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Title: The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

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The book is titled ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It has been authored by Robert
Louis Stevenson. The story is basically about how the human nature is dual and the
repercussions of unsuppressed human desire. Additionally, it examines the moral ambiguity of
the persons through the character of Mr. Hyde. However, just as any literary work, it is bound to
be received with criticism which this paper seeks to explore.
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One of the biggest criticisms the book is faced with is that by its nature, it portrays the
characters as one-dimensional. It is so apparent that the characters in the book have not been well
and fully established by virtue of the reason that they have no depth. This can be seen through
the characters of Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll as their portrayal is that of the representation of the
traditional and more stereotypical representation of good and bad. Mr. Hyde is a symbol of the
dark by as the other characters in the book consistently describe him to have a disgusting
personality.
“Is this Mr. Hyde a person of small stature?” he inquired. “Particularly small and
particularly wicked-looking, is what the maid calls him,” said the officer. It is by wordings as
such that the characters come out as blunt and traditional. On the other hand, characters such as
Mr. Utterson are a symbol of good. The author expresses him as a man with no flawed past and
one who holds high ranks in a societal setting. His past was fairly blameless; few men could read
the rolls of their life with less apprehension; yet he was humbled to the dust by the many ill
things he had done, and raised up again into a sober and fearful gratitude by the many he had
come so near to doing yet avoided. This is a portrayal of a character with a good reputation and
just as earlier stated, it has the effect of bringing out the traditional aspect of the characters.
III
Another criticism is that the book is heavily tinged with male chauvinism. Most of the
characters are male who play the significant character roles and even in the event of presence of
a female character, their roles are greatly reduced ( Blanco-Herrero et al,2021). They are depicted
as passive, subservient and submissive.
A maid servant living alone in a house not far from the river, had gone upstairs to bed about
eleven. This is the depiction of a female character. In this instance, she is passive to the ongoing
activities as she is a witness to a murder. It was two o’clock when she came to herself and called
for the police. Furthermore, the illustration of them being weak can be seen as the female
witness could only call the police after she had gathered herself from an emotional breakdown.
Therefore, the lack of female characters and their minimized roles suffice to become a
reasonable point of criticism.
IV
It has been brought forward that the book is faced with a perspective which is restricted. The
story’s narration is reduced to the view points of three characters who are Dr. Jekyll, lawyer John
Utterson and their friend, Dr. Lanyon. Here, thank you,” said the lawyer, and he drew near and
leaned on the tall fender. This hall, in which he was now left alone, was a pet fancy of his friend
the doctor’s; and Utterson himself was wont to speak of it as the pleasantest room in London.
This is one of the various instances where the story is seen to revolve much around the three
characters as they are the main protagonists of the story. However, it is commonly felt by some
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critics that this restricted standpoint inhibits the reader’s understanding of the happenings and
consequently are unable to explore deeply the characteristics of the characters. The author needs
to incorporate viewpoints of other characters in the story.
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Some critics have argued that the book fails to account for the contemporary society as the
book is set out in a Victorian society. Such a society is deemed to be draconian which is laced
with conservative values with the attention being drawn to appearances, secrecy and suppression
of desires. Hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer, when the light-hearted and loose-tongued had
already their foot on the threshold; they liked to sit a while in his unobtrusive company,
practicing for solitude, sobering their minds in the man’s rich silence after the expense and
strain of gaiety. Silence and semblance of introverted ness are some of the values appreciated in
such a Victorian era and hence, such a reflection of the society may not resonate with readers
who are more inclined to values that are of the contemporary society ( Chatterjee,2022).
VI
The book has also been described as its flow being arduously long and quite mind numbing.
The story takes a while for it to build and the events to hit the climax. The story starts with a
prolonged illustration where the lawyer, Mr. Utterson attempts to look over the bizarre
connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Although it establishes the stage and sets out the
mood, some critics find it to take too long for the plot to take shape. Furthermore, the book is
marred by monotonous storytelling as certain actions are reiterated through the various
standpoints of the characters.
VII
In conclusion, Stevenson’s book delves with the numerous sides to the human characters and
the consequences of their desires. By looking at the conflicting characters and the societies’
suppressed desires due to strict moral codes, the various themes in the narrative are noted
outwardly. The various criticisms ranging from the simple depiction of good vs evil, lack of
female characters to the limited perspective work to promote the uptake of the story within the
context of the Victorian period. As a final word, the book is a great read as it nurtures critical
thinking.
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References
Blanco-Herrero, D., Rodríguez-Contreras, L., & Gutiérrez-San-Miguel, B. (2021). New forms of
masculinity in Western films: The end of the Marlboro Man?
Chatterjee, S. (2022). Morality, Modernity, and the Indigenization of the Victorian Novel in Bengali
Literature and Cinema. Ohio University.