Jekyll and Hyde: Quotes and Analysis

The Door - "The line was broken"

.The door is out of place, and, since this is Hyde's door, it's symbolic of Hyde being out of place in society

.Disturbing the natural order

.Isolation from the normal

Inhabitant of the door is a social outcast- A secretive, deceitful person

"Marks of prolonged and sordid negligence"

.Door is not looked after, therefore the owner must be a very careless person

.Uninviting/unapproachable - you might want to avoid the owner

.Maybe trying to purposefully keep out someone or keep something in

.Doors can be used to hide secrets or to lead someone somewhere

"Certain sinister"

.This is a specific type of evil which is familiar to Victorians but not something that is openly discussed

.Foreshadows evil's big part to play in the novella as well as a notorious focus on something for the wrong reasons

First chapter's symbolism of "Fire" in "Like a fire in a forest"

.Connotes Hell- there is a moral weakness here? Fire can spread and get out of control easily

.Fire stands out and warns people of danger

.Links to the typical Victorian- Fire on the surface but it may not be all that it seems

.Connotes an infectious atmosphere

.Could be a metaphor for evil spreading throughout society and corrupting people

"Black winter morning"

[Chapter 1] PATHETIC FALLACY, said by Mr. Enfield [Themes - Gloomy setting]

.Blackness can be used to hide things- evil hidden behind darkness?

.Connotes mourning, evil, sorrow, darkness

.Cold, lack of life during winter

.Morning starts the day- This could mean the start of the story or something more sinister

.Foreshadows negative events to come which Stevenson could have done to introduce a main theme of mystery

"Stumping along... the man trampled calmly over the child's body and left her screaming"

.Victorians believed in blank slate= All children were believed to be innocent and pure and life experiences during adulthood are what corrupts the soul. Animalistic nature of Hyde is crushing innocence (Desire for the disproved behaviours in society)

.Stumping is a heavy type of walk so it could be a metaphor for a weight on the shoulders of man/adults

.Trampling is a violent action more related to animals- supports the idea of Hyde being more primitive

.Stevenson Presents Hyde as an emotionless character who lacks morals, something Victorians were familiar with but repressed in favour of trying to be the perfect example of humanity

"Black, sneering coldness of... Satan... really damnable"

.Metaphorical of Hyde- He is the epitome of evil

.Links to Victorian obsessions with the supernatural and the recurring theme of Religion

.Emphasises Hyde's evil and that Victorians believe he belongs in Hell- refusal to acknowledge imperfection and their flaws

.Black is usually symbolic of mystery and hidden evil

.To sneer is a purposeful action which just highlights how evil Hyde really is

.Personification of coldness implies intentional evil and contrasts with 'Hellish' and its associations but equally shows Hyde as an emotionless character

"Must be deformed"

.Links to Lombroso's theory that deformity links to criminal behaviours/frowned upon indulgences, therefore Victorians would be quick to link Hyde's evilness with deformity

.Hyde is out of the ordinary/ not normal to Victorians and is therefore rejected by society

"Hellish... It... it"

.The pronouns dehumanise Hyde, almost as though he is not a person which just separates him more from society and children's innocence

.The link to Hell again shows Victorian's fear of evil and their turn to religion in times of need and when faced with the unknown

"Scandal... Made his name stink"

.Someone of high class is seen to be respectable so a scandal is unexpected from them

.Links to Victorian obsession with appearances

.The true nature of a person- it doesn't matter the crime or how serious it is, just that you can hide; Victorians indulged themselves in secret

"Something wrong... something displeasing... something downright detestable"

.The repetition and triplet emphasises how uncanny Hyde was but they couldn't place what exactly was off about him

"Damon and Pythias"

.In Greek mythology, these were two inseparable friends who would lay down their lives for one another. They symbolise lasting friendship and the willingness to die for your friends.

"A volume of some dry divinity"

.Utterson is an incredibly good man who has connotations of the divine which shows that he can be trusted

.Stevenson wants to create a reliable and trustworthy character as the main narrator so the reader knows they can trust Utterson and what he is saying

"Hearty, healthy, dapper, red-faced gentleman"

.Lanyon is a stereotypical gentleman and a caring, positive person like most respected men were

.The list may have been used to show Lanyon's endless positivity which is why his later attitude is so shocking to the reader

.He is full of life and a wealthy man

"Too fanciful... wrong in mind"

.Fanciful=Imaginative/not focused

.Mentally unstable or perhaps going against God?

