Literary symbols have a significant role in defining the relationships between characters. For example, symbols such as personal items can point to the similarities or differences between the main characters. Thus, symbolism is often used in literary works with stories focused on the juxtaposition of two heroes in order to emphasize the difference in their lifestyles, worldviews, and motives. Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, represents one of the prominent examples of literature focused on exploring the duality of human nature. Thus, the author’s use of symbolism creates an alternative storyline of Dr. Jekyll’s gradual loss of control over the other side of his personality, which compliments the main storyline. This essay will specifically focus on analyzing the differences between the characters in the symbolic images of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s houses and the laboratory.
Firstly, it is important to acknowledge that the story features descriptions of several houses, which may refer to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s characters. Furthermore, while real locations inspired Stevenson, this does not prevent the author from instilling symbolic meaning in their descriptions (McCartney). Next, there are two ways in which the analysis of the houses can be structured: following the order of the story or following the order of Mr. Hyde’s gradual mastery of control over Dr. Jekyll. Considering that the second way will present a brighter contrast between the two characters, this analysis will start by exploring the description of Dr. Jekyll’s house.
The image of Dr. Jekyll’s house positions the character as an open and friendly person. From the outside, the author describes Jekyll’s house as “handsome” despite being old or even “ancient” (Stevenson 16). The house is located in a decent area once filled with wealthy residents. Even though most of the houses in the area have been converted into apartments for “map-engravers, architects, shady lawyers, and the agents of obscure enterprises,” Jekyll’s house retains its grandeur and integrity (Stevenson 16). The front door, an important symbol in the story, is described as exuding a “great air of wealth and comfort,” also emphasizing the house owner’s decent status and position in society (Stevenson 16). Therefore, the outside of Jekyll’s house symbolizes society’s perception of the character as a decent and respected person from a wealthy family with a long history.
Furthermore, the interior of Jekyll’s house symbolizes how the owner presents himself to the world. The hall of the house is described as “large, low-roofed, comfortable,” and “paved with flags” (Stevenson 16). The author’s specific choice of words in the description can provide important information about Dr. Jekyll’s character. The inclusion of several flags that generally present a clear symbol of commitment to an idea, country, or a particular family show how important it is for the owner to belong to a particular group. Moreover, the hall is specifically described as ‘comfortable’ for the guest, emphasizing the owner’s attempts to appear more accommodating and pleasing to others than he really is on the inside.
Next, the bright open fire welcoming the house guests also symbolizes the owner’s attempt to show a more pleasant and deceptively sincere side of his personality to society. In Mr. Utterson’s perception, the hall is described as “the pleasantest room in London,” once again emphasizing Dr. Jekyll’s desire to appear pleasant to guests and friends. Therefore, even though the house creates an overly positive impression of the owner, the author hints at Dr. Jekyll’s two-faced nature through careful choice of words. Thus, the house symbolizes how Jekyll wants everyone to see him and marks the beginning of the character’s transformation into Mr. Hyde.
Even though the next place is not a home, it is important for the analysis of the symbolism in the story as it also was a temporary residence of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Mr. Utterson and inspector Newcomen visit Mr. Hyde’s apartment in Soho after the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. The inspection of Mr. Hyde’s rooms in the house shows that they were similar to the interior of Dr. Jekyll’s house. The rooms were “furnished with luxury and good taste,” and one picture on the wall looked like what Dr. Jekyll might choose as a gift for a friend (Stevenson 24). Next, the closet filled with wine indicates that Jekyll planned to make a hideout for the other, more selfish half of his nature in this place. Overall, in this segment of the novel, the author draws the reader’s attention to words such as luxury, elegance, and taste. Therefore, the apartment symbolizes a transitional stage in Dr. Jekyll’s transformation into Mr. Hyde. While the interior still reflects the preferences of Dr. Jekyll, symbolizing his control over the personality of Mr. Hyde, it is noticeable to the reader that the owner’s behavior is more self-centered.
Furthermore, the following stage in Dr. Jekyll’s transformation into Mr. Hyde is symbolized in the description of the outside door of the laboratory overlooking the alley. The paper mentioned earlier that doors present important symbols in the novel. While the door in Dr. Jekyll’s house exudes the feeling of comfort, wealth, and hospitality, the laboratory door is described as “blistered and detained” (Stevenson 6). In contrast with Dr. Jekyll’s house’s pleasing and comfortable interior, the laboratory building bears significant “marks of extended and sordid negligence” (Stevenson 6). Lastly, the building has no visible windows, which gives it an ominous and sinister look. The image of the laboratory’s building symbolizes the profound, ugly nature of Dr. Jekyll, which he does not show to anyone. Moreover, the author emphasizes that only Mr. Hyde has the key to the laboratory’s door, showing the deep connection between the two sides of Dr. Jekyll’s nature. Therefore, the earlier segment of the novel describing the door of the laboratory symbolizes how Dr. Jekyll concealed his alternative life from other people.
Lastly, the image of the laboratory symbolizes the final stage of the transformation of Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde when he loses the ability to control that personality. It is symbolic that the laboratory represents the place of Mr. Hyde’s birth and death as well as his hiding place after the killing of Danvers Carew. Furthermore, the laboratory’s location behind Jekyll’s house draws the reader’s attention to the true secretive nature of the character. The author’s choice of words in the laboratory description shows clear contrast in comparison with Dr. Jekyll’s house. For example, in Utterson’s perception, the building of the laboratory looks “distasteful” with a “sense of strangeness,” which is very different from the feelings he experiences in Jekyll’s house or Hyde’s hideout in Soho (Stevenson 26). Moreover, the laboratory is characterized by the absence of comfort, commonly associated with the personality of Dr. Jekyll, since he does not need to maintain his image in the laboratory. Thus, analyzing the symbolism behind Jekyll’s laboratory explains that for Jekyll, the laboratory became a place to spend time alone with himself and release his inner self both figuratively and literally.
Summarizing the findings from the analysis of symbolism behind the descriptions of different houses in the novel, one can suggest that different houses represent Dr. Jekyll’s character throughout the story. Dr. Jekyll’s house represents the side of his character that is limited by the boundaries of decency but still enjoys the company of friends and a respectable position in society. The house at Soho shows Dr. Jekyll as he always wanted to be – free in his desires and enjoyment of his family’s wealth. Lastly, the laboratory hidden in Dr. Jekyll’s garden symbolizes his true repressed nature, which broke free through scientific experimentation.
In conclusion, this paper explored how the use of symbols in the description of different locations helps the author indicate the difference and connection between the characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The paper defines that the comparison of Dr. Jekyll’s house and laboratory has differences similar to the distinction between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’s characters. However, the paper also defined that analysis of symbolism in more locations in the story adds an alternative storyline of Dr. Jekyll’s gradual loss of control of Mr. Hyde’s personality. Moreover, symbolism allows the author to explore such themes as freedom, depravity, and the difference in the perception of a person by himself and society.
Works Cited
McCartney, Mary. “Mapping Home in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Story Maps, Web.
Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: And Other Tales of Terror. Penguin Classics, 2003.