Studied by 8 people
Dr. Henry Jekyll Quote 1
"There came a blackness around his eyes" (C.3)
Hyde is mentioned and Jekyll's demeanour becomes sinister. 'blackness' reveals darker part of Jekyll - hints at what he truly is capable of. Intimidating to close friend as he physically changes into something seemingly less human and possibly dangerous. Themes: Duality, Freudian theory.
Dr. Henry Jekyll Quote 2
"You must suffer me to go my own dark way" (C.6)
Verb 'suffer' combined with adjective 'dark' creates impression of punishment but hints that Jekyll enjoys dark acts - He secretly likes his dark, evil indulgences - doesn't accept help for his problem. Themes: Duality.
Dr. Henry Jekyll Quote 3
"My devil had been long caged, he came out roaring." (C.10)
Metaphor of 'devil' being 'caged' creates imagery of Jekyll possessing an animalistic side - it was impossible to repress forever. Primal, animalistic language - his acts are still natural even if lower parts of us.
Mr. Edward Hyde Quote 1
"It was like some damned Juggernaut" (C.1)
Simile compares Hyde to a destructive and overwhelming force that can crush anything in its path. He is relentless and violent. He is the id (impulsive, childlike, unempathetic) of Freud's theory.
Mr. Edward Hyde Quote 2
"With ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot." (C.4)
Simile. 'Fury' and 'trampling' - he wants to obliterate his victim. Adjective 'ape-like' - tapping into a more primitive and impulsive side of his personality - devoid of reason. Upper class Victorian readers could assume Hyde is what working class are like due to idea of physiognomy.
Mr. Edward Hyde Quote 3
"That child of hell had nothing human; nothing lived in him but fear and hatred" (C.10)
Metaphor 'child of hell' - Hyde is immature but dangerous. Abstract nouns 'fear' and 'hatred' indicate he can't rationalise his behaviour - only acts out violently. Repetition of 'nothing' - he resembles a beast without compassion and empathy, something to be feared and avoided. Victorian society valued politeness, here we are reminded that we evolved from apes - not liked by Victorians.
Gabriel Utterson Quote 1
"I let my brother go to the devil in his own dark way" (C.1)
Foreshadows his 'brother', Jekyll, falling into darkness - Utterson can't stop it. Noun 'devil' acts as metaphor for people behaving immorally (e.g Drinking) - Utterson chooses to not interfere, like a typical Victorian gentleman. Victorian gentlemen stressed to follow rules and expectations - could be reason for bad behaviours.
Gabriel Utterson Quote 2
"'If he be Mr. Hyde' he had thought, 'I shall be Mr. Seek.'" (C.2)
Pun of 'Hyde' and 'Seek' - he is curious as to who Mr Hyde is and how he is connected to Dr Jekyll. His curiosity is a key plot device to drive narrative - he was the means for discovering more. Utterson giving into temptation - Victorian gentlemen shouldn't investigate in lives of others.
Gabriel Utterson Quote 3
"If your master has fled or is dead, we may at least save his credit." (C.8)
'save his credit' - metaphor for not allowing info on Jekyll's behaviour to seep into society. Utterson demonstrates loyalty by standing by friend and not wanting his reputation to be damaged. Heavy emphasis on reputation in Victorian Society - Stevenson uses characters to criticise the social structure of the time.
Utterson quotes
"As soon as I saw him, I knew he was Mr. Hyde."
"The last I think; for, O poor old Harry Jekyll, if ever I read Satan’s signature upon a face, it is on that of your new friend."
"Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end."
Mr. Enfield Quote 1
"I am ashamed of my long tongue" (C.1)
Metaphor of a 'long tongue' - Enfield shares gossip about others but is fully aware that he shouldn't have been engaging in it - he is 'ashamed'. Prying into others' business was not a good thing - Stevenson's readers would have been aware it was not acceptable behaviour for gentlemen - nods to hypocrisy within society.
Mr. Enfield Quote 2
"There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable" (C.1)
Plosives in 'displeasing' and 'downright detestable' create feeling of revulsion felt by Enfield - sounds like he's spitting the words out in disgust at memory of Hyde. Adjective 'wrong' implies Hyde is deformed and inhuman. Physiognomy - Hyde dangerous as a result of the way he looked.
Mr. Enfield Quote 3
"They were both pale, and there was an answering horror in their eyes." (C.7)
Noun 'horror' - imagery of shocking and fearful and although lacking detail of what they've seen - clear they have never seen something like this. Victorian readers lived in time of scientific discovery - contradicted religion - they may also find "horror" with advancements.
Sir Danvers Carew Quote 1 and 2
'the older man bowed... a very pretty manner of politeness' (C.4)
"Innocent... kindness of disposition" (C.4)
Verb 'bowed' combined with adjectives 'pretty' and 'innocent' and nouns 'politeness', 'kindness' create image that is unintimidating and civilised - juxtaposed by 'creature' that is Hyde. Perhaps represents Homosexuality in underworld of Victorian Society - Carew approaches Hyde sexually?
Sir Danvers Carew Quote 3
"victim" (C.4)
Noun 'victim' - Carew never stood a chance against the tyrannical Hyde. Makes Victorians scared for their safety as there were newly settled working class people in cities - feeds into physiognomy.
