In Robert Louis Stevenson's short novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , the most significant events that take place in the story are mental or psychological. In this dark tale of a man's struggle with his dual personality, the author utilizes psychological occurrences to point out the duality of human nature as well as the dark side of civilized society. This is achieved by employing plot, characterization, and symbols to convey the anxieties of the Victorian era.
This short novel begins with a lawyer named Mr. Utterson witnessing a certain Mr. Hyde attacking a young girl. The lawyer is soon horrified to discover that there seems to be a close, yet mysterious, relationship between that friend and his good friend, Dr. Jekyll. At the very end of the novel, a letter from Jekyll reveals to Mr. Utterson that Hyde had been his dual personality all along. Due to the nature of the plot, it is natural for most of the significant events to take place psychologically. However, the way in which the plot explores the dark side of civilization and the savage nature of man mirrors the manner in which the masses of the Victorian age were secretly attracted to the savage cultures they were introduced to by British imperialism. Yet society's repression of such impulses did not allow them to openly explore their morbid curiosity.
Though it could be argued that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person, their characters are polar opposites. Hyde represents the evil side of humanity. His indescribably hideous and disfigured appearance emphasizes his perverted morals. He is also very hairy, a beastly characteristic which suggests that perhaps man is not essentially half good and half evil, but purely barbaric and immoral. Thus implying that our natural savagery is only repressed by civilization and society's standards. Jekyll, however much he contrasts to Hyde, does not represent pure goodness. Jekyll merely represents civilized behaviors and morals, leaning towards good. Perhaps this means to point out that humans are not capable of being purely good, however close they may come to it. The fact that Jekyll lost the battle with hide also suggests that once this reckless side of humanity is unleashed, it cannot be controlled. As you can see, the conflicts within the novel are not just those of a man with a mental disorder, but deep psychological metaphors for the timeless internal struggle humans face between good and evil, civil or savage.
The final technique used in this text is symbolism. For such a short story, Stevenson's novel is densely packed with symbols and metaphors. The most common symbol for Jekyll's dual nature is his house and laboratory. Like Jekyll, the house is clean and looks perfectly natural. Like Hyde, the lab is dark and dingy. Both buildings are connected to each other, though each opens out onto a different street, much like how even though both characters are connected to each other, Hyde is openly pure evil while Jekyll leans towards goodness. Also, the connection between the two buildings cannot be seen by outside observers, much like the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde. This also correlates to the idea of false appearances. The house looks perfect from the front view, but behind this façade lurks something malicious. This could be a metaphorical criticism of how citizens in the Victorian age were expected to always keep polite façades despite their ulterior motives or impulses.
