Allegories in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Allegories in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde The novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has many allegories within. An allegory is a symbol with a deeper meaning. In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, there are many allegories. First, there is the religious allegory of the devil and the lower self as well as the “hiding” aspect of Hyde. Hyde is also an allegory of human character in general. The city of London, and all of its descriptions written by Robert Lewis Stevenson, is filled with allegories. First, Hyde is a complex allegory because it is arguable what exactly Hyde is supposed to represent. Hyde could be an allegory of the devil himself. Hyde could be a demon inside of Jekyll, sort of like in the Exorcist, that needs to come out but eventually become uncontrollable. Although Dr. Jekyll is described as a nice man who has many friends, but he losses them all when he drinks the potion to become Hyde. Hyde could just be an allegory for a literal part of Dr. Jekyll, which is Stevenson’s statement of saying that every person holds a “lower self,” that just wait for an opportunity to reveal evil. Also one of the most famous quotes from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is “If he shall be Mr. Hide than I shall be Mr. Seek.” This could also mean that Hyde is just a part of Jekyll’s soul that literally hides within. Lastly, Hyde could be an allegory of human character itself. Hyde could be an allegory of the capability that everyone has within. However some people never reveal this capability, but for others, like drug users, it is easier for the evilness to come out. London is also an allegory. Mr. Hyde lives in SoHo, which is described as dark, dingy, and filled with the filth of London, which is why it makes sense that Hyde lives there of all places. SoHo is supposed to represent the capability of evil, and where it is grown. In Victorian England, the poorest of the poor lived in awful slums, some had no choice but to live a life of crime and evil, just to escape their reality. On the other hand, Dr. Jekyll lives in a distinguished and posh neighborhood. This is an allegory for Jekyll’s character, as he is a nice man. However, in Victorian England, many bad things went on behind these closed doors, which is true for Dr. Jekyll. The door in the first chapter is an allegory, as well as all the passageways described, like the one to the laboratory. These passageways and doors are places in-between worlds where most of the events in the novel takes place. The in-between of the worlds is like Dr. Jekyll. He is not a good man, nor is he evil. Jekyll is complex, and struggles with the evil part of his personality. Allegories are abundant in the novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.