Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Evil Will Prevail
Uploaded by jeller_gurl on Nov 19, 2005
In the 1886 classic, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, author Robert Louis Stevenson creates a mysterious tale of good versus evil and the dual nature of man. It is for the reader to decide if good or evil prevails in the end. In this argumentation, evil prevails. Jekyll asserts, “Man is not truly one, but truly two,” in other words every man has the ability to be good or evil. But Dr. Jekyll’s potion, which he hoped would separate the two good and evil elements, succeeds only in bringing the dark side. If man is half good and half evil, one wonders what happens to the “good” at the end of the novel. The good has been taken over by evil. This idea of evil prevailing is supported throughout the book but especially by four quotes, which have been pulled out of the story. These quotes are taken directly from the book and all support the following ideas; Dr. Jekyll felt that he was part of Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll liked being the notorious Mr. Hyde until it was too late, evil had been taking over Dr. Jekyll from the start of his experimentation until the tragic end where evil won its victory, and last but not least, evil killed Dr. Jekyll when it took completely over.
Dr. Jekyll recognizes that Mr. Hyde is a part of himself. In Dr. Jekyll’s letter to Mr. Utterson he described Mr. Hyde, “...were the expression, and bore the stamp, of lower elements in my soul.” Dr. Jekyll also explains, “It was on the moral side, and in my own person, that I learned to recognize the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both; and from an early date . . . I had learned to dwell with pleasure, as a beloved daydream, on the thought of the separation of these elements.” These aspects are important to recognize because they show that Dr. Jekyll was well aware of Mr. Hyde being a part of him, and he did know Mr. Hyde was of evil nature, which, would lead to the dark side taking over. If Dr. Jekyll knew the consequences, why would he continue forth? Also if Dr....