Dr. Lanyon Quote 1
"A hearty, healthy, dapper, red-faced gentleman, with a shock of prematurely white hair" (C.2)
Adjectives 'hearty, happy' - Lanyon content with life; adjective 'red-faced' implies he drinks considerably. Noun 'shock' foreshadows surprise when he witnesses Jekyll's metamorphosis - Dies 'prematurely' as result. Lanyon used as foil for Jekyll - he respects scientific beliefs that Jekyll disputes and vice versa.
Dr. Lanyon Quote 2
"Unscientific balderdash" (C.2)
Noun 'balderdash' means nonsensical and senseless. He opposes Jekyll's scientific experiments on moral grounds. Believes himself to be traditional scientist - juxtaposed with what he sees Jekyll as: an experimental, fringe scientist. Lanyon's rigid view of Jekyll's 'unscientific' approaches representative of Victorian's against scientific development - opposed religion.
Dr. Lanyon Quote 3
"The rosy man had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away, he was visibly balder and older." (C.6)
Juxtaposing adjectives 'rosy' and 'pale' highlight physical decline. He appears to be dying in front of Utterson. Metaphor of 'flesh' falling away suggests he has already died and is decomposing. Lanyon's inability to comprehend Jekyll's discoveries represent science vs religion within Victorian Society. Stevenson suggesting those unable to comprehend new discoveries are left behind.
Good vs evil
Evil is personified in Hyde:
Jekyll says Hyde is ‘alone in the ranks of mankind, pure evil’ .
His evil lies in being entirely selfish: he will do whatever he wants to satisfy his own appetites without any regard for other people.
Good is shown in the novella as being generous and kind to others:
Enfield describes Jekyll as ‘one of your fellows who do what they call good’
When freed from his bad aspects, Jekyll works for charities, is religious, is a good friend and ‘he did good’
Hyde’s acts of violence and destruction are contrasted with the goodness of their subjects:
the innocent small girl
Carew, who has ‘an innocent and old-world kindness’ about him.
the devotional book that Hyde defaces.
Duality
"All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil". Here, the world "commingled" is the merging of two words 'combined' and 'mingled' to emphasise how it is impossible for humans to be only good or only evil, there will always be aspects of both in everyone's personality. Dr Jekyll reflects further on human nature by stating that "man is not truly one, but truly two".
London:
Stevenson's description of London (which is alike Edinburgh) heightens the sense of duality within the text.
The juxtaposition between the city having "an air of invitation" to buildings being "sinister" creates a backdrop for the conflict between good and evil in the characters.
Human nature- through Jekyll and Hyde:
Stevensons uses juxtaposing imagery to emphasise the disparity between the morals of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Mr Hyde is described as "that child of Hell had nothing human; nothing lived in him but fear and hatred".
Whereas Jekyll is “one of your fellows who do what they call good”- Enfield
One of Jekyll's closing remarks was "this too, was myself" This shows his awareness of the duality in human nature, alongside his admittance of his commitment to "a profound duplicity of life.”
Science:
By “different scientists”, the novel refers to the disparity between Jekyll and Lanyon as scientists
Jekylls Science explores more of the gothic, mystical components of the novela, saying its “an ignorant, blatant pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon”
Dr. Lanyon is a firm believer in rationalism, and thinks Jekyll’s science is “unscientific balderdash”
Secrecy and Repuation
Stevenson creates a suspicious atmosphere in which characters are forced to keep secrets out of fear of their reputation being ruined.
Society:
In Victorian society a man's secrets could be used to ruin him.
Enfield recalls threatening to expose Hyde to the whole of London as an alternative to killing him. Stevenson uses olfactory imagery (images linked to smell) in the metaphor "make his name stink from one end of London to the other" to show how Jekyll's reputation could be tarnished very easy in Victorian society.
The antithesis between "Dr.Jekyll grew pale" and "blackness" in "The large handsome face of Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the very lips and there came a blackness about his eyes.” Shows the severity of the situation.
Blackmail:
Utterson later fears that Hyde is blackmailing Jekyll with his secrets, and Hyde is threatening to reveal this to ruin Jekyll's reputation.
Utterson states "It turns me cold to think of this creature stealing like a thief to Harry's bedside".
"I wish you to judge for me entirely... I have lost confidence in myself". This shows that he no longer cares about retaining his reputation which would be uncharacteristic of a Victorian Gentleman.
Science:
By “different scientists”, the novel refers to the disparity between Jekyll and Lanyon as scientists
Jekylls Science explores more of the gothic, mystical components of the novela, saying its “an ignorant, blatant pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon.” → shows Jekyll thinks that’s Lanyons science is shameful.
Dr. Lanyon is a firm believer in rationalism, and thinks Jekyll’s science is “unscientific balderdash”
Utterson
Law:
"I incline to Cain's heresy,". This connection to law may have shaped Mr Utterson as a moral and relatable character for many of the wealthier members of Stevenson's readership.
Might link to his investigative nature "I shall consider it my duty to break in that door"
Shows he’s of the upper class
Religious:
Mr Utterson formulates his routine around the church bells near his house which demonstrates the subtle but rigid importance of religious schedules in his life.
"until the clock of the neighbouring church rang out the hour of twelve, when he would go soberly and gratefully to bed". This shows that he lives a moral life.
“I let my brother go to on his own” → disassociates himself from the devil
Typical Victorian gentleman:
He’s trustworthy and loyal Jekyll said, “he cherished for Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection".
He’s truth full "I can't pretend I shall ever like him."
