Characters Flashcards
Who are the two main characters
Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
Who are the two secondary characters?
Mr Utterson & Dr Lanyon
Who are the three minor characters?
Poole (Jekyll’s butler)
Mr Richard Enfield (Utterson’s friend & cousin)
Sir Danvers Carew (murder victim)
At the beginning of the novel Dr Jekyll is shown to be…
Wealthy, respectable & intelligent
What does Jekyll’s experiment cause him to become?
Erratic and alienated from his friends and Victorian society
How is Jekyll determined?
He wants his experiment to succeed.
He is so determined - risks losing everything (friendships, reputation and wealth)
“I do sincerely take a great, a very great interest in that young man.”
Repetition of ‘great’ = how determined Jekyll is & how he feels about Hyde.
Use of ‘sincerely’ = determination and passion are real.
How is Jekyll respected?
Due to his wealth, reputation as a charitable man & his discoveries in science.
“Gave one of his pleasant dinners to some 5 or 6 old cronies, all intelligent reputable men and all judges of good wine.”
Shows he is well-liked and respected in the society of Victorian London.
As all of the men are judges of ‘good wine’, indicates to reader their wealth and respectability.
How is Jekyll intelligent?
Due to his innovative experiments which are perceived by some others as worldly and un-godly, particularly by the conventional scientist, Dr Lanyon.
“Henry Jekyll, M.D., D.C.L., LL.D., F.RS., etc.”
The titles attached to Dr Jekyll’s name highlight his intelligence, as he has many degrees and qualifications. The use of ‘etc.’ suggests there are more.
How is Jekyll erratic (unpredictable)
He is trying to conceal Mr Hyde from everyone.
He’s also trying to control his experiment, but failing.
“…before the smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair”
This highlights the change in his behaviour, as before this quotation, Dr Jekyll was happily talking to Mr Utterson.
The word ‘struck’ shows that Hyde’s appearance has changed Dr Jekyll’s behaviour instantly
Extra Jekyll quotes
“He began to go wrong, wrong in mind” - Lanyon
“I was slowly losing hold of my original and better self” - tragic hero
“I concealed my pleasures”
“I am done with him” - arrogance/hubris
How is Mr Hyde described?
Devilish
Evil
A criminal mastermind
How is Hyde ugly?
Described as ugly and Stevenson suggests he has the face of Satan.
Everybody Hyde meets in the novel is afflicted with his ‘nightmarish’ appearance.
“There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.” (Enfield)
Shows that he is greatly appalled and disgusted by Hyde’s appearance, suggesting that he is other-worldly and doesn’t belong in the reputable society of Victorian London.
Repetition of ‘something’ exaggerates how deformed Hyde is, as Enfield can’t quite put his finger on it.
How is Hyde murderous?
Murders Carew and tramples on little girl causing her legs to break.
“…with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot, and hailing down a storm of blows.”
Simile ‘ape-like fury’ describes Hyde as an animal capable of rages, not a human.
Shows that Hyde doesn’t care about his actions and has no control over his fiery, animalistic behaviour.
How is Hyde powerful?
Near end of book, Hyde becomes dominant side to Jekyll’s personality.
Each time Dr Jekyll turns into Mr Hyde, Mr Hyde gets stronger and makes it more difficult for Dr Jekyll to turn to his ‘original’ self.
“It took on this occasion a double dose to recall me to myself; and alas!”
Shows that Hyde is getting stronger, as Jekyll needs to use more drugs to return to his former self. Exclamation mark suggests that this surprises and also scares Jekyll as he is unsure and wary of Hyde’s power.
Extra Hyde quotes
“Displeasing… detestable… deformed”
“My devil had been long caged, he came out roaring”
