Personal Essay about the Duality of Jekyll and Hyde

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date Duality of Jekyll and Hyde Unreliable narrators have long been a problem for the audience of Henry Jekyll, as they often create an entity outside of themselves to justify their actions. In his novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis explains that the narrator places the blame on the entity he has created, allowing him to pursue his depravity without fear of accountability. Jekyll’s dual nature of being has raised the question of whether or not such a dual nature potential exists within ourselves as well. “…man is not truly one, but truly two” (Stevenson 56). In other words, Jekyll’s unreliable narrative about his and our dualistic nature contains a message about the proclivities and heads we cultivate to conceal the ones we do not want to reveal. Dr. Henry Jekyll offers an intriguing reflection on every human’s dual traits. Jekyll states, “...with a deeper trench than in the majority of men, I have severed in myself those provinces of good and ill that divide and compound man’s dual nature” (Stevenson 55). In Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement about the Case, there is a confession from Jekyll where we are told of a very unreliable character who pants the motive of his search for perverse pleasures by creating another personality, Mr. Hyde, to blame for his misdeeds. His “.......experiment to free himself from the burden of duality results in failure” (Saposnik 715). Such a story raises intriguing questions about the existence of such dichotomies in each of us and how we navigate our curiosity or lack of morality. The paradox of “unique dual personality that belongs solely to him (Jekyll) and Hyde.” (Jobe 5) has been investigated for a long time in both literary and psychological research. In the novel “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” the author explores the stark contrast between good and evil inside a single person. A character's opposite counterpart is referred to as a literary double. In this context, the dual aspects of Jekyll’s personality function similarly to a literary double. A metaphor for our inherent duality, the change of Jekyll into Hyde is an exaggerated portrayal of how various aspects of our personalities may emerge in response to different circumstances, which can sometimes have devastating effects. Jekyll’s duality reminds us “of the hidden “je” in each of us” (Miyoshi 473), which manifests in our many forms and is a common characteristic of the human condition. Every one of us has conflicting needs and desires that we sometimes struggle to resolve. Other scenarios where we witness the dualism present within us include the internal conflicts we witness in ourselves, the clashing anxieties and goals, or the moral dilemmas we face every day. “... this same duality not only resides in him but, by extension, in all of us (Fitzgerald 44). Jekyll’s tale reflects on the issues that concern us all—how there are high desires and low instincts in any of us, and these two are constantly at war. Indeed, human life requires us to assume multiple roles and cultivate multiple personas. This enables us to cope with different situations. Moreover, this interweaving aspect of our personalities also unveils the duality embedded in our characters. For example, in the workplace, one assumes a professional role; at home, one assumes a caregiver role; and among friends, one occasionally engages in competitive behavior. The versatility and dynamism in one’s role instill pride in the complexity of human beings, as each role requires polynomial performance. The central theme of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is the essential duality of man—the internal struggle between virtue and evil, both of which reside in all of us (Fitzgerald 49). The profound conflict between our beneficial and evil selves manifests in upholding our inner thumos. We can also recognize it as a fundamental component of the human psyche, aiding our comprehension of our moral compass and instincts. “...all human beings, as we encounter them, are a mixture of good and evil” (Stevenson 58). In these conflicts, we define and pursue what is necessary. Upholding the willpower to choose beneficial behavior over detrimental ones doesn’t come at a pleasure and low price; it requires patience and deep awareness. We need to remember, although painful, the basest elements of our species, encouraging them without letting them dictate our actions. Similarly, Jekyll, “having recognized his duality, attempts to isolate his two selves into individual beings and allow each to go his separate way” (Saposnik 721). The continuous struggle between righteousness and evil inside us underscores that our actions shape our identity. We enhance our development and society’s welfare by choosing virtue over vice. This conflict is a crucial c...