Chapter 3 Flashcards
“large well-made ,smooth-faced man of fifty” “every mark of kindness”
-first tangible description of Jekyll paints him as microcosm of the Victorian Gentleman but perhaps to the extent of fabrication perhaps indicating a facade
-‘well-made’ mean to be of high quality, perhaps indicative of his superior social role
-could also imply an idea of skilful construction, implication of Jekyll’s moral persona
-‘smooth-faced’ ,unorthodox as old men would be riddled with signs of maturity
-could highlight the fabricated nature of Jekyll as not only does he build an idealised psychological facade but also a perfected physical one
-the initial physical description of Dr Jekyll portrays him as the stark antithesis of Hyde (‘large’ to ‘small man’ and ‘capacity and kindness’ contrasts Hyde’s comparison to ‘Satan’) however as the novella unveils the oneness of Dr Jekyll and Hyde is revealed
-highlights the duality of man (good and evil are not completely separate,no human is wholly pure)
-Stevenson may be critical of Lombroso’s theory of atavism through the character of Jekyll, as he shows that physical characteristics don’t guarantee the status of criminality
-although Hyde clearly has atavistic traits (he gives a strong feeling of deformity and is more primitive in an evolutionary sense) Jekyll portrays the façade of respectability while harbouring ill-intent highlighting the falsity of physical appearance
-contrasts Jekyll’s later description as “deadly sick”
“the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde”
The verb ‘choose’ suggests that, at this point in the novella, Jekyll is still in control of his desires At this point, there is still time for Jekyll to liberate himself from the primitive and impulsive Hyde-arguably the representative controlled wholly by the id
people used Mr Utterson to “sober[ing] their minds in the man’s rich silence”
-Mr Utterson’s respectability was so explicit that it was transposable to other individuals
-this reinforces his characterisation as trustworthy and loyal
-the reader is conditioned to respect Mr Utterson
-he is idealised as a paragon of morality
-it seems Utterson maintains his enduring austerity to the point that others use him to regain their inhibitions
-therefore he is the personified blueprint for a respectable man