"Unscientific balderdash" that "would have estranged Damon and Pythias"

.Messing with God

.Separated the strong bond which demonstrates the depth of evil in Jekyll's work

"Glide more stealthily... move the more swiftly"

.Glide connotes ghostly figures; Hyde is haunting him

.The adverb stealthily means moving with secrecy which could symbolise evil staying hidden

.Swiftly shows that evil is hard to grasp, both literately and metaphorically

"Strange preference and bondage"

.The juxtaposed nouns show the duality of pleasure and choice with lack of freedom (enslavement?)

.Could relate to the dynamic between Jekyll and Hyde throughout the novella

"If he be Mr Hyde... I shall be Mr Seek"

.You have to look for evil- evil wants to hide in plain site

.A play on the children's game- something innocent turned sinister

.The dichotomy (duality) shows two sides of humanity

"Extraordinary... yet... nothing out of the way"

.Trying to explain the inexplainable/ quantifying the unquantifiable (no price or amount)

.Evil is seen as unusual but in reality it is everywhere

Lombroso's theory

.Offenders are born criminals and have traits that mark them. He believed that defects were inherited and that all criminals had certain defects in order to depict them. For example, a thief would have a very expressive face and small, wandering eyes whilst a murderer would have cold-glassy stares, bloodshot eyes and a hawk-like nose.

"Small and very plainly dressed... snarled aloud into a savage laugh"

."plainly" may have been used to show that Hyde is obvious and trying to hide in plain site

.Animalistic imagery suggests that Hyde's behaviour is seen as barbaric in Victorian society

.The juxtaposition of happiness and savagery

.Hyde has no regard or understanding of polite conversation which emphasises his evil

"Troglodytic"

.A prehistoric, man-like creature

.Dehumanises Hyde/ presents him as sub human

.Links to Victorian concern over evolution (Theme of Science vs Religion)

.Regression to a primitive state

.Links to Victorian fears about lesser, savage people such as Hyde

"Satan's signature upon a face"

.Shows that Hyde's evil is obvious

.The article 'a' is mysterious, as it is not specific in who it is describing which means that Hyde could be anyone

.Religious links to Heaven and Hell

.'Satan' shows that Hyde is the ultimate evil which is referenced throughout the book as well as being the adversary to humanity (people's evil side)

.The devil used to be an angel before he fell due to his sin; this could be foreshadowing Jekyll's downfall due to his evil side

"It was a fine, dry night... the streets as clean as a bathroom floor"

.Utterson is completely alone at night meaning that he has no one to protect him from evil

.Reflective like a mirror- the reflection of someone's true self?

.Simile

"Pale and dwarfish"

.Physiognomy suggests he is evil

.Hyde is seen as a creature rather than a person which could have been done to show that the Victorians feel the need to separate themselves from anything evil

.Victorians had a fear of the deformed which links to Lombroso's theory

"Without any nameable malformation"

.Evil is hidden from site

.Hyde is so evil that people can tell but cannot place why

.Shows that Hyde is an important character when it comes to mystery which the reader can link to the mystery surrounding Jekyll

"He had a displeasing smile"

.Duality

.Everything that Hyde does is evil so therefore he must be absolute evil and have no good side

Jekyll's Home- "Comfortable" but "Menace in the flickering of the firelight"

.Shows the duality of Jekyll's home. Someone's house is usually a reflection of their personality so it foreshadows Jekyll's own duality

.Fire is dangerous on can easily get out of control

"The ghost of some old sin"

.Duality of religion and the supernatural

.Utterson will be haunted by evil

.Has religious connotations that link to the original sin

.Evil will always leave an impression on the soul

"Jack in the box of some old iniquity"

.Iniquity= immoral or grossly unfair behaviour

.Usually a child's toy which connotes innocence and mystery

.Juxtaposition of innocence and sin

Themes in Jekyll

.Jekyll represents a Victorian gentleman- he's a doctor, goes to dinner parties with "good wine", values his privacy (a Victorian value)- "a private matter and I beg of you to let it sleep"- easily deals with uncomfortable situations by avoiding them completely. Stevenson shows Jekyll as a gentleman to establish Jekyll's character as the epitome of civilised

.Science (Science vs Religion)- Jekyll is presented as progressive and forward thinking: an innovator- people will either support or malign (dislike, distrust) him

Jekyll- "A large, well made, smooth faced man of fifty"

