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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

 




 
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Symbols




 

Jekyll's Laboratory:

  • Is the place where the transformation occured and symbolizes the preservation of Hyde

 

Jekyll and Hyde's Houses:

  • The two are connected by a street which hides the buildings from looking connected

  • Represents how Jekyll and Hyde cannot be detected as being a whole

 

Hyde's Looks:

  • His deformed and hideous looks symbolize his moral ugliness

 

Hyde's Height:

  • His shortness symbolizes how he was repressed for years

  • As Hyde starts to overpower Jekyll, he is seen taller

  • Represents Hyde's gain of control and strength over Jekyll

 

 

Themes

 


 

The duality of human nature:

  • Centers upon a conception of humanity as dual in nature,when the complete story of the Jekyll-Hyde relationship is revealed

  • Jekyll believes his potion would separate good and evil

 

Reputation:

  • Jekyll hides the being of Hyde to avoid hurting his reputation

  • Jekyll is a well respected man

    • He doesn't want to be known for horrid things

 

Major Conflicts





 

  • Jekyll tries to live a double life using Hyde to act out his built up evil emotions

    • Jekyll loses control and realizes this too late

    • Jekyll transforms into Hyde when he sleeps

  • Jekyll tries creating a potion to return back into Jekyll but he runs out of salts and ends the life of Jekyll

  • Utterson figures out the truth behind Jekyll and his mysterious will with the help of Lanyon and Jekyll's letters

Dr. Jekyll:

  • Well respected man

  • Creates potion that allows him to transform into another person

    • Allows him to commit evil crime

 


 

Characters

Mr. Hyde:

  • Is Dr. Jekyll's evil side, who he transforms into

  • Dwarf like and ugly to to others

Utterson:

  • Is the lawyer finds out the truth about Jekyll

  • Man of routine

  • Always there for his friends

  • Well respected

  • Friends with Jekyll and Lanyon


 

Dr. Lanyon:

  • Is a well respected doctor

  • Old friends with Jekyll but claims his scientific research is immoral

    • No longer friends with Jekyll

  • Jekyll reaches out to him in order to help him prepare his potion to return back to Jekyll

  • Tells Utterson some truth about Jekyll

 


 

Mr. Poole:

  • Jekyll's butler who helps return some info to Utterson

  • Helps break down Jekyll's door to discover Hyde's body in Jekyll's cabinet

Mr. Enfield:

  • Utterson's distant cousin who is also his close friend

  • Tells Utterson the story about seeing Hyde trample a young girl near a door

 

Mr. Guest:

  • Analyzes Hyde's handwriting to Jekyll's letter

    • Realizes the two samples are relatively close

  • Utterson's clerk

 

Sir Danvers Carew:

  • Parliment member

  • Client of Utterson

    • Killed by Hyde

Motifs


 

Violence Against the Innocent:

  • Hyde tramples a young girl

  • Hyde kills a man with his cane

 

 


 

Setting

 

 


 

  • Late 18th century

  • London

  • The door

    • Laboratory door to Jekyll's lab which Hyde has access to

    • Where Utterson and Enfield discuss Hyde trampling over the young girl

    • Is located right across Jekyll's house

 

Significant Quotes

 


 

"I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to and end." ~Jekyll

 

"Before my eyes...like a man restored from death— there stood Henry Jekyll." ~Lanyon

 

"He is not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his appearance— something displeasing, something down right detestable." ~Enfield

 


 

Author's Purpose

 


 

  • To display the internal struggle between good and evil

  • The decisions we make to act upon our evil thoughts and emotions

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