Critical Essay-The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde(prose)

Question 1

• Jekyll portrayed as a well and good gentleman of the time with no suspicions, conclusive first impression
• highlight the contrast of alter ego Hyde
• shows he is well liked, popular and respected -sociable and friendly wants people to admire his possessions
• “old cronies” timely established friendships ver long period of time, high number shows admiration
• shows of wealth and possessions i.e. not private seeks admiration
• word choice in “pleasant” polite and orderly carried out in an ‘acceptable’ way

Answer 1

1) “The doctor gave one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies”

Question 2

• Horror and lack of remorse for the crime
• personification of evil -insight into behaviour/actions
• “calmly” shows no effect on Hyde highlights lack of remorse
• girl even more horrific as it was a fragile child with no means of defence, innocent and weak
• emphasises darkness and evokes no emotion,coldness of the character -psychopathic

Answer 2

2.0) “The man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground”

Question 3

• insight into his outer appearance and contrast to Jekyll
• “It” strips of human element=animalistic
• like a monster/immovable force of power -“juggernaut” emphasis of force and power
• “damned” links to evil and hell and sinister element of his appearance

Answer 3

2.1) “It wasn’t like a man;it was like a damned juggernaut”

Question 4

• Jekyll’s past reveals concealed desires, different side to him
• fought to suppress desire as not to jeopardise reputable status
• source of hyde’s creation initially -familiarisation with evil of Hyde
• dark side to Jekyll and pride=a deadly sin as can’t admit flaw
• too proud to release desires and show reader inner thoughts of Jekyll. -“pleasure” conveys indulges, lustful desires. -as he matured more to lose, respected socially
• “look around” shows as gained statute revisits desires

Answer 4

3) “Hence it came about that I concealed my pleasures ;and when I reached the years of reflection and began to look around me”

Question 5

• complex Jekyll starts to intertwine with Hyde as he takes over
• Jekyll desperate to escape as realisation of input with crimes
• reached the end/given up can not cope
• Hyde was him in another form confession of this
• surrender of pride and not arguing the facts
• goes against beliefs as man of science in final desperation/outburst
• guilt envelops him as he takes recognition of blame
• “Pious” shows clear religion and faith, exemplifies desperation
• shows a change in Jekyll as taking responsibility

Answer 5

4) “Utterson was amazed to find a copy of a pious work for which Jekyll had several times expressed…startling blasphemies”

Question 6

• recurring theme of duality of human nature
• see connection between the two, reader suspicions confirmed at end of novella
• shows good and evil cannot be separated completely. -confirms reader suspicions
• word choice “flesh” connotes sexual sins and conveys lustful desires
• Jekyll cannot contend remorse for Hyde’s crimes
• Hyde starting to take over and cross over into Jekyll, tearing down separation and destroy good
• “semblance” suggests disguise, other demeanour
• revealed in writing

Answer 6

5) “I have observed that when I wore the semblance of Edward Hyde, none could come near me at first without a visible misgiving of the flesh”

Question 7

• control of the rich and their master(Jekyll) over their fate
• “flock” shows the high number and coneys the group
• imagery of “sheep” shows the lack of sense of direction and instruction, lost without shepherd
• word choice “huddled” shows fear and them trying to form powerful group, consisting of weak individuals
• setting important and use of servants shows social beliefs(Victorian Britain)

Answer 7

6) “whole of the servants, men and women, stood huddled together like a flock of sheep”

Question 8

• social beliefs show reason to creation of Hyde
• pleasures confined to build up/make hyde more volatile
• sympathy from reader of Jekyll as society forced this action
• difference between rich and power and division in work and economy
• Jekyll had no choice as had reputation to uphold forced into corner. -jeopardise reputable status
• esteemed doctor and figure of socialite so much to lose
• shows appearance as orderly well kept, gentleman contrast to Hyde
• “kindness” conveys good and compassion to Jekyll that is not present in Hyde at all

Answer 8

7) “a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty…but every mark of capacity and kindness”

Question 9

• Jekyll’s own creation leads to his downfall/ends his life
• cannot separate good and evil and need to maintain the delicate balance
• first impressions not always conclusive not whole picture, evil lurking within
• surrender of any good in process by Jekyll surrendering to destroy Hyde

Answer 9

C) CONCLUSION