Jekyll and Hyde key quotes and analysis

"I incline to Cain's heresy"

Utterson - 1. Story of the door

Biblical allusion to the story of Cain and Abel - some people Cain is the origin of greed and evil

Symbolic of the duality within Jekyll and Hyde

Implies that evil is intrinsic to human nature therefore Jekyll cannot truly ever get rid of these traits

Utterson means that his "sin" is that he doesn't get involved in other personal affairs however he breaks this with Jekyll.

(Religion vs science theme)

Writers intention: to ensure the reader is aware of this juxtaposition within their own society

Readers response: religious references common in gothic fiction and the seriousness of the Bible contrasts the fantastical concepts of the novel

" an air of invitation, like rows of smiling saleswoman"

Streets of London - 1. Story of the door

The language and attractiveness of this part of town metaphorically suggests an active sex trade being conducted under the superficial impression of the area being reputable.

The simile implies vice without it being made explicit

(Theme of repression and reputation)

Writers intention: Stevenson was addressing the contextual reader of the Fin de siecle -

The Fin de siecle refers to the gothic era and end of the 19th century

Readers response: growing fears of sexuality and moral degeneration

" the man trampled calmly over the child's body and left her screaming on the ground"

Hyde - 1. Story of the door

Oxymoron

Contrast between innocent child and violent man shows how callous he was

The young girl fulfills the gothic archetype of the innocent female

The verb 'trampled' connotes animalistic aggression

The adverb 'calmly' emphasizes Hyde's detachment from his emotions

His actions of violence defy explanation so by definition are supernatural

Hyde appears here to acting the opposite of a Victorian gentleman

(Theme of supernatural)

Writers intention: hinting that his behavior is animalistic links him to science and Darwin's Theory of Evolution which many though went against their religious beliefs.

Reader's response: contemporary reader find Hyde terrifying as he goes against society's rules.

" like some damned juggernaut"

Hyde - 1. Story of the door

Similie

Noun 'juggernaut' has omnipotent connotations of being inhuman and having the ability to kill

Adjective 'damned' has satanic connotations suggesting that he is somehow connected to the Devil

Implies that Hyde is unrestricted by conventional ideas of religious morality

Religious beliefs at the time would have suggested that anything to fo with Hyde was a sin

The theme of sacrifice may reference the sacrifice Jekyll makes to Hyde in exchange for indulging in decadent and inappropriate behavior. This means Hyde is solely controlled by impulse.

Writers intention: he shows that evil is caused by the repression of natural desires

Readers response: Victorian readers would have been scared as it associates with the supernatural

" something displeasing, something downright detestable.....he gives a strong feeling of deformity"

Hyde - 1. Story of the door

Anaphoric repetition of 'something' implies he is inhuman and creates an air of unceasing intangibility.

The harsh 'd' consonants introduces Hyde as a force of evil

Enfield is describing Hyde as the intradiegetic narrator- Stevenson often uses the reactions of other characters to direct the readers response to Hyde.

Writers intention: Ambiguous descriptions force the reader to think the worst of Hyde

Readers response: here his appearance is used to emphasize criminality as through physiognomy ( displays atavistic traits) - Lombroso's theory of atavism.

" I saw that Sawbones turn sick and white with the desire to kill him "

Hyde - 1. Story of the door

Enfield is the intradiegetic narrator of this omniscient third person narrative where Stevenson uses the reactions of other characters to direct our own response to Hyde. In this case, Enfield is using the first person and suggests that Sawbones is a friendly yet gruesome epithet and has some form of closeness with him.

The irony of the doctor wanting to murder Hyde, despite the fact that his profession is healing people, shows just how loathsome Hyde must be.

