What are the main themes in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
This section looks at the Key themes in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
- Duality of man. Jekyll asserts that “man is not truly one, but truly two,”
- Good versus Evil. Dr.
- Repression.
- Friendship and Loyalty.
- Appearances and Reputation.
- Curiosity.
- Lies and Deceit.
- Violence.
What themes does Jekyll represent?
Themes
- The Duality of Human Nature. Through Jekyll’s discovery of Mr Hyde and his subsequent discovery of how to separate the two sides of his nature, we are able to examine the very nature of what it is to be human.
- Appearance and Reality.
- Morality.
- Class.
- Age.
- Gender.
- Legacy and Impact.
What is the overall message of Jekyll and Hyde?
The moral message of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is that man’s soul is paired with both elements of good and evil. These basic elements cannot be separated because man is defined by the conflict within his inner nature and how he deals with this duality.
How is the theme of repression presented in Jekyll and Hyde?
In the final chapter of the novel, Jekyll describes the unintended effect of repression. Jekyll compares his position to a drunkard’s, saying that both himself as Hyde, and a person who is intoxicated, are reduced to a state of animalistic impulses. Neither are in possession of reason.
Who is Mr seek?
Utterson is a lawyer and therefore a respectable, wealthy man in Victorian London. Stevenson shows Utterson’s personality to be rational, calm and curious. Stevenson uses the pun “Mr Seek” to show Utterson’s curious nature in discovering the truth about Mr Hyde.
What is Mr Utterson’s motto?
“I incline to Cain’s heresy,” he used to say quaintly: “I let my brother go to the devil in his own way.” Mr. Utterson is the first character the narrator introduces in the story. Utterson indulges misbehavior without judgment and doesn’t feel compelled to impose his values on others.
Who is Mr Utterson’s brother?
In simpler terms, Mr. Utterson is basically saying that he sides with what Cain, the brother of Abel, said to God when He asked him where was his brother. Cain, who is known for being insubordinate, also epitomizes “bad blood” because his answer to God was basically “what do I care where my brother is…
How does Jack the Ripper relate to Jekyll and Hyde?
Some believed Mansfield’s performance of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to be so believable, they actually accused him of being the Ripper himself. Hyde was Jekyll’s alter, evil personality as Ripper is the evil murderer personality of a supposed normal man.
What is a black winter morning?
Hyde as frightening. Evidence- “black winter morning” Technique-pathetic fallacy-when the setting describes someone’s personality/look. Explain- individual word-“black”-dark, sinister + evil.
Why did Mr Hyde trample the girl?
Hyde were up to during their nights on the town. In modern American vernacular this might be called a “cop-out.” All we know for sure is that Hyde murdered a man in a fit of rage and that on one dark morning he knocked a little girl down and trampled on her for no reason except that she was in his way.