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An essay looking into this work (and this specific publication) often focuses on the following core themes: 1. The Duality of Human Nature
: Much of the story's tension arises from the difference between one's public reputation and private reality. 3. Scientific Ambition and Ethics 21277x
The novella serves as a sharp critique of the late 19th-century Victorian era . An essay looking into this work (and this
: Stevenson argues that man is "not truly one, but truly two," and that attempting to physically separate these halves leads to the total destruction of the self. 2. The Critique of Victorian Hypocrisy Scientific Ambition and Ethics The novella serves as
: While Jekyll initially feels "liberated" as Hyde, he eventually loses control over the transformations, which begin to occur involuntarily.
Stevenson was reportedly inspired by a feverish nightmare he had while ill with tuberculosis. Additionally, the character may have been influenced by Deacon William Brodie , an 18th-century Edinburgh figure who led a double life as a respectable cabinet maker by day and a thief by night.