.The adjective 'large' shows that Jekyll could come across as intimidating and imposing as well as it being a sign of wealth

.'well made' shows that Jekyll is respectable and is quite authoritative

.Overall, it opposes Hyde's description. The fact that he is seen as a good man link's him to God

.'smooth faced' could show that he is innocent and pure

"Be rid of Mr Hyde... the moment I choose"

.The verb 'choose' shows that Jekyll has some kind of agency over Hyde- good can control evil

.'Rid' shows that Victorians believe that their primitive side can simply be disposed of. The reader will probably think that this is untrue, so it foreshadows the eventual dominance of evil. Therefore, man doesn't truly understand evil

"Something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness"

.The phrase 'slyish cast' shows the slightest hint of secrecy or deceit which foreshadows that Jekyll is really something similar to Hyde. 'Perhaps' shows that they are uncertain of this.

.The connective 'but' counters negativity and intensifies his kindness

.Capacity= understanding (Jekyll is relatable)

"Dr Jekyll grew pale at the very lips and there came a blackness about his eyes"

.Eyes are seen as the door to the soul but the 'blackness' is blocking that which could mean that evil is coming through and that Jekyll is losing his humanity

.'Pale' and 'blackness' juxtapose each other. Could link to demons and evil or show that something is trying to be hidden from sight

"A great... a very great interest in that young man"

.The repetition of 'great' highlights the importance of acknowledging/understanding evil

.Foreshadows Jekyll's involvement with Hyde

"Incredibly mangled"

.The adverb intensifies the damage which implies strength and huge destructive power

.'Mangled' can relate to washing. This is when clothing is pressed and reshaped to remove water. It takes a lot of force to use and is a very purposeful action which highlights the evil in this crime

"Broken in the middle under the stress of this insensate cruelty"

.Insensate= mindless/thoughtless which juxtaposes cruelty which is usually intentional (you can be intentionally cruel)

.Symbolic of Jekyll and Hyde's damaged relationship ('broken')

"Mournful re-invasion of darkness"

.The adjective 'mournful' is a symbol of Utterson's emotions/sadness to the situation

.Metaphorical for the return of Hyde- Evil as a warrior that cannot be conquered- man cannot conquer evil

"London was startled by a crime of singular ferocity"

.Unites the city and marginalises Hyde

. Focused anger and violence

.Hyde is unrivalled (as he should be as the embodiment of evil)

Stevenson juxtaposes the "fog" with "cloudless sky" and a "full moon"

.Shows the duality in nature

.Contrasting pathetic fallacy shows the sneaky nature of evil but in reality it can't hide

The maid had "conceived a dislike" for Hyde

.A common response to Hyde yet its inexplicable as to why they feel that way

"Great flame of anger"

[Chapter 4] METAPHOR, [Themes - Horror/Evil, (Violence?)]

.Intense, uncontrollable and destructive

"Ape like fury" and "Clubbed him"

.Similar to 'troglodytic'

.Primitive/out of control

"Trampling his victim... hailing down a storm of blows"

.Similar to when he trampled the child except now it's deliberate- evil progressively gets worse

.Metaphor for natural destruction

.Shows deep anger

"Cheval-glass"

.A tall mirror fitted at its middle to an upright frame so that it can be tilted

.The fact that its a full length may be because ultimately Jekyll is all Hyde

.A reflection can be used to show how someone truly is

.If Hyde can be seen by Jekyll in this mirror then evil is everywhere

"Red baize"

.Used to muffle offices from servants so they would not overhear important things

.Is normally green rather than red

.Connotations of danger, blood and the Devil

"Fog began to lie thickly"

.The personification connotes that it lies like a blanket- covering something or someone up

.Mysterious and unrevealing

.Hidden evil

"Muffle and smother of these fallen clouds"

.Silencing someone as well as connotations of suffocation

.Could be reference to Lucifer's fall from Heaven to Hell

.Masks things

"Hyde who dictated the terms"

.Evil is in control- Jekyll is unable to disagree

.Juxtaposes earlier in the book when Jekyll was saying he was in control and that he can be 'rid' of Hyde whenever he wants

"Time ran on "

.Time moves fast

.Lack of control/agency that people have- lack of time to think and react

"On the 8th of January"

.January is the first month so it could symbolise a change/ fresh start

.In a Biblical sense the number 8 symbolises newness

.Could be a subverted idea of a new start- Jekyll regressing- Victorian society isn't as progressive and civilised as people thought

