Dr. Jekyll vs. Mr. Hyde

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Pinterest

Dr. Jekyll excerpt: Chapter 3, "To this rule... This is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop."
Mr. Hyde excerpt: Chapter 2, "Mr. Utterson stepped out and touched him on the shoulder... he had unlocked the door and disappeared into the house."

In both of these two excerpts, Stevenson uses a mixture of direct and indirect characterization of the two main characters, and foils, of the novella -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Looking first at Dr. Jekyll, it is evident that his character is kind, warm-hearted, and a proper gentleman of Victorian England. Stevenson describes the man as "a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty," (Stevenson, 21) as well as mentions how he is well-liked and respected by those around him, known to be quite the entertainer. All of these attributes attest to how he is a positive figure in his community and provide an explanation for Mr. Utterson's appreciation for the man. Despite his seemingly light-hearted and affectionate personality, Dr. Jekyll is tied to Mr. Hyde, a man completely unlike the doctor, suggesting there is more to Jekyll than what he puts on. Mr. Hyde is a very complex man; uncharacteristic, eerily disturbing to those who lay eyes on him, hideous, and remorseless. Within Hyde's Chapter 2 excerpt in which Utterson first meets him, he is almost the definition of a juxtaposition; he is polite yet grotesque, willing to answer Utterson's questions yet unashamed and dismissive at the same time. Stevenson notes on page 17 how "Mr. Hyde appeared to hesitate, and then, as if upon some sudden reflection, fronted about with an air of defiance."

In more ways than one, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are foils, but they do share one thing in common. In both excerpts, both men are extremely defensive and dismissive at the mention of the other. In Jekyll's excerpt, Utterson tries to bring up the topic of Hyde to him, but Jekyll immediately shoots the conversation down with an apparent face of fear. On page 22, Stevenson notes, "...Dr. Jekyll grew pale...a blackness about his eyes. 'I do not care to hear more,''' alluding his inclination to ignore the thought of Hyde. Throughout Hyde's excerpt, Utterson tries to learn more about Hyde and explains to him that he and Hyde have common friends by way of Dr. Jekyll, though through it all Hyde is defensive about Jekyll and how he has some relationship with Mr. Utterson. Through both of these excerpts, and through the direct and indirect characterization Stevenson applies, the common theme of duality of man is present. Both Jekyll and Hyde clearly have different sides to themselves than what the world is presented with, implying there is more to someone than what they want others to see. Both men are attempting to hide their confusing relationship from others, bringing in yet the other common theme of appearance vs. reality.

Within my two-voice poem, I wanted to portray the struggle and tension between Jekyll and Hyde. I imagined my poem representing the conflict between the two varying personalities, highlighting how slowly but surely Jekyll is gradually becoming darker and darker. The poem reflects the back and forth nature of the two men, but how eventually, in the end, they succumb to the other and become one. Dr. Jekyll's voice is depicted by the black font, while Hyde is shown through red font. In the end, their speaking at the same time is shown by purple.

I can feel myself slipping away

I am feeling detached and astray

I can feel you coming closer

You're merging with me, full disclosure

I do not want the evil and restriction

We are too much of a juxtaposition

You claim we are different, with no similarity

But we are one, just for clarity

I beg you to leave me be

Let me live a life of joy and prosperity

I am you and you are me

There is not a way for you to flee

I am lightness, I am kind

I will not let you take my mind

I am darkness, I am disorder

It is time for us to break our border

There is a duality within us all

Sooner or later the wall will soon fall