The Hazy London and Its Dwellers
The small excerpt depicts the scenery of London in the 19th century. The central streets are small, quiet, and clean from dust. Nonetheless, it is just an illusion of a prosperous city. The text suggests that people are unhappy and unsatisfied with the situation and strive for a better life (Stevenson 4). The central part of London is beautiful and neat while other regions are dirty and poor. Stevenson portrays people of his period as busy and points out that they mainly earn the living by trading goods (4). They must design the shop’s signboard so it would be eye-catching for passengers.
The Close Relationships between Main Characters
Enfield and Utterson have a close friendship that not many people understand. These two seem to have nothing in common, but they can go for a long walk together without uttering a single word (Stevenson 4). Lanyon is an old friend of Jekyll, but the two have lost the connection a long time ago and do not talk anymore (Stevenson 14). Hyde and Jekyll’s relationship is vague, and it appears that they have spent some time together in a laboratory. According to Jekyll’s will, Hyde can inherit all his belongings; thus, Hyde might be blackmailing Jekyll for the doctor’s unknown past (Stevenson 12). The connection between the two appears to be a secret that needs to be resolved.
Everybody in the story could feel the unexplainable peculiarity in Hyde’s presence that made him an outsider in the city. In his nightmare, Utterson even saw him as a faceless character following Dr. Jekyll (Stevenson 16). Everybody feels like he has inhumane features even though his physical appearance seems to be normal. Utterson even comments, “God bless me, the man seems hardly human! Something troglodytic, shall we say?” illustrating Hyde’s monstrous traits (Stevenson 19). There is something in Hyde’s facial expression and behavior that makes people bypass him.
There are a lot of mysteries and conspiracies in the story that does not have an answer. For instance, the main question that comes to mind: what is the secret that Dr. Jekyll conceals from everyone in the city but Mr. Hyde? Even though the two do not seem to be close, they are hiding something together. Jekyll’s actions are strange, and he lets Hyde live in his house as the latter owns it. Also, it is unclear what Mr. Hyde does in the laboratory connected to Jekyll’s house.
The Use of Contrasting to Communicate the Main Themes
There is a strong contrast between Jekyll and Hyde throughout the story. The book describes Jekyll as a nobleman who has a reputable position in society. He is known for his kind deeds and involvement in charity events. Unlike Jekyll, Hyde is perceived as an alien who does not interact with people. He is violent, scary, and leaves a dreadful impression on everyone who meets him. Hyde is viewed as an irrational creature who cannot logically express his thoughts. Likewise, in the 19th century, the Gothic and Neoclassical churches were designed in opposite ways to demonstrate the distinction between the two faiths. There is also a comparison between Lanyon’s scientific approaches and Jekyll’s belief in the supernatural.
The Role of Occupation in Driving the Plot
Utterson’s profession as a lawyer adds a piece of pragmatism to the story that is full of mysticism. Additionally, it fits with the text’s detective mood, and Utterson’s job drives him to search for answers. Utterson is a very rational person, and such a sensible profession suits him perfectly. The lawyer is a rigid specialty; hence, Utterson’s mind is also inflexible and unimaginative. He does not understand Hyde’s behavior and the motifs behind his actions.
The Relationship between Humanity and Civilization
By the end, the readers can see the plot from a different perspective. Jekyll comes to light as a real monster of the narrative. The monstrosity here is losing humane feelings like anger and sorrow. The character has lost his true self and is not even sure about the authenticity of his thoughts (Stevenson 95). Jekyll mentions, “by a great effort as of gymnastics, and only under the immediate stimulation of the drug, that I was able to wear the countenance of Jekyll,” meaning he was wearing a mask of a human (Stevenson 93). He slowly becomes a monster while Hyde acts more like a human than Jekyll himself. Jekyll says, “but his love of life is wonderful,” about Hyde (Stevenson 94). The latter has more emotions and passion for living than Jekyll. Hyde was tired of his existence and could commit suicide dozens of times, but he valued his life.
Jekyll tried to be civilized and be a part of a polished society, and he was ready to drop his humanity to achieve this goal. The author of the book illustrates the diligence of Jekyll to join the community. For example, Jekyll states, “I was like my neighbors, and then I smiled, comparing myself with other men, comparing my active goodwill with the lazy cruelty of their neglect” (Stevenson 89). He wanted to eliminate his bad side and ‘free’ his light side from the dark. In reality, he frees his human part from the opinions of civilization which leads to Hyde’s uncontrollable behavior.
The Disastrous Experiment
The questions I had at the beginning of the reading found their answers by the end of the story. Jekyll indeed has a big secret he cannot share with anyone except Hyde. It became clear why Jekyll felt well after murder cases committed by Hyde. The story revealed that they were one person who was experimenting on an almost magical potion that divided his soul. However, the experiments were not successful, which led to Jekyll’s identity loss. The book conveys the essentiality of human dualism in maintaining a balanced life.
Work Cited
Stevenson, R. L. (1886). The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Planet eBook. Web.