In Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', the narrative explores the complex duality of human nature through the contrasting characters of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The story is set in Victorian London, a city bustling with societal expectations and hidden vices. Dr Jekyll, a respected scientist and gentleman, struggles with a darker side within himself. His experiments aim to separate this dual nature, resulting in the creation of Hyde, a sinister alter ego embodying unchecked appetites and evil. The novel delves into themes of morality, identity, and the struggle between good and evil, with the duality of Jekyll and Hyde serving as a metaphor for the conflicting forces within every individual. The story begins with a mysterious murder, which introduces the reader to Hyde’s depraved character, while Jekyll’s internal conflict grows as he seeks to control his darker impulses. Key phrases such as 'dual nature' and 'split personality' encapsulate the central theme, provoking questions about the human capacity for both good and evil.

‘I was slowly losing hold of my original self, and becoming, I fear, more and more the creature of my darker half. Hyde’s influence was growing stronger, an ever-present shadow that haunted my conscience and my actions. The split within me was no longer manageable; my duality had become a burden I could no longer bear. The struggle to suppress Hyde’s presence was a constant battle, yet I knew that the darker side was an inherent part of my nature, embedded deep within my psyche.’

‘Mr Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation; he had a displeasing smile, with a somehow soulless quality in his eyes. There was something wrong with his appearance, a strange mixture of the grotesque and the charming, which unsettled those who saw him.’