Writer's intention: Stevenson shows how Hyde elicits murderous thoughts from other people ( theme of duality of human nature )

Readers response: we trust the doctor's judgment so think of Hyde as evil

" a man of rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile"

Utterson - 1. Story of the door

Countenance - how you look

He is a reserved character and seemingly not affected by emotion which gives his voice authority as it is unlikely to be biased emotionally

Suggests that he keeps to himself and is reserved

Metaphor for his profession as a lawyer

Stevenson uses satire to describe Utterson and his profession as a lawyer by making a mockery of reputable Victorian men.

" such unscientific balderdash would have estranged Damon and Pythias "

Lanyon - 2. Search for Mr Hyde

Both are doctors and men of science, but Dr. Lanyon believes that Henry Jekyll became isolated by radical views, straying too far from the orthodoxy of their scientific profession.

Lanyon equates Jekyll's unconventional pursuits with a preoccupation with irrational matters.

Lanyon's reference to the legendary friendship of Damon and Pythias indicates he once felt close to Jekyll.

( theme of friendship )

Lanyon is a foil to Jekyll showing the extremes of metaphysical scientific practice.

LANYON IS THE EMBODIMENT OF A COOL LAKE !

Writers intention: debates science

Reader's response: Jekyll and Hyde was written in 1885 and Darwin's scientific theory of evolution was published in 1859. People's scientific views at the time were a contentious issue but a contemporary reader would be aware of the significance of Lanyon's distaste towards Jekyll.

" labyrinths of lamplighted city "

Streets of London - 2. Search for Mr Hyde

The adjective 'lamp-lighted' gives the readers a feeling of safety as people often assume that nothing dangerous happens in light (good)

Alliteration of 'l'

However this is contrasted by the word 'labyrinths' which connotes being trapped and out of control.

As a child, Stevenson often had nightmares and it was said that Jekyll and Hyde was inspired by a nightmare of his.

This notion of the city as a fearful landscape recurs throughout the novel.

Writers intention: Stevenson paints Hyde as an urban creature and establishes a link between the urban landscape of Victorian London and the dark events surrounding Hyde - Victorian London was crime ridden, and is a popular choice for setting a gothic novel.

Readers response: urban terror of London was were people could hide sinister desires so Soho would be feared by the contextual reader

' if he by Mr Hyde, I shall be Mr Seek "

Utterson - 2. Search for Mr Hyde

Stevenson allows Utterson to express some dry humor and is drawing attention to how important names are in the novel:

Hyde is an aptronym and homophone for 'hide' which creates a sense of secrecy and hidden urges similar to how Jekyll as a homophonic suggestion of 'jackal' ( an animal associated with evil and death)

Utterson is an inquisitive member of society and displays the insatiable curiosity intrinsic to him which propels the plot forward.

Writers intention: Alludes to the detective novel conventions Stevenson uses in his work where Utterson has the role of an investigator.

Readers response: reinforces the idea of duality and is ironic that Utterson becomes so involved in finding out who Hyde is.

" Mr Hyde shrank back with a hissing intake of the breath "

Hyde - 2. Search for Mr Hyde

The verb 'hissing' connotes his animalistic characteristic of a snake which recoils back when they are threatened.

His action hints that he doesn't want Utterson to see him or anything he has to hide.

The imagery created helps to connect him with the Devil and untrustworthy snakes.

Writers intention: to show that Hyde is less evolved and unnatural

Readers response: the implications of Darwinism and evolution may concern the Victorian society of humanity's reversion to these primitive states

" murderous mixture of timidity and boldness "

Hyde - 2. Search for Mr Hyde

Oxymoron of the two adjectives mirrors his internal conflict

Alliteration could suggest this behavior is instinctive as a 'recipe' or that he was made like a potion

Refers to the murder of Sir Danvers Carew

The 'boldness' eventually becomes socially uncontrollable as he rejects the rules

Writers intention: to present the fact the evil exists insisted us all

Readers response: fears Hyde as a hidden murderer in Victorian London when urban terror grew

" troglodytic "

