Vocabulary and Historical Context of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Key Literary and Social Vocabulary

Hypocrisy is defined as the act of claiming to have higher standards than one actually possesses in reality. Juxtaposition is a literary and linguistic technique where two contrasting ideas are placed together within a sentence to highlight their differences. The term Reputable refers to the state of having a good reputation. A Façade is characterized as pretending to be someone that you are not, essentially creating a false outward appearance to hide a true self. Austere is defined as being strict on one's self, often involving self-denial or rigorous discipline. Respectability is the state or quality of being respected by others in society. The five primary terms identified for study in this context are: 1. Hypocrisy, 2. Facade, 3. Juxtaposition, 4. Reputable, and 5. Austere.

Historical Context of the Victorian Era

The novella "The strange case of Jekyll and Hyde" was written during the Victorian era, a historical period specifically known for its exceptionally strict social codes and a heavy emphasis on respectability. During this time, the social expectation was for people to appear moral and reputable to the outside world, regardless of whether they privately indulged in darker desires. This societal landscape fostered an environment of hypocrisy, as individuals felt forced to hide their true selves behind a façade to maintain their status and standing within the community.

Thematic Analysis of Stevenson's Work

Robert Louis Stevenson explores the complexities of human nature through the use of juxtaposition, specifically by contrasting the characters of Jekyll and Hyde. This juxtaposition is used to show how one man can simultaneously contain both good and evil within himself. Victorian society was characterized as being austere, with very little tolerance for any form of deviance from prescribed social norms. This lack of tolerance had significant psychological consequences for individuals like Jekyll, who felt forced to repress their urges rather than confronting them openly. The pressure to conform to an austere and moralistic society led to the internal division and eventual external manifestation of the darker side of the human psyche as depicted in the narrative.