.Stevenson subverts this idea of having Jekyll regress- Jekyll is a flawed character and not the symbol of pure good (therefore not the direct opposite of Hyde)

.Therefore nobody is perfect and public image can't be believed

"Look of deep-seated terror"

.A feeling of evil

.Relates to the way Hyde is constantly perceived

.An Anaphoric reference- indirectly referring to an idea previously mentioned in a text

"Not live to make others"

.Irony- Jekyll made Hyde and so he can replace Lanyon and Utterson. Therefore, Hyde's purpose was intended to be a friend, to enhance Jekyll's quality of life, but he didn't

.This has allusions to Frankenstein and so readers see they shouldn't play God and that science cannot win- advocating religion

.Stevenson illness wasn't able to be cured- He may have lost faith in science? OR he just wanted to get into God's 'good books' as he knew his days were limited

"You must suffer me my own dark way"

.The pronoun 'you' could suggest that Utterson will lose a close friendship- foreshadowing Jekyll's death and descension into Hell?

.'Must' suggests that there is no saving him

.The evil imagery 'dark way' connotes mystery/ a cover up. It also suggests that Jekyll is choosing evil- evil takes over good

"I have brought on myself a punishment"

.The verb 'Brought' suggests that that this act was voluntary as you can choose to buy something

.Punishment for wrong doings, perhaps in Hell?

"If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also"

.Metaphor- 'Chief' shoes that Jekyll is in control- people control their own path

.Religious connotations- Jekyll is a scientist. this is juxtaposition

.'sufferers' contradicts 'sinners', which could show two sides to a person- not just purely good or evil

"Madness"

.Not in control of actions

.Madness is usually the same thing over and over again- could show that society cannot change

The repetition of "Disappearance"

.Mystery- foreshadowing Hyde taking over Jekyll- Jekyll is trying to repress Hyde- evil can overtake good when the two are put against each other. OR man's flaws overpower good intentions

.The repetition highlights its importance

.The loss of himself for Jekyll; loss of a friend for Utterson; loss of faith (Utterson struggles to trust Lanyon and Jekyll)

"It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it"

.Mortify means to paralyse/stop so Stevenson could have used it as a metaphor of the way Victorians repress themselves. He could have done this to show that it is easier to push evil away than to face it- weakness of human nature?

.The verbs 'mortify' and 'conquer' juxtapose each other, which links to the difference between Jekyll and Hyde.

"House of voluntary bondage"

.The juxtaposition could suggest that our duties and and desires are connected (duality)

.Shows that Jekyll has chosen to embrace what has happened to him.

Enfield believes that "the story's at an end" in terms of Mr Hyde

.Enfield is ignorant to the true strength of evil - people can't comprehend the way evil can spread and regenerate.

.His naivety foreshadows that events will speed up and take a turn for the worst.

.The noun 'story' suggests everything that has happened has been false/unbelievable.

Utterson thinks that "even the outside presence of a friend may do [Jekyll] good"

.Shows that it is difficult to truly understand the struggles other people experience. Utterson is unable to actually empathise with Jekyll - Stevenson highlighting limitations in the character of the stereotypical gentleman?

.'outside presence' indicates that evil can lead to isolation - perhaps serving as a warning about embracing pleasure and indulging in poor habits?

The court was "full of premature twilight" despite there being bright sunlight overhead.

Pathetic fallacy could be being used to symbolise Jekyll's early demise - adjective 'premature' shows something happening too soon and when coupled with the noun 'twilight' we see evil happening too soon or maybe even death. Twilight can represent a person's dying years or could be evil advancing when dark is evil and light is good.

-Symbolic of the downfall of man? Maybe Stevenson is suggesting that the advances of the Victorian time were actually self-destructive? This could link to science vs religion.

Whilst he is talking with Enfield and Utterson, Jekyll is struck by "abject terror and despair" which "froze the blood of the two gentlemen".

. Despair has connotations of hopelessness which here Stevenson mixes with fear, showing a man who is trapped and controlled by something from within himself- can be linked to quotes "house of voluntary bondage" and "like a stone"

. The second quote is a metaphor which shows intense fear and creates an image of lifelessness in the two men which intensifies the horror Stevenson is alluding to. This reaction is reminiscent of character's reactions to Hyde so Stevenson creates a subtle link between Jekyll and Hyde's appearances here.

