Jekyll and Hyde

Duality, Setting

“an air of invitation” vs “sinister block of building” - C1

Friendship, Utterson

Evokes connotations of good nature, religious connotations add to Utterson’s portrayal as a morally “good“ character

Even [Utterson’s] friendships seemed to be founded in a similar catholicity of good nature - C1

Duality, setting

Shows how duality is even expressed through the characters surroundings - a microcosm for Victorian society as a whole, duality can be found anywhere - anything that appears perfect is repressing it’s true nature

The street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighbourhood - C1

Religion/Reputation, Utterson

Mr Utterson doesn’t get involved in the private affairs of others - unusual for a time when people were obsessed with reputation. Show’s his tolerance for others

I incline to Cain’s heresy - C1

Reputation/Repression, Utterson

He self disciplines in order to maintain his proper, respectful reputation. Demonstrates how reputation is idealised in Victorian society, and how it is the reigning method of judgement, despite it not always being a correct reflection of someone’s true character (eg with Jekyll)

He was austere with himself - C1

Violence, Hyde

The horrific action committed against a child immediately introduces Hyde as an evil character - demonstrates his capability for monstrous actions

[Hyde] trampled calmly over the child’s body […] like some damned Juggernaut - C1

Duality, Hyde

Antithesis is used to highlight the internal conflict within Hyde, proving his emotional depth, surprising the readers due to his severe lack of empathy

Murderous mixture of timidity and boldness - C2

Reputation/secrecy, Jekyll

Jekyll asking Utterson to leave his professional integrity in favour of helping him. It’s is one of the first clear critics of the hypocrisy in Victorian Society. It shows how one’s esteem is more important than truth and justice. Furthermore, Jekyll’s desperation also highlights how important maintaining his facade by keeping things secret, is to him.

I beg of you to let it sleep - C3

Duality, Jekyll v Hyde

The clear distinction between Jekyll & Hyde in terms of the descriptives used makes the dual nature of man, through the dichotomous reputations of the two men, even clearer. On a second reading these contrasting views makes the reveal of J & H being the same person better, as it opposes all beliefs that people only have one identity - since they are described so differently they feel like two separate entities, making the reveal even more dramatic

Every mark of capacity and kindness [vs] A strong feeling of deformity - C3/1

Secrecy, setting

hidden sin in Victorian London, colour imagery creates threatening atmosphere and symbolises moral corruption

A great chocolate-coloured pall lowered over heaven - C4

Violence, Sir Danvers Carew/Hyde

The positive image of Carew emphasises how there is no justification for how Hyde acted - presents him as truly eveil

Innocent and old-world kindness of disposition - C4

Violence

Overwraught emotion (possibly overdramatic) - stereotypically flustered woman

At the horror of these sights and sounds, the maid fainted - C4

Violence, Hyde

The visceral, violent imagery furthers Hyde’s character as a notorious degenerate. His zoomorphic characteristics separates him from honourable society, making him into something entirely inhumane. This comforts the readers as they feel less related to him, as he can’t even be considered human like them

Ape-like fury - C4

Secrecy, setting

Symbolises secrecy and duality by obscuring the truth, allowing people to indulge their vices without the prying eyes of society - anonymity

Even in the houses the fog began to lie thickly - C5

Reputation, Jekyll

Jekyll disassociating from Hyde to protect his reputation and maintain his morals once again displays the hypocrisy in Victorian society, and how self-centred the ‘virtuous gentlemen’ can be.

I was thinking of my own character, which this hateful business has rather exposed - C5

Friendship, Jekyll

Jekyll feels free now that he’s discarded his evil tendencies (by not transforming into Hyde) - began interacting with others again

Now that that evil influence had been withdrawn [Jekyll] came out of his seclusion [and] renewed relations with his friend - C6

Friendship/Secrecy, Utterson

Values friendship over curiosity - protects the reputation of Jekyll despite his own opinions - RELIABLE NARRATOR