Hyde - 2. Search for Mr Hyde

A small deformed man who lives in a cave

His physiognomy is deformed and abnormal which links to the atavistic traits that a criminal presents

Comments on Darwin's theory of evolution - he is a regression to the primitive and violent stage of development

Writers response: to show how we cannot be fully good and have some bad part in us

Readers response: the fear of 'devolution' was prevalent in fin de siecle gothic literature

" Satan's signature "

Hyde - 2. Search for Mr Hyde

Sibilance creates a snake like sound

Biblical allusion

powerful metaphor: it suggests Satan owns the man as well as revealing the unmistakeable signs of evil which change the original clay material that God first worked to produce Adam.

( theme of religion )

He is bound by malice and brutality

Writers intention:

Readers response: the Christian beliefs of contextual readers allows them to see Hyde as an embodiment of Satan's actions in the Bible

" a large, well made, smooth faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast "

Jekyll - 3. Dr Jekyll was quite at ease

Stevenson, in his first presentation of Jekyll is sure to present him as a character for whom we have positive feelings. He is shown to be the kind, generous Victorian gentleman.

In the nineteenth century there was a popular belief that one could identify a person's nature from his/her external appearance - 'physiognomony'.

Dr Jekyll's physical appearance is contrasted with Mr Hyde's.

He is given a deceitful nature following the duality within him

( theme of appearance vs reality )

Writers intention: Stevenson provides Dr. Jekyll with refined physical attributes to directly contrasting them with the horrid appearance of Mr. Hyde. He taps into the common association that attractive features indicate goodness, integrity, kindness etc whereas disfiguration and disability indicate the criminal and untrustworthy.

Readers response: one must ask whether he is always a reliable narrator in the account of events but we are led to believe he is a perfect Victorian gentleman.

" hide- bound pedant for all that, an ignorant blatant pedant "

Lanyon - 3. Dr Jekyll was quite at ease

Jekyll's guilt leads him lash out at Lanyon - instead of looking to himself.

Metaphor - 'Hidebound' epithet originates from starving cattle being only covered with a thin layer of skin to hold them together so there is no substance underneath. Jekyll is graphically saying that Lanyon is encased in society's conventional attitudes, without having any actual independent ideas of his own. He is too conservative in his ethical practice of science to understand Jekyll's ideas.

Repetition of 'pedant' adds to the scathing criticism as he suggests Lanyon is hard to like.

Writers intention: to show the effect that nature vs supernatural has on people

Reader's response: we can see the emotional consequences he experiences as a result of his experiment and the study of psychology was in its fancy when the novel was published.

" Dr Jekyll grew pale to the lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes "

Jekyll - 3. Dr Jekyll was quite at ease

The physical description and dialogue help us to assess Jekyll's frame of mind.

His 'pale lips, the sudden 'blackness round his eyes' and his curtness all increase the sense of mystery.

He seems to be in shock, with all his blood draining from his face, and the abrupt reply shows the distinct lack of cordiality.

Juxtaposes the nice description we get at the start of the chapter

The eyes, being a window to the soul, have become black often associated with evil and his body resembles that of a corpse.

Writers intention: to reveal how he has becomes angry just by talking about Hyde, and tries to repress his desire that have manifested in Hyde

Readers response: from a Freudian perspective, it could be seen that Hyde, who is controlled by the id, is conflicting with Jekyll, who symbolizes the ego. This information was relevant to contextual readers as Freud's work became very popular.

" aged beautiful gentleman with white hair "

Carew - 4. The Carew murder case

We learn about Sir Danvers Carew's murder through the third person narrator's account of what the maid sees and this internal focus, enables Stevenson to create greater mystery by filtering the murder events solely through the maid's observations.

