Analysis of stylistic figures in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeEvery day, innocent people are brutally murdered. During the same time frame, brave civilians commit great acts of heroism, risking their lives for the betterment of others. After analyzing the evil and courageous acts suffered by individuals, it is necessary to examine human nature. How can humanity be capable of such terrible and astonishing behavior? Literary works have attempted to answer this question for decades, and Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is no exception. In his novel, Stevenson focuses on the seemingly dual nature of humanity, being both evil and pure. One of the book's protagonists, Doctor Jekyll, is particularly tortured by his split personality, with his impure desires contaminating his virtuous intentions. In an attempt to separate his moral identity from his evil one, Dr. Jekyll unintentionally creates his evil alter ego Mr. Hyde. Through these two characters and a variety of stylistic figures, Stevenson explores the complexities of humanity, attempting to delineate human nature. Thus, in the novel Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson's use of setting, multiple narrators and direct characterization successfully develops the theme of the duality of humanity, exposing the depths of the human soul . Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Stevenson's symbolic use of setting effectively highlights the contrasting, virtuous and vile characteristics of humanity, supporting the theme of humanity's duality and illustrating the complexities of human nature. Developing a multitude of unique settings, Stevenson represents the complexities of humanity. In the first pages, the author uses this stylistic feature while describing the road that two characters, Utterson and Enfield, cross. While the convenience stores resemble a series of smiling shop assistants, a crime-ridden block of buildings is also located nearby (Stevenson 4-5). The general warehouses, with their inviting atmospheres, represent the positive aspect of man, illustrating a personality that characterizes humanity. However, the sinister block, which resides in the same location, represents the darkest quality of human nature, revealing the complexities of the human soul and the theme of the duality of humanity in general. In the article "The Relationship between Theme and Art in the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," literary critic Joseph Egan emphasizes the symbolic nature of the setting in this tale, writing: "Hyde's left door" is "the appropriate door" symbol of the 'back door' to the soul of Henry Jekyll" (Egan). As Egan directly argues, the sinister door represents Hyde's evil presence in the most animalistic aspect of Jekyll's moralistic mind. Thus, Stevenson continues to maintain the central idea of ​​the duality of humanity through the symbolic use of setting, exposing the complex nature of all individuals. Once again, as author Theresa Adams states, “As a physical environment, the city reflects the terrible duality of some of its inhabitants” (Adams). In this quote, Adams highlights the symbolic nature of the setting, which further emphasizes humanity's two alter egos and the theme of the duality of human nature in general. Therefore, using multiple settings reveals the juxtaposed traits that all humans contain, maintaining the theme of dual characteristicsof humanity. While Stevenson's masterful implementation of the setting symbolically contributes to his theme, this stylistic signature serves another purpose. Stevenson's mysterious setting effectively aids in the development of suspense, emphasizing the central idea of ​​the duality of human nature while discerning the depths of humanity. When Enfield first recounts his encounter with Mr. Hyde, the dark setting foreshadows the presence of this evil being. When describing the area he decides to walk through at three in the morning, Enfield feels as if he has discovered the end of the world, with fear spreading throughout his body (Stevenson 5-6). This dark and disturbing setting draws readers in, creating a sense of dread about the events that could occur in such a dangerous place. By captivating the audience, Stevenson can then emphasize the theme of humanity's duality to engaged readers, truly educating them on the depths of humanity. Therefore, Adams states that Stevenson develops suspense through the mysterious background of the story, where “Jekyll's neighborhood” is “a mixed space characterized by wealth and poverty, cleanliness and dirt, repair and ruin” (Adams). The suspense highlighted through this quote allows Stevenson to capture the audience's attention, allowing the author to more effectively educate readers on the topic of the duality of mankind. So, as the article says “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Stevenson's mysterious description of London foreshadows the growing presence of evil in the novel, creating a sense of suspense (“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”). Through this paraphrase, the link between the setting and the suspense of the novel is revealed, involving readers while maintaining the theme of the duality of mankind. Therefore, by creating such a disturbing setting, Stevenson can capture the attention of his audience. In doing so, the author can more effectively convey the theme of humanity's dual nature to engaged readers, exposing the depths of humanity. In addition to the setting, Stevenson also uses the stylistic signature of multiple narrators to develop a sense of suspense, emphasizing the central idea of ​​the novel. Through the successful implementation of multiple narrators, Stevenson further contributes to the novel's suspense, illustrating the theme of humanity's duality while uncovering the depths of the human soul. One of the first characters to serve as a narrator in the novel is Utterson, who is a friend of Doctor Jekyll. Utterson is unaware of the connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and fears for the doctor's safety. In one particular sentence, Utterson states, “It gives me shivers to think of this creature stealing like a thief at Harry's bedside” (Stevenson 20). In this quote, the narrator is worried about his companion, believing that Dr. Jekyll is being blackmailed by Mr. Hyde. Through this use of an ignorant narrator, Stevenson hides the true circumstances surrounding Dr. Jekyll's situation from readers, generating suspense. This suspense engages readers, forcing them to understand the theme of humanity's duality and the complexities of humanity in general. Therefore, as literary critic Edwin Eigner writes in the essay “Robert Louis Stevenson and the Romantic Tradition,” “No doubt this oblique approach to narrative added suspense and mystery for the work's initial audience” (Eigner). Throughout his article, Eigner argues that the author's use of multiple narrators adds to the mystery involved in the novel, convincing the audience to analyze every single word for a clue to the connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde . Therefore, the suspense created through multiple narrators captivates readers, forcing them to recognize the themeof the duality of humanity