complete story of the Jekyll-Hyde relationship is revealed. Therefore, we confront the theory of a dual human nature explicitly only after having witnessed all ...

Does Hyde have an angelic counterpart?

But his potion, which he hoped would separate and purify each element, succeeds only in bringing the dark side into being—Hyde emerges, but he has no angelic counterpart. Once unleashed, Hyde slowly takes over, until Jekyll ceases to exist.

What is the hypocrisy of the gentleman?

The hypocrisy of the gentleman is one of the most fearful aspects of this crime. The polite, educated way that he speaks contrasts intensely with his savage and pointless attack, and his use of such a renowned name on the check he offers to hush up the event raises questions about his connections or what other evil he might be up to. Also note how Enfield's first instinct is to be secretive about the man's name.

Why did Enfield make himself scared?

That Enfield had made himself scared suggests the strangeness of the house in the street. The man's trampling of a girl—and refusal even to stop after doing it—immediately establishes him as exaggeratedly cruel or evil.

Why doesn't Enfield ask the man about the house?

Enfield admits he didn’t ask the man about the house, because he makes it a rule not to ask questions about things that seem suspicious. Utterson thinks this is a good rule.

What did the men promise to do if they didn't disappear?

But instead of using violence, they threatened the man, promising to undo him if didn’t disappear. The man replied calmly that a gentleman never wishes to make a scene, and then went into the bleak-looking house and got a check for a hundred pounds. Not only that but he offered to stay with the injured girl and her family until the banks opened so he could cash it for them. When they saw the name on the check, they recognized the man as a celebrated gentleman, though Mr. Enfield in his story does not reveal the man's name to Utterson .

How does Stevenson set up the character of Utterson?

Stevenson sets up the character of Utterson in a way that will illuminate the other characters, his friends. By focusing on Utterson’s loyalty and kindness, and his ability to overlook flaws and misdemeanors, the author plants a question in the reader’s mind, about how far this loyalty can be tested. Active Themes.

What does giving a name and a residence to the monstrous, inhuman character that we saw tramp?

Giving a name and a residence to the monstrous, inhuman character that we saw trampling the girl in Enfield’s account changes the nature of the threat he represents. Normality and monstrosity do not sit well together.

Is Hyde a normal man?

Hyde’s appearance is not that of a normal man – in fact it seems, somehow, hardly human. The evil tone of his features cannot be attributed to one detail or scowl but something general and intangible. The gentlemen’s inability to really talk about their fear of Hyde also gives him a larger-than-life power.

What is the Jekyll and Hyde Personality?

A Jekyll and Hyde personality is someone with a split personality that may have two distinct and diametrically opposed personalities. A split personality can have one side that is friendly and easygoing, while the other can be disconnected or even abusive .

What inspired Stevenson to write Jekyll and Hyde?

Stevenson’s famed Victorian era fiction novel was inspired by him being plagued by intense and disturbing nightmares of living dual lives himself and so Jekyll and Hyde were created. Let’s look deeper into the Jekyll And Hyde Personality.

Why do people have Jekyll and Hyde syndrome?

Causes of Jekyll And Hyde Syndrome. People suffering from this syndrome are quite often extremely conflicted individuals. It’s possible that this inner conflict stems from being raised by conservative religious or authoritarian parents who disciplined them harshly for misbehaving.

What is the dark side of Jekyll and Hyde?

A Jekyll and Hyde personality develops a deep dark side or Shadow that contains all of the repressed and internalised feelings and desires. This dark side has the ability to physically take over a human, forcing them to form a separate entity that is free to carry out secret desires.

How many types of Jekyll and Hyde are there?

According to psychotherapist Beverly Engel there are seven types of Jekyll and Hyde personalities:

How does Dr Jekyll express the evil in his soul?

Dr. Jekyll subtly expresses the evil in his soul by numerous horrific actions, but he is unable to do so publicly for fear of social scrutiny. During his experiments, he creates a concoction that allows him to liberate this evil inside him from the influence of his good self, resulting in the creation of Edward Hyde.

Is Jekyll and Hyde a schizophrenia?

However, while the term schizophrenia had not yet been invented, there is no suggestion that the public at the time thought of the Jekyll and Hyde personality as schizophrenia. In reality, the Jekyll and Hyde personality was linked to the concept of multiple personalities, which is now known as dissociative identity disorder.

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Overview

Analysis of themes

Literary genres that critics have applied as a framework for interpreting the novel include religious allegory, fable, detective story, sensation fiction, doppelgänger literature, Scottish devil tales, and Gothic novel.
The novella is frequently interpreted as an examination of the duality of human nature, usually expressed as an inner struggle between good and evil, with vari…

Inspiration and writing

Stevenson had long been intrigued by the idea of how human personalities can reflect the interplay of good and evil. While still a teenager, he developed a script for a play about William Brodie, which he later reworked with the help of W. E. Henley and which was produced for the first time in 1882. In early 1884, he wrote the short story "Markheim", which he revised in 1884 for publication in a Christ…

Plot

Gabriel John Utterson and his cousin Richard Enfield reach the door of a large house on their weekly walk. Enfield tells Utterson that months ago, he saw a sinister-looking man named Edward Hyde trample a young girl after accidentally bumping into her. Enfield forced Hyde to pay her family £100 to avoid a scandal. Hyde brought Enfield to this door and gave him a cheque signed by a reputable gentleman later revealed to be Doctor Henry Jekyll, Utterson's friend and client. Ut…

Characters

Gabriel John Utterson, a lawyer and close loyal friend of Jekyll and Lanyon for many years, is the protagonist of the story. Utterson is measured and at all times emotionless bachelor – who nonetheless seems believable, trustworthy, tolerant of the faults of others, and indeed genuinely likeable. However, Utterson is not immune to guilt, as, while he is quick to investigate and judge the faults of others even for the benefit of his friends, Stevenson states that "he was humbled to …

Reception

The book was initially sold as a paperback for one shilling in the U.K. and for one penny in the U.S. These books were called "shilling shockers" or penny dreadfuls. The American publisher issued the book on 5 January 1886, four days before the first appearance of the U.K. edition issued by Longmans; Scribner's published 3,000 copies, only 1,250 of them bound in cloth. Initially, stores did not stock it until a review appeared in The Times on 25 January 1886 giving it a favourable re…

Adaptations

There have been numerous adaptations of the novella, including over 120 stage and film versions alone.
There have also been many audio recordings of the novella, with some of the more famous readers including Tom Baker, Roger Rees, Christopher Lee, Anthony Quayle, Martin Jarvis, Tim Pigott-Smith, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Gene Lockhart, Richard Armitage, John Sessions, Alan Howard, Rory …

Illustrated versions

S. G. Hulme Beaman illustrated a 1930s edition, and in 1948 Mervyn Peake provided the newly founded Folio Society with memorable illustrations for the story.

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