Setting- Jekyll and Hyde

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5 Terms

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Introduction

-Stevenson uses setting not merely as a backdrop for the events but as a critical tool to reflect and reinforce the novel’s central themes of duality, secrecy, and the nature of man.

-The contrasting settings serve to externalize the inner conflicts of the characters, particularly Jekyll, and contribute significantly to the gothic atmosphere that permeates the novella

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Stevenson’s depiction of Soho, where Hyde is said to have lodgings, is important

-Soho is described as having a "dingy street," with a "gin palace" and "ragged children huddled in the doorways," conveying a sense of decay and moral degradation.

-This setting, dark and neglected, reflects Hyde’s own moral corruption and helps Stevenson explore the idea that evil is associated with urban darkness and poverty.

-It also contrasts sharply with the clean, orderly streets of the affluent parts of London, suggesting a city and society – divided.

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One of the most important settings in the novel is the contrast between Jekyll’s respectable townhouse and the “blistered and distained” back door to his laboratory, which is used by Hyde

-This spatial separation mirrors the moral and psychological division within Jekyll himself.

-The house, "worn smooth with repeated action," evokes a sense of order and respectability, while the rear entrance, described as “sinister,” is where Hyde freely comes and goes.

-Stevenson uses this dual setting to symbolise the compartmentalisation of identity and the Victorian obsession with outward appearances, reinforcing the theme of repression and hidden desires.

-The physical structure of the house becomes a metaphor for Jekyll’s divided self.

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The fog that envelops London throughout much of the novel also plays a crucial role.

-Stevenson repeatedly returns to imagery of fog and darkness, describing “a fog rolled over the city in the small hours” and how “the lamps glimmered like carbuncles.”

-This not only creates an eerie, oppressive atmosphere typical of gothic fiction, but it also symbolises the obscuring of truth and the hidden depths of human nature.

-The fog, at times, seems almost sentient, mirroring the way Hyde’s crimes are shrouded in mystery.

-The setting therefore amplifies the themes of concealment and uncertainty.

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Conclusion

-In conclusion, setting is not only crucial for atmosphere and tone, but it is also a vehicle for expressing the novella’s central themes.

-Stevenson’s detailed and evocative use of contrasting spaces – from the respectable streets of London to the fog-filled alleys of Soho – allows the reader to experience the duality and moral ambiguity at the heart of the story.

-Each setting reinforces the psychological tension of the characters, making it an integral part of the novel’s meaning and impact