. It is also a shared and unifying experience- normally good people will always be repulsed by evil and unite against it- links to the idea that Jekyll is not purely good, but flawed ( therefore suggesting that Utterson and Enfield are pure good )

. It connects to the quote "something of a stylish cast perhaps" about Jekyll

"God forgive us, God forgive us".

. Repetition of the phrase = connotes fear and desperation- turning to God in times of struggle would be familiar to Victorian readers and would comforting. The men begging this haven't actually sinned so what they saw must have been so evil they feel tainted by association

. Religious imagery = appeals to religion over science- in times when these symbols of morality were upset they turned to God and not science.

Repetition of "Foul play"

. There is juxtaposition between the two words. Play is associated with children's games (joyful and innocent) and is not serious whilst the adjective 'foul' connotes unpleasantness and a sense of wrongness- serious

. It connotes cheating and something being amiss/interfering- foreshadowing Hyde interfering with Jekyll's life

. Mirrors the differences between Jekyll and Hyde- they are not meant to be connected/together but they are.

. Repetition- they are constantly unavoidable mistakes/conclusions. It is repeated 3 times- 3 is usually the divine symbol of wholeness but Stevenson subverts this image

"A wild, cold, seasonable night of March"

. It is uncontrollable- symbolises Poole and Utterson's lack of control over the situation or perhaps Jekyll's lack of control

. 'wild' - Animalistic imagery which links to the way Hyde is described; primitive

. The fact that it's nigh connotes evil

. 'March' is significant as a seasonal change - represents the end of a lesson in terms of religion

"Biting weather"

.Zoomorphism- links to Hyde's 'ape-like' character and shows that Hyde is a vicious person

"A pale moon, lying on her back as though the wind had tilted her"

. The moon is supposedly ruled by a Goddess - Victorian familiarity

. A strong sense of femininity is represented by the moon - in mythology the moon Goddess, Selene, is also a huntress and a warrior, yet here, she is overpowered by the wind and rendered impotent- the situation is beyond even her control which shows the true strength of evil.

"All full of wind and dust, and the thin trees in the garden were lashing themselves along the railing"

. The verb 'lashing' is very violent and purposeful- whipping which leaves open wounds. Perhaps leaving a lasting impression on both the characters and the reader

"God grant" and "Amen"

. Religious imagery- impresses upon the reader the severity of the situation as they need to turn to God to save them

. They are choosing religion over science

. 'Amen' is usually said at the end of prayer- symbolises the end of something?

"The hall, when they entered it, was brightly lighted up; the fire was built high"

. The fire can easily become uncontrollable- in this sense it is used as protection from evil

. The fact that it was 'built high' shows that it is a defence- metaphor for a wall of defence

. Before introducing Jekyll's character, Stevenson described his house. He mentioned the fire and how welcoming it was- Stevenson subverts this in Chapter 8

“It wasn’t like a man, it was like a damned juggernaut”

“damned” adds a sense of anger and frustration, emphasizing the monstrous and unstoppable nature of Hyde's character. The comparison to a 'juggernaut' highlights the overwhelming force and dread associated with him. Ironic because Stevenson tries to tell us that hyde is exactly like a man because all men are capable of acting in this way. However Christianity tries to condemn sin and say it is wrong and should not be like hyde and christianity teaches us to act like a Jekyll

“great chocolate coloured pall lowered over heaven”

“chocolate” is desirable therefore Londoners are happy with this disguise so they can carry on being corrupt. covering “heaven” - the sky / goodness therefore sin is being allowed instead. Londoners prefer to live in the state os sin as long as they create a facade of moral living

“but it is more than ten years since Henry Jekyll became too fanciful for me”

made his famous experiment, highlighting the significance of his transformation and the long-term consequences of his actions. This reflection sets the foundation for Jekyll's duality and the battle between his inner good and evil. “fanciful” suggests that Jekyll's ideals have become unrealistic and impractical, indicating a departure from rationality and the danger of unchecked ambition and moral exploration.

“two natures that contended in the field of his consciousness”

This phrase describes the internal struggle within Jekyll, representing the conflicting forces of good and evil that exist within every individual. It highlights the theme of duality, where Jekyll battles between his respectable self and his darker impulses.

“stood already committed to a profound duplicity of life “

He leads a double life to appear respectable while satisfying his desires in secret. For a long lime, Jekyll has been aware of the two aspects of his character in conflict.