Dual Nature of Man

The Effect of Victorian Repression

The novella depicts the struggle of one man trying to live a good life, while wrestling with desires frowned on by his society. Victorians had to repress their true feelings and desires in public, and this is why Jekyll thinks he is leading a double life.

Jekyll the Victorian gentleman

Jekyll is a well-respected gentleman, so he has to keep his sins and desires well-hidden and secret from the rest of society.
The repressive society Jekyll lives in was likely to convince him that “man is not truly one, but truly two”.
Jekyll is convinced that his medical theories are correct, and he tries to prove it by dividing the two states of good and evil.
Jekyll’s struggle with his evil side leads him to creating Hyde, but this experiment does not go to plan and his evil side ends up overriding his good side.

Battle language

Stevenson uses language associated with battles and wars to illustrate and allude to this internal conflict within Jekyll.
There is a "perennial war among [his] members" and the two sides of nature “contended in the field” of his psyche, like two opposing forces on a battleground.
The fog in Chapter 4 is described as “lurid brown, like the light of some strange conflagration”.
The inferno and conflagration in the vapours in the air represents the violent conflict of good and evil.

Hyde as Escapism

Hyde is the sinful side of Jekyll that is there to explore the unbending and civilised world he lives in.

Victorians' views of themselves

Victorians thought of themselves as being more highly evolved than the rest of society, and that criminals or people that disrupted the social order were less evolved and degenerate beings.

Man's savage side

Some used Darwin’s theory of evolution to support this thesis, and so Stevenson addresses the possibility that every human has an uncivilised and “savage” side to them - that is “ape-like” and “mad”.
Without the exercise of restraint and repression, all that is left is a savage animal within.
In Chapter 10, Jekyll writes “my devil had been long caged, he came out roaring” - this shows how the evil creature within him is released in the cathartic (providing relief) act of transforming into his dark side.

Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is to pretend that you have higher standards or more noble or superior beliefs than you actually do.

Stevenson's purpose

Stevenson wanted to show how Victorian society was hypocritical - and how there was a void between reality and appearance.
- This is why characters take so much pride in their reputation, and why they prioritise appearance over honesty.

Hyde's appearance

Hyde’s evil nature is shown in his appearance and his actions. He is described as having a “displeasing smile” and a “satanic” face that disgusts the characters, perhaps because Hyde does not hide his appearance.
This may horrify Victorian readers because they are being confronted by an image of their own sins.

Hiding and disguises

In Chapter 7, Jekyll is described hiding from other characters and he disguises himself from the outside world.
His transformation is alluded to when Stevenson writes (of Jekyll): “the smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of… abject terror”.
- The word "abject" shows that Jekyll knows his appearance (as Hyde) will be shocking and unfamiliar to Utterson and Enfield.

1Plot Summary

1.1Chapters 1-10

1.1.1Chapters 1 & 2

1.1.2Chapters 3 & 4

1.1.3Chapters 5 & 6

1.1.4Chapters 7 & 8

1.1.5Chapters 9 & 10

1.1.6End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-6

1.1.7End of Topic Test - Chapters 7-10

2Characters

2.1Jekyll & Hyde

2.1.1Dr Henry Jekyll

2.1.2Jekyll - Name & Quotes

2.1.3Mr Edward Hyde

2.1.4Jekyll/Hyde Quotes - Chapters 1-9

2.1.5Jekyll/Hyde Quotes - Chapter 10

2.1.6End of Topic Test - Jekyll & Hyde

2.1.7Exam-Style Questions - Mr Hyde

2.2Other Characters

2.2.1Mr Gabriel John Utterson

2.2.2Dr Hastie Lanyon

2.2.3Minor Characters

2.2.4End of Topic Test - Other Characters

3Gothic Genre

3.1Gothic Elements

3.1.1Gothic Conventions

3.1.2Gothic Settings & Symbolism

3.1.3End of Topic Test - Gothic Conventions

4Key Themes

4.1Key Themes & Quotes

4.1.1Science

4.1.2Dual Nature of Man

4.1.3Religion & Sin

4.1.4Violence & Horror

4.1.5Victorian Gentlemen

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Key Themes & Quotes

5Context & Author

5.1Context & Author

5.1.1The Victorian Era

5.1.2Deacon Brodie & Freud

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Context & Author

6Literary Techniques

6.1Literary Techniques

6.1.1Language

6.1.2Structure & Form

6.1.3End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques

7Grade 9 - Key Character & Theme Questions

7.1Key Character & Themes - Linked Questions

7.1.1Grade 9 - Key Characters & Themes

7.1.2Extract Analysis - Jekyll

7.1.3Extract Analysis - Duality

Jump to other topics