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Duality of human nature in R. L. Stevenson’s The Strange Case of

 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one

of his most known and most appreciated works. It belongs to the horror fiction genre which

often sends a message about the problems of society and traits of humanity through allegory.

The thesis of this paper is the duality of Dr ekyll’s nature and the conse!uent e"tremeness of

his actions as a result of suppressing his desires.

Dr. #enry ekyll is a man who lives in the $ictorian era in which one’s reputation is

greatly valued. It is one of the most important aspects of life and is in a way the basis of one’s

success and prosperity. It is not surprising that ekyll wants to preserve his repute at all costs.

#e is a respectable scientist who accordingly loves to work% e"plore% and e"pand his hori&ons.

#is problem is his desire to en'oy life in ways which are deemed by other people as wicked.

(ven bigger problem is that he is ashamed of it more than he should be. This leads him to an

e"cessive awareness of his good and his bad side. #e is aware of his dual nature and man’s

dual nature in general. This is obvious in his following words) *+ith every day% and from both

sides of my intelligence% the moral and the intellectual% I thus drew steadily nearer to that

truth% by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck) that man

is not truly one% but truly two, -Stevenson /0.

#e wants to solve these problems by dividing himself completely. Scientific

knowledge is a powerful weapon for a man who is desperate enough to risk everything and

willing to try anything to solve his problems. #ence he finds a way to live in both ways% as a

 prominent scientist and a good man% and as a bad man who does whatever he wants. Latter is

(dward #yde who comes to life when he drinks a chemical potion which he himself makes.

#e describes the rationalisation of his actions very vividly) *If each% I told myself% could be

housed in separate identities% life would be relieved of all that was unbearable1 the un'ust

might go his way% delivered from the aspirations and remorse of his more upright twin1 and

the 'ust could walk steadfastly and securely on his upward path% doing the good things in

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which he found his pleasure% and no longer e"posed to disgrace and penitence by the hands of

this e"traneous evil, -Stevenson 20. 3aking of this potion is a result of combined selfishness

of both sides of his character. 4s a scientist he wants to make a large discovery and as an evil

man he wants to be free.

Since ekyll literally transforms into #yde there are some significant differences in

their physical features. They can be seen as a metaphorical reflection of the features of their

 behaviour. 5n one hand% ekyll is completely and essentially a good% well6mannered man so

he is tall and robust% pleasing to the eye. #yde% on the other hand% is short and very repulsive

to anyone who sees him. 4s 3r. (nfield% the man who is first to describe him in the novella%

says) *+ell% sir% he was like the rest of us1 every time he looked at my prisoner% I saw that

Sawbones turn sick and white with desire to kill him, -Stevenson 70% prisoner being #yde

after he does a terrible thing. #e steps over a little girl and walks away. #e does much worse.

#e beats an old man to death with a stick. 5ver time he gains more power and becomes

stronger than ekyll. The transformations become harder and ekyll is struggling.

This is a way of portraying the situations in real life and the weakness of the character

that lies in every single human being. It is much easier to give in to the bad side and indulge

in all the pleasures of life% good ones and wicked ones. 4 person has to put a lot of effort in

 becoming good and it is truly hard% especially in these days when it is not appreciated enough.

It is a constant struggle between the sub'ective and the ob'ective perception of what is morally

acceptable and what is not. It can be seen from philosophical% psychological% ethical and many

more points of views. 8ottom line is that the society is a whole and every single person

 participates in that whole. It should be every person’s duty to at least try to be a kind and good

 person who is responsible for every action of his9her. Dr. ekyll awfully failed because even

though part of him is good% he tries to avoid his faults and responsibilities by becoming a

completely different person.