Critical Essay Flashcards
What is the plan for:
An interesting character?
An interesting character:
Utterson is an interesting character as he avoids talk about anything strange.
We see this when Utterson and Enfield are talking about the rumors surrounding Hyde.
‘A very good rule too’
‘That’s a good rule of yours’
This tells us that Utterson is very rationally minded as he agrees with Enfield when he says he stays away from things that he doesn’t know much about. The repetition of ‘good rule’ also emphasizes how committed to rationalism Utterson is. This makes him interesting as the play includes some supernatural happenings.
Utterson is also interesting as he is concerned and almost frightened of anything that he cannot explain rationally and he is often put in situations where it is difficult to find a rational explanation.
This is shown when we see Utterson’s reaction to Jekyll’s will.
‘It offended him both as a lawyer and as a lover of the sane and customary sides of life’
This shows us that Utterson is confused why a man with the social status of Jekyll would leave anything to a man such as Hyde. The w/c of customary shows that he is traditional and doesn’t believe in the supernatural.
Utterson is so committed to reason that he cannot be persuaded by his friends.
We can see this when Lanyon is complaining to Utterson about Jekyll.
‘They differed on some point of science he thought…Being a man of no scientific passions’
This tells us that Utterson has completely ignored Lanyon’s points as they are not rational and Utterson only acknowledges points which back up a rational explanation.
Utterson, even after struggling for an explanation, won’t give up and still thinks that there is a rational explanation for everything.
An example of this is when Utterson finds out about Hyde’s intentions towards Jekyll.
‘I knew it said Utterson. He meant to murder you, you have had a fine escape’
This shows us that Utterson is trying to find a rational explanation for the situation even though we can tell that he is struggling. There is also a tone of reassurance as Utterson thinks that he is getting closer to solving the case but he is far from it.
When Utterson can’t find a rational explanation he turns to God as a last resort.
This is shown when Utterson sees something happen to Jekyll at the window.
‘God forgive us, God forgive us’
This tells us that Utterson, when he is out of explanations, turns to god but never considers the supernatural as an option. This emphasizes the fact that he is committed to reason (Also the repetition)
Later on in the novella, when Utterson can’t figure out a rational explanation he gets frightened and starts to panic.
This is when Poole tells Utterson that he is worried about Jekyll.
‘Foul play cried the lawyer a good deal frightened…What foul play what does that even mean?’
The repetition shows that Utterson is unsure of what is going on and is in a state of panic. He is afraid of the unknown and also he is terrified that he can’t find a rational reason straight away.
What is the plan for:
A climax?
A climax:
The tension starts to build at the start of the most dramatic chapter, chapter 8.
Like when Poole takes Utterson back to Jekyll’s Laboratory.
‘There was borne upon his mind a crushing anticipation of calamity’
Utterson is having a premonition for disaster which builds up the tension as the readers want to know what happens next. This is also foreshadowing.
The build-up to the climax is next and Utterson is committed to reason even though he can see that something strange is going on.
This is when Utterson hears a voice (not Jekyll’s) saying that he will not see anyone.
‘This is a very strange tale…it doesn’t commend itself to reason’
This is building up to the climax as Utterson is finding it very difficult to come up with any more rational explanations, but he still won’t give up. This is the first time that Utterson has been completely stumped.
The build-up then continues when Utterson reads the note that Jekyll wrote for Poole.
‘This is a strange note…these are all very strange circumstances’
The repetition of strange shows that Utterson is baffled by his inability to come up with a rational explanation but he still won’t give in.
Even within the last moments before the door is broken down Utterson is still looking for a rational solution to all that has happened.
We see this when Poole and Utterson are thinking of what could be wrong with Jekyll.
‘Your master is plainly seized with one of those maladies that both torture and deform the sufferer’
This tells us that Utterson is getting desperate now and is clinging on to one last explanation to try and solve the case.
The climax is when Utterson and Poole break down the door to the laboratory to find Hyde, dead.
This is when Poole and Utterson have broken the door down.
‘This is beyond me Poole’
This shows that Utterson has not solved the case and he has finally admitted what the reader was beginning to think throughout the novella - that he could not solve the case. He never could as he is rationally minded and can’t consider the supernatural.
Utterson did not solve the case because of his rational mind.
When Utterson is walking home from Jekyll’s lab.
‘…trudged back to his office’
This means that Utterson and the reader have to rely on the letters from Jekyll and Lanyon to solve the case. Utterson is disappointed in himself (word choice of trudged)
What is the plan for:
An interesting theme?
An interesting theme:
Utterson represents science in the novella as he is committed to reason and rejects the supernatural.
We see this behavior when Utterson comes to a conclusion about Hyde’s intentions towards Jekyll.
‘I knew it said Utterson. He meant to murder you, you have had a fine escape’
This shows that Utterson always takes a rational viewpoint and tries to come up with rational explanations for everything no matter how much he might be struggling. This attitude ultimately means that Utterson won’t be able to solve the case.
What is the plan for:
An interesting/shocking ending?
An interesting/shocking ending:
The ending shocks the reader as they finally find out what has been going on and that Utterson was so far from solving the case.
When in Lanyon’s narrative he explains how Hyde transformed into Jekyll.
‘Like a man restored from death - there stood Henry Jekyll!’
This creates a shocking ending as this is when they find out that Jekyll and Hyde are the same people. The exclamation mark emphasizes the shock from Lanyon and the word choice of ‘death’ is foreshadowing Jekyll death.
The main character, Utterson fails to solve the case and he was never going to because of his rational mind.
This is shown when Utterson comes to a conclusion about Hyde’s intentions towards Jekyll.
‘I knew it said Utterson. He meant to murder you, you have had a fine escape’
This shows how rationally minded Utterson it and how he could never have solved the case because it involves the supernatural.
The novella is set up like a police report and we expect to get an answer from Utterson as he is made to look like the main detective but we don’t because of his rational mind.
This is shown in the title of the novella.
‘The Strange Case of…’
The title suggests the novella is structured like a police report with Utterson as the main detective but he fails miserably to solve the case as he cannot accept or consider the supernatural.
Stevenson gives several hints that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person throughout the novella.
For example when Utterson reads the will and Hyde is to receive all of Jekyll’s possessions.
‘all his possessions were to pass into the hands of his friend and benefactor Edward Hyde’
This is strange as the men are of two completely different social statuses.
Another point when Stevenson gives a hint is when Hyde comes out of Jekyll’s House with a cheque signed by Jekyll.
‘I had every right to believe it was a forgery’
This makes the reader think about why this could occur because it is strange that Jekyll would offer to pay Hyde’s fine.
Stevenson also tries to throw the reader off the scent that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person.
Like when Poole is concerned that something is wrong with his master.
Poole: ‘Was that my master’s voice?’
Utterson: ‘It sounds much changed”
This throws the reader off as Jekyll’s voice and Hyde’s voice are different so it makes the reader think that they cannot be the same person. This creates an element of surprise when the reader finds out that they are in fact the same person
