Jekyll's Ambivalence Toward Hyde

The mixture of attraction, fear, and hatred that Jekyll feels for his darker self.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Initial Delight

The Initial Delight A Sense of Freedom Jekyll feels a leap of welcome when he sees Hyde. He is attracted to the freedom and the lack of restraint. Hyde is younger, lighter, and more wicked, and Jekyll enjoys the vicarious experience. The Pleasure of Sin He indulges in pleasures that he would normally deny himself. He feels a sense of power and release. The ambivalence is positive at first. The First Warning When he sees Hyde's hand on his own body, he begins to feel fear. The attraction is still there, but it is now mixed with dread.

The Growing Horror

The Growing Horror The Abhorrence of Hyde's Acts Jekyll is aghast at the murder. He feels a deep horror of Hyde. He resolves to give him up, but he is tempted again. The Struggle to Resist He tries to abstain, but he feels the longings of Hyde. He is ambivalent: he wants to be good, but he also wants the freedom. The conflict is internal. The Self-Hatred He begins to hate himself for his weakness. He is both Jekyll and Hyde, and he cannot separate them. The ambivalence is a source of torment.

The Final Pity

The Final Pity A Strange Compassion Despite his hatred, Jekyll finds it in his heart to pity Hyde. He sees Hyde's fear of death and his abjection. The ambivalence now includes a measure of compassion. The Inevitable Bond He knows that they are inseparable. He will die with Hyde. The ambivalence is resolved in the acceptance of their shared fate. The End of Ambivalence When Hyde commits suicide, Jekyll is also killed. The ambivalence ends in death. The two selves are finally united in destruction.

after the first transformation

after the murder of Carew

the last week