'White hair' is a symbol of purity and has angelic connotations

The adjective 'aged' perpetuates Carew's presentation as a victim in this plot and has connotations of wisdom

Carew's innocence serves to highlight Hyde's maliciousness

Writers intention: Hyde's violent murder of the MP Carew can represent a violent uprising of the proletariat (Marxism) as he is a fellow member of the bourgeoise. Stevenson could be showing the selfishness of the people in upper circles

Readers response: the Victorian reader would have found this shocking and solidifies their opinion of Hyde as a formidable character.

" ape like fury "

Hyde - 4. The Carew murder case

This simile has animalistic connotations showing how Hyde is seen as hardly human with savage tendencies like a wild animal

Theory of evolution stated that human shared a common ancestor with apes, and Hyde is the less developed and primitive version of humans.

Writers intention: Stevenson plays on fear of this scientific development or devolution which was prevalent in fin de siecle gothic literature.

Readers response: from a Freudian perspective, his volatile actions can be argued to be representative of the id-controlled mind focused on animal instincts with no restraint.

Darwin's insights into human evolutionary history disrupted their core Christian beliefs of creationism.

" a great chocolate coloured pall lowered over heaven "

Streets of London - 4. The Carew murder case

The 'Urban gothic' typically creates an intense atmosphere as the cityscape is use as the psychological focus of its narrative

'Pall' creates a theatrical sense but has strong connotations of death, as the cloth lain over coffins at funerals

Reference to 'heaven' suggests the death of morality and inherent good within the novel

Writers intention: Stevenson neglected the convention isolated setting and instead set the Novella in London to create a suspicious and tense atmosphere

Readers response: the blend of realism ( urban terror in London ) and fantasy within the novel makes it realistic and more terrifying, whilst evoking fear in the reader

" mournful re invasion of darkness "

Streets of London - 4. The Carew murder case

Metaphor creates suspense

Verbs 'combat' and 're invasion' have connotations of war and battle which mirrors Utterson's state of mind as he battles the fog on his journey and Hyde evasion of him.

Hyperbolic description of setting creates a supernatural feeling amplified by the constant reference to fog re appearing when Hyde is near.

Writers intention: while the fog obscures Utterson's vision physically, he remains obscured from the truth metaphorically making him vulnerable.

Readers response: may feel a sense of trepidation for Utterson, who is characterized as a good Christian man in a foreboding setting. The contextual reader would have understood the violent potential of a villain due to Jack the Ripper's infamous Whitechapel murders.

" he had his death warrant written legibly upon his face "

Lanyon - 6. Remarkable incident of Dr. Lanyon

Fatalistic connotations create an impression of foreboding

Metaphor- In this passage, it serves as a figure for Jekyll's apparently looming death.

The metaphor of the death warrant also evokes the criminal thread of the plot, namely the actions of Mr. Hyde, and calls more deeply into question Jekyll's involvement. (Fulfills gothic convention)

The contrasts with the a healthy Lanyon of before and the physical decay are as nothing when the spirit and emotional helplessness of the man is described.

The unexpected mystery is explored through Utterson's thoughts.

Writers intention: Stevenson is ambiguous and gives the reader a few details of Lanyon's death, creating mystery and implicating Jekyll further

Readers response: considering Lanyon is a doctor, we are shocked that he if so fearful of death and the Victorian reader did not believe in the supernatural, only in reason.

" if I am the chief of sinner, I am the chief of sufferers "

Jekyll - 6. Remarkable incident of Dr. Lanyon

Repetition of the superlative 'chief' means that Jekyll recognizes that what he is doing is wrong, going against the laws of nature and God.

Even though he greatly enjoys being Hyde and indulging, it also affects him mentally and physically - suggests that he suffers more when Hyde sins

In the eyes of society, he can never be redeemed - to a Victorian man reputation was important.

Jekyll's suffering also shows how human he is but blinded by the unhealthy degree of repression.

