The novel “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” focuses on a conception of humanity as dual in nature, although the theme does not fully emerge until final chapter, when the full story of the Jekyll-Hyde relationship is revealed. Therefore, we are explicitly confronted with the prospect of a dual human nature only after witnessing all the events of the novel, including Hyde's crimes and his ultimate eclipse of Jekyll. The text not only presents the duality of human nature as a central theme, but forces us to reflect on the properties of this duality and to consider each of the novel's episodes as we weigh the various theories. One of these might be to question the extent to which Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are actually a single character. Until the end of the novel, the two people do not seem similar at all: the respectable, well-liked doctor and the hideous, depraved Hyde are almost opposites in type and personality. Stevenson exploits this stark contrast to express his thesis: every human being contains opposing forces within himself, an alter ego that hides behind his polite facade. Consequently, to fully understand the meaning of Jekyll or Hyde, we must ultimately consider the two as constituting a single character. Indeed, taken alone, neither is a very interesting personality; it is the nature of their interrelationship that gives the novel its power. The theme of duality is not unusual, in fact, it's quite the opposite. It sits right in front of our faces every day; in films, literary works, religious texts, works of art and music, and even comics. Several examples of this theme, both large and small, have existed throughout recorded time. “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”… at the heart of the paper… the Empire of the Ring made the themes of the book carry much more weight. It's why we are obsessed as a society with his ideas. It has had an effect on the world so subtle, yet so difficult to put into words. Works Cited Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. New York: Kaplan, 2006. Print.Davis, Robert L. “The Duality of Man.” WritersCafeorg RSS. WritersCafe, January 26, 2010. Web. February 23, 2014. Singh, Shubh M., and Subho Chakrabarti. "Abstract." National Center for Biotechnology Information. US National Library of Medicine, December 27, 2005. Web. February 23, 2014. Sagar, Keith. "Literature and crime against nature". Literature and crime against nature. Chaucer Press, 2005. Web. 23 February 2014. Slick, Matt. "What is dualism?" CARM. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, n.d. Web. February 27. 2014.