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Essay / The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson focuses on Henry Jekyll, a doctor who feels conflicted by his desire to follow the norms of his social environment. era and its supposedly shameful impulses. This leads Jekyll to attempt to separate the shameful part of himself so that he can meet the standards of his strict moral code. This attempt to suppress his base characteristics results in the manifestation of Mr. Edward Hyde, the representation of Jekyll's despicable nature. In the short story, Stevenson employs Utterson, Jekyll, and Hyde to describe the duality of man as well as the self-oppression of characteristics that were generally vilified in the 19th century. Utterson, one of the main characters, brings his unique perspective and simultaneously acts as an example of man's inner duality. In describing Utterson's character in the novel's exposition, Stevenson employs diction that portrays him in an extremely reserved manner. Yet, through his “robust face, which was never lit by a smile” and his “cold” demeanor, Utterson is always perceived as “somehow amiable” (Stevenson 5). This simple juxtaposition of his personality and physical characteristics introduces the theme of the division of man into two distinct elements. This contradictory image of Utterson develops considerably as the audience discovers that “at friendly meetings, and when the wine was to his taste, something eminently human came from his eyes; something indeed that never found a place in his speech” (Stevenson 5). In this passage, the text describes Utterson as typically non-human, but his indulgence in pungent wines coaxes a hidden aspect of his personality. Furthermore, Utterson "was austere with himself, doctor...... middle of paper ......ent, Jekyll acknowledges that he was "made to learn that the destiny and burden of our life are forever linked to man. shoulders, and when we try to get rid of it, it returns on us with a pressure more unknown and more horrible” (Stevenson 53). He experiences this through his escapades as Hyde, especially as the conflicts intensify. Ultimately, Jekyll's quest to separate the pure and shameful parts of himself leads to the murder of Carew as well as the death of Dr. Hastie Lanyon, a man who observes the transformation. Hyde's successful attempt to execute Carew originally began as a kind gift from Utterson to Jekyll. During the murder, the cane breaks into two pieces, which symbolizes Jekyll's fractured state. Works Cited Stevenson, Robert. Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
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