( theme of duality of human nature )

Writers intention: to show the consequences of repression and unexplained scientific creations

Readers response: there is a sense of trepidation for what Jekyll is capable of and empathy for his constant battle of ego and ID

" with an infinite sadness of mien, like some disconsolate prisoner "

Jekyll - 7. Incident at the window

Simile relating Jekyll to a prisoner suggests a state of self-imprisonment

Negative connotations of criminal justice - relating to the novels form as a detective fiction.

He is inconsolable and gloomy in a metaphorical jail that is in his mind - psychology

From a Freudian perspective, there is an internal conflict between his ID and ego which he is trapped in.

'Mien' is the mood that your facial appearance projects

It is ironic that he becomes trapped when he created Hyde to be free from repression

Writers intention: to comment on the increasing lack of control that individuals have over their behavior after giving into temptation

Readers response: the fact that his suffering is 'infinite' makes the reader empathetic for Jekyll and the contextual reader was see this as God's punishment for going against the law of nature

" that masked thing like a monkey jumped from among the chemicals "

Hyde - 8. The last night

Zoomorphism

Simile has animalistic connotations proven by his savage traits

He is separated from the rest of the characters because he was created from 'chemicals'

The verb 'jumped' shows how felt threatened and was in a state of panic - suffering from withdrawal from potions

Writers intention:

Readers response: Darwin's theory of evolution - Hyde is a degenerate both in the colloquial and scientific fashion

" a dismal screech of mere animal terror "

Hyde - 8. The last night

The auditory imagery and onomatopoeia of 'screech' connotes pain and has similar qualities to an animal - owls were commonly featured in gothic literature. It also conveys Hyde's fear as he is about to be revealed.

It reduces both Jekyll and Hyde to a creature of instinct, leaving this as their legacy

Reinforces the vulnerability of Hyde and may create a sense of horror

Stevenson is implying that gentlemen for this era have dual nature: a public, reputable side and hidden desires. This may link to Freud's theory of personality that our ID is an animal caged by society's expectations yet still lurks within.

Readers response: the Victorian reader would be revolted at the fact that the respectable Dr.Jekyll is hiding a criminal wanted for murder.

" like a man restored from death "

Jekyll - 9. Dr Lanyon's narrative

Hyperbole

Similie has religious connotations and allusions but contrasts to the previous scenes which emphasizes the amoral content of the novel.

Lanyon is a man of rational science, so seeing Hyde transform into Jekyll would have shocked him, evident from his use of emotive language here.

( theme of science and unexplained )

Writers intention: to mirror the apparent conflict between religion and science in society

Readers response: the church going Victorian reader would be horrified and stuck between religion and science, as Jekyll's metaphysical science clearly went against creationism. It reminds them of the resurrection of Jesus.

" man is not truly one, but truly two "

Jekyll - 10. Henry Jekyll's full statement

Syntactic parallelism emphasizes the view that man cannot be pure as he is constantly in equilibrium between good and evil.

Repetition of the adverb 'truly' suggest he has come to recognize the duality of man

( theme of duality of human nature )

Writers intention: this may be Stevenson trying to discuss the hypocrisy of the teachings of Calvinism, which stated that morality required perfection however it was impossible for people as it contradicted human nature. Or he could be discussing from a Freudian perspective, where man has an ID and ego.

Readers response: the contextual reader is challenged to accept that man has a dual nature

" my devil had been long caged, he came out roaring "

Jekyll - 10. Henry Jekyll's full statement

The possessive pronoun 'my' suggest Jekyll's ownership of the creation of Hyde

His inner 'devil' is a symbol for the manifestation of Jekyll's deepest desires in the form of Hyde. The notion of the devil through religious allusion denotes a stark contrast with Christian ideas of morality

The animalistic verb ' roaring ' has connotations of an uncontrollable expression of his repressed elements

( theme of repression )

Writers intention: Stevenson may have been influence by William Brodie who was a respectable member of society but led a 'double life'.

Readers response: the reader may be challenged to accept that repression is a societal issue, not just an individual one. The ink to the devil may terrify a Christian reader.

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