Duality Of Human Nature - 949 Words

One of the most predominant themes in literature is the duality of human nature. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, dualism is a view of human beings as constituted of two irreducible elements. Many pieces of literature concentrate on how every human possesses an animalistic and barbarous nature. In the novel The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and the short story William Wilson by Edgar Allan Poe, the idea of duality is explored deeply and is one of the main themes of these works. In The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, Dr. Jekyll is a well-respected scientist in London. This novel takes place in the Victorian Era, or in the mid-1800s to†¦show more content†¦Jekyll used Edward Hyde as a way to satisfy his secret pleasures without feeling guilty about whatever Hyde has done. Another way duality is explored in the novel is the fact that if the balance of good and evil is uneven, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde cannot coexist peacefully. â€Å"Hence, although I had now two characters as well as two appearances, one was wholly evil, and the other was still the old Henry Jekyll...†(Stevenson 51) This is why near the end of the novel when Hyde’s evilness takes over Dr. Jekyll, its causes their relationship to implode. â€Å"This, then, is the last time, short of a miracle, that Henry Jekyll can think his own thoughts or see his own face†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Stevenson 61) When Dr. Jekyll allowed Hyde to be exposed to the world too much, Hyde began to h ave more control over Dr. Jekyll. This caused Jekyll to eventually give in to Hyde. Like in Jekyll and Hyde, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare shows multiple examples of duality. For example, â€Å"In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will;†. In this quote, Friar Laurence compares people to plants in the sense that both man and plants can be good and evil, and how some herbs can be used for medicine but can also be poisonous. The author also uses double entendres to display duality. For example, when Juliet is speaking to her mother aboutShow MoreRelatedThe duality of human nature841 Words   |  4 Pages The Duality of Human Nature One of the most vital concepts incorporated into The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is the representation and depiction of the duality of mankind. Jekyll works to find a solution which will separate him into his reckless, immoral persona and his respectable, Victorian self. After consumption, this potion causes him to completely transform into a man who is known as Hyde. As Hyde, he can express himself in immoral, evil ways. This not only includes moralRead MoreMacbeth : The Duality Of Human Nature1741 Words   |  7 Pages One of the prominent themes is appearance versus reality, the duality of human nature. In Macbeth we see this theme numerous times in many of the scenes. In act 1 scene 3 Macbeth meets the witches for the first time they give him the vision of being ‘thane of Cawdor’ and thereafter the ‘king’ himself. After the vision we begin to see that Macbeth has begun pondering whether he shall murder Duncan and taking his ‘rightful’ place as king. However at the end of this scene he begins to think in a rationalRead MoreStevenson and Conrad: The Duality of Human Nature 778 Words   |  3 Pagesaspects of human life. In 1859 Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, a work that opposed the traditional way of perceiving religion. Candyce Klin author of â€Å"Darwinism as A Cultural Issue†, states that The Origin of Species proposed the theory that all living creatures had to compete within their own preconditions in order to survive. This may b e why the controversial issue of the duality of human nature has been found at the heart of many Victorian works. The theme of the duality of man canRead MoreStevenson and Conrad: The Duality of Human Nature 949 Words   |  4 PagesConrad also employs the literary device of symbolism to further display the theme, the duality of human nature in his novella Heart of Darkness. Three major examples of symbolism are evident in this novella. These examples include, light and dark, the Congo River, and ivory. Similar to Stevenson, Conrad uses light and dark symbolism throughout his novella. Yet curiously in Heart of Darkness, light does not symbolize genuine goodness nor does dark symbolize pure calamity. Marlow proves this when heRead MoreStevenson and Conrad: The Duality of Human Nature 680 Words   |  3 Pagespersonification is found in both The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Heart of Darkness. This literary device is shown to further demonstrate the theme, the duality in human nature. Personification is defined as the ascription of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of a theoretical quality in human form. Stevenson uses personification to figuratively make London come alive. Mr. Utterson comments on the scenery by saying: â€Å"the fog still slept ... lampsRead More Stevenson and Conrad: The Duality of Human Nature 1793 Words   |  8 Pagesaspects of human life. In 1859 Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, a work that opposed the traditional way of perceiving religion. Candyce Klin author of â€Å"Darwinism as A Cultural Issue†, states that The Origin of Species proposed the theory that all living creatures had to compete within their own preconditions in order to survive. This may be why the controversial issue of the duality of human nature has been found at the heart of many Victorian works. The theme of the duality of man canRead MoreThe Duality of Human Nature: Menâ₠¬â„¢s Roles Essay1752 Words   |  8 PagesThe Duality of Human Nature: Men’s Roles What truly defines a man? What roles should men hold in society? According to Victorian society, men should be respectful, successful and well known, which often restricted men from enjoying the pleasures of life and revealing their true self. Both Victorian writers, Robert Stevenson and Oscar Wilde, depict the roles of men in their works, while making a critique about the roles that are set by men in society. In the narrative, The Strange Case of DrRead MoreThe Duality of Human Nature in Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde547 Words   |  3 PagesStevenson uses the characters of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to expresses his beliefs about human duality by introducing them as two contrasting characters, instead of just one character. Using two completely different characters with different names and appearances gets his message of human duality across more effectively rather than using just one character that turns a different colour when its angry, for example. We meet Mr Hyde, â€Å"a pale, dwarfish man† â€Å"of no particular age†, and we meet DrRead MoreJekyll And Hyde Character Analysis968 Words   |  4 Pagesnovel, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, explores the duality of human nature. He writes this novel to show us that humans have split personalities, and that there are two sides to human’s personality: good and evil. In the late-Victorian literature, duality appears to be a common theme; serving as a way for modern readers to analyze late-Victorian literature and culture. Stevenson weaves throughout the novel a theme of duality + which appears in the characters of both Jekyll and Hyde as wellRead MoreThe Role Of Duality In Romeo And Juliet1632 Words   |  7 PagesDuality is the nature in which anything and everything bear antithetical complexion, all of which are true. In our perspective, the Earth is an enormous planet; however, it’s also a speck of dust suspended in space. The villain and th e hero of a story are one individual, just perceived differently; for example, Batman is nothing without Joker. Besides, how boring would it be to watch a Batman movie if there were no villains? Thus, you have no hero until you have a villain. Duality can also be characterized