Professional honour and faith to his dead friend were stringent obligations - C6

Duality/Repression/Religion, Jekyll

Jekyll admits that him letting Hyde take over has caused great suffering, however he believes it’s proportional to the pain he feels as a result of his guilt towards his actions - his loss of control leaves him as a bystander, famed to be unable to prevent further evil - dual nature of sin (reward v punishment)

If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also - C6

Secrecy, Utterson

Utterson is the investigator; doors symbolise a barrier hiding the truth, so Utterson allows the truth to be revealed; duty-bound to protect friend though reasoned - rational gentlemen

I shall consider it my duty to break in that door - C8

Secrecy, Poole

Doesn't want to immediately reveal what happened; delaying the narrative

Doggedly disregarding the questions - C8

Friendship/Reputation/Secrecy, Utterson/Jekyll

Utterson has a strong bond with Jekyll on a professional basis - hypocritical as he focuses more on maintaining reputation rather than discovering the truth

We may at least save his credit - C8

Supernatural v Science, Lanyon

After finding out the truth about Jekyll's double life (readers understand on a second read); conveys trauma and disbelief; can't cope with this experience

My life is shaken to its roots […] I feel that [...] I must die - C9

Duality/repression, Jekyll

Jekyll is self aware of his repressed desires - his obedience to the status quo and the respect he commands from others are all active choices he makes, highlighting how difficult it has been for him to control his insatiable needs, as well as his suffering

[Jekyll was] committed to a profound duplicity of life - C10

Duality, Jekyll

Syntactic parallelism emphasises how that man can not be good or evil, and in fact we are stuck between a liminal equilibrium between the two

Man is not truly one but truly two - C10

Duality, Jekyll

Good and evil must coexist - brings sympathy to Jekyll as he is only following his innate nature. Everything is about balance, and no-one is completely pure, so it brings the question as to what extent Jekyll can be blamed or persecuted for the actions of just one of his two sides, which he had been repressing not just for the benefit of himself but for others

Even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both - C10

Violence/repression, Jekyll/Hyde

The satanic imagery created demonstrates how Hyde is unrestricted by religious morality, and how Jekyll giving in to his sinful desires shows his descent into evil, losing his moral compass and becoming just as depraved. It also critics how repression isn’t sustainable, and how ignoring his innate curiosity for the malicious was the cause of Jekyll’s doomed downfall.

My devil had been long caged, he came out roaring - C10

Duality, Jekyll

Suggests that duality isn’t a quality unique to Jekyll, and rather a common inherent trait that can be applied to all - a universal human condition. Jekyll’s struggle originates from his desire to separate the two sides, rather than embrace them as a whole

All human beings […] are commingled out of good and evil - C10

Repression/reputation, Jekyll

It shows Jekyll repressing parts of himself, living his double life in order to indulge in his degenerate desires without social consequences - needs social respect

I concealed my pleasures - C10

Violence, Hyde

Jekyll represents how man is intrinsically selfish. This is also seen through his actions: while he was freed from his social chains, a byproduct of this was the suffering of others. Every act of his, in the form of Hyde, has brought pain on others, despite the narrative, at least during this chapter, pushing him as a victim of his true nature

His every act and thought centred on self - C10

Repression/science/religion, Jekyll

Jekyll is trapped by societal ideals. The drug only freed him from his pretentious way of life. Science is completely neutral, it’s the way it is utilised which makes it a moral tool. Religion and science are consistently conflicted - this sums up how they aren’t completely intertwined

The drug was neither diabolical nor divine; it but shook the doors of the prison house of my disposition - C10

Religion/repression, Jekyll

Evil overpowering good at the end of the novella symbolises how repressing your nature only temporarily buries it. The duality of man is a fact that cannot be denied or controlled. Jekyll is “ordinary” in the way that he is a microcosm or representative of society as a whole. It shows how a multitude of people could have been in his place, the difference is they didn’t have the inquisitiveness or the means to let go of themselves.

It was as an ordinary secret sinner, that I at last fell before the assaults of temptation - C10

Science/Duality, Jekyll

Depending on his intentions, he could have extracted his more morally good traits rather than bad - not completely good or evil - science is neutral, depends on the use

Had I approached my discovery in a more noble spirit […] I had come forth an angel instead of a fiend - C10