Theme & Key Quotes: Duality of Human Nature

Understanding the Duality of Human Nature in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Duality of Human Nature: The book explores this theme extensively, depicting the inherent conflict within individuals between good and evil.
- Stevenson presents Dr Jekyll as a decent gentleman, well-respected in society.
- Conversely, Mr Hyde is depicted as a vile and violent character, devoid of societal norms and morality.
Key quote: “It was the curse of mankind that these incongruous faggots were thus bound together” (Dr Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case).

Dr Jekyll’s ‘Frankenstein Experiment’: This is a metaphor for the theme of duality. Dr Jekyll uses scientific methods in an attempt to separate good and evil, but the results are catastrophic, proving the inseparability of these two aspects.
- Key quote: “All human beings… are commingled out of good and evil” (Dr Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case).

Dr Jekyll as Good: He is representative of the outwardly good side of human nature that society observes. He goes about life as a respectable individual, contributing positively to society.
- Key quote: “In the course of my life, which had been, after all, nine tenths a life of effort, virtue and control…” (Dr Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case).
Mr Hyde as Evil: He is the manifestation of the evil aspect of human nature, revealing the primal and vicious side that lies within every individual.
- Key quote: “Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.” (Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case).

This understanding is essential in crafting compelling arguments and essays regarding the theme of duality in Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.