among all the other elements of the novel. Once again, as numerous literary critics declare, Stevenson's implementation of multiple narrators creates suspense, reinforcing the novel's focus on duplicity ("Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"). Through this paraphrase, a direct correlation is created between the central idea of ​​duplicity and Stevenson's use of multiple narrators, demonstrating that this stylistic device supports the theme of the novel. Overall, Stevenson's use of multiple narrators allows for the generation of suspense; this suspense captures readers' attention and allows them to truly understand all aspects of the novel, including the theme of the duality of mankind and the purpose of revealing the depths of humanity to readers. This implementation of multiple narrators further supports this central idea by illustrating the complex nature of the protagonists. Stevenson's effective use of multiple narrators furthers the complexity of the characters Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, supporting the theme of humanity's duality while exposing the complexity of humanity. In progressively developing the layered personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with neither protagonist being as simplistic as initially described, the implementation of multiple narrators aids in the evolution of these characters. Early in the book, Utterson's partner, named Enfield, describes his negative experience when he first met Mr. Hyde. Enfield reports to Utterson that, at first glance, Mr. Hyde looked more like a Juggernaut than a human (Stevenson 6). Through Enfield's brief story, the audience is able to skim the surface of the two alter egos, getting a brief glimpse into Mr. Hyde's superficially rude nature and Dr. Jekyll's general goodness. Then, by slowly revealing the characteristics of the protagonists through multiple narrators, Stevenson lays bare the many layers of human nature, underlining the theme of the duality of humanity. As writer Irving Massey states, Dr. Jekyll's colleague Lanyon later provides a more detailed description of Mr. Hyde's personality, emphasizing his truly diabolical nature (Massey). Through these two narrators, Stevenson is able to better investigate the sheer immorality that humans are capable of, with Lanyon revealing the sheer depth of Mr. Hyde's wickedness. For this reason, the author's use of multiple narrators contributes to the theme of humanity's duality, gradually uncovering the depths of human nature. In the essay "The Anatomy of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," the literary critic Irving Saposnik writes: "The three separable narrative voices - Enfield, Lanyon, Jekyll - are placed in successive order so as to add an increasing rhetorical and psychological dimension to the story." the events they describe” (Saposnik). Saposnik states that Stevenson's use of a multitude of narrators aids in the intricate descriptions of Mr. Hyde and Doctor Jekyll, using the depth of the protagonists to highlight the duality of humanity. Therefore, the author's implementation of multiple narrators aids in the portrayal of Mr. Hyde as a truly evil individual and Dr. Jekyll as an utterly virtuous character, constantly emphasizing the theme of humanity's duality while showing the depths of human nature. However, the author's ambiguous use of direct characterization also contributes to the analysis of the central idea. Stevenson's vague direct characterization of Mr. Hyde generalizes the villain's actions to encompass all civilizations, successfully emphasizing the evil aspect of the duality themeof humanity while exposing the depths of the human soul. In the first pages of the novel, Utterson meets the diabolical Mr. Hyde, who “gave the impression of deformity without any nameable malformation” (Stevenson 18). The vague sense of "malformation" that the author directly characterizes Mr. Hyde emphasizes the evil and animalistic quality that subtly makes up all human beings. This stylistic figure therefore generalizes the wickedness of the protagonist to human beings, highlighting the wickedness that partially makes up all individuals and the theme of the duality of the human race in general. From a symbolic point of view, author Peter Conolly-Smith states: "By suggesting that Hyde might be a criminal, the novel turns him into a blank slate onto which the novel's middle-class readers project their own fantasies of aberrancy" ( Conolly Smith ). Based on this quote, Stevenson's direct characterization of Mr. Hyde as the generally immoral aspect of humanity aids in developing the theme of humanity's duality, exposing the contrasting evil and virtuous traits that make up all of humanity. Once again, literary critic Edwin Eigner argues that Mr. Hyde is the evil side of the double-sided coin that is humanity (Eigner). By directly characterizing Mr. Hyde as a vaguely evil individual, with Dr. Jekyll symbolizing the virtuous side of humanity, Stevenson exposes the two sides of the coin that is human nature. Therefore, in directly characterizing Mr. Hyde as the evil present in every individual, the stylistic signature illustrates the central idea of ​​the dual human nature, highlighting the various qualities that make up humanity. The author's ambiguous characterization of Dr. Jekyll further emphasizes this central idea. By directly characterizing Dr. Jekyll in a vaguely virtuous manner, Stevenson effectively describes the moralistic side of human nature, supporting the theme of humanity's duality and revealing its complexities. . Using direct characterization, Utterson describes Doctor Jekyll as the epitome of kindness (Stevenson 21). By describing the doctor in such an ambiguous and pure manner, Stevenson illustrates the benevolent qualities that make up the entire human race. Therefore, the author's vague use of direct characterization emphasizes the moral sphere of humanity, highlighting the theme of humanity's duality while exposing humanity's complexities. Indeed, Doctor Jekyll directly describes his own personality, making "the happiness of many, but I have found it difficult to reconcile with my imperious desire to wear a more than commonly serious appearance before the public" (Stevenson 70). By failing to state the moral acts he feels compelled to perform, Doctor Jekyll demonstrates Stevenson's vague use of direct characterization. The author implements this stylistic figure to illustrate the indefinite virtuosity of humanity; Stevenson emphasizes the purity that partially makes up humanity and the complexities of the human soul in general, maintaining the theme of the duality of human nature. Once again, as literary critic Masao Miyoshi writes, Doctor Jekyll's dark morality allows Stevenson to generalize the protagonist's traits to all of humanity (Miyoshi). Miyoshi exposes Stevenson's decision to characterize Dr. Jekyll as the undefined morality of society, revealing the purity that partially makes up human nature and the theme of humanity's duality. Therefore, through the use of direct characterization throughout the novel, Stevenson highlights the central idea of ​​the duality of humanity, revealing the complexities of human nature. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a.