The Quest for Fulfillment Extracts Jekyll’s Evil
Why has Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde touched so many readers so powerfully? One answer lies in the spirit of the time in which it was written. Another answer may lie within the connection some readers might experience to the main character Jekyll. His escape from political and social norm is an ability many readers fantasize about, and Robert Louis Stevenson flawlessly encompassed the illusion that they could, within the character of Mr. Hyde. Because of Edward Hyde’s growing power, Henry Jekyll’s control over his duality eventually faded, leading his overall health and ability to be self-fulfilled to inevitably follow suit.
Perhaps the most vital theme that molded Jekyll’s need to escape his normal …show more content…
Instead, the evil in Edward Hyde’s nature was nurturing itself off the corruption of Jekyll’s morality, originating from Hyde’s awful acts. Another vital quote that exhibits the shift in power from Jekyll to Hyde is said in the final five pages of the book “The powers of Hyde seemed to have grown with the sickliness of Jekyll.” Utterson began to notice the physical and mental state of Jekyll begin to diminish although he didn’t know how threatening the situation had actually become. Late in the story, Jekyll goes to bed as himself, but wakes as Hyde, showing that he has lost the ability to control his other self all together. With the inability to bear with the thought of the constant pain and dismal that comes along with transforming into Hyde forever, Dr. Henry Jekyll decides to rid the world of his evil counterpart, and ends his life.
Overall, we saw that throughout the story, Hyde’s steadily increasing power resulted in the downfall of Henry Jekyll’s both physical and mental state as well as his ability to be self fulfilled through his evil self. Robert Louis Stevenson taught us, with “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” that although it is crucial to listen to our conscience, we mustn’t let it overcome our moral instincts, no matter how fulfilling it may
Why has Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde touched so many readers so powerfully? One answer lies in the spirit of the time in which it was written. Another answer may lie within the connection some readers might experience to the main character Jekyll. His escape from political and social norm is an ability many readers fantasize about, and Robert Louis Stevenson flawlessly encompassed the illusion that they could, within the character of Mr. Hyde. Because of Edward Hyde’s growing power, Henry Jekyll’s control over his duality eventually faded, leading his overall health and ability to be self-fulfilled to inevitably follow suit.
Perhaps the most vital theme that molded Jekyll’s need to escape his normal …show more content…
Instead, the evil in Edward Hyde’s nature was nurturing itself off the corruption of Jekyll’s morality, originating from Hyde’s awful acts. Another vital quote that exhibits the shift in power from Jekyll to Hyde is said in the final five pages of the book “The powers of Hyde seemed to have grown with the sickliness of Jekyll.” Utterson began to notice the physical and mental state of Jekyll begin to diminish although he didn’t know how threatening the situation had actually become. Late in the story, Jekyll goes to bed as himself, but wakes as Hyde, showing that he has lost the ability to control his other self all together. With the inability to bear with the thought of the constant pain and dismal that comes along with transforming into Hyde forever, Dr. Henry Jekyll decides to rid the world of his evil counterpart, and ends his life.
Overall, we saw that throughout the story, Hyde’s steadily increasing power resulted in the downfall of Henry Jekyll’s both physical and mental state as well as his ability to be self fulfilled through his evil self. Robert Louis Stevenson taught us, with “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” that although it is crucial to listen to our conscience, we mustn’t let it overcome our moral instincts, no matter how fulfilling it may