Enfield Key Themes Flashcards
“I was coming home from some place at the end of the world, about three ‘o’ clock of a black winter morning” chapter 1- said to Utterson
The setting: Enfield, though appearing as the epitome of respectability, possesses a concealed duality that subtly parallels the extreme dichotomy of Jekyll. The setting of “three o’clock of a back winter morning” implies secrecy or scandal as the early hours of the morning are typically reserved for more undignified activities. Juxtaposed against Utterson’s adherence to the curfew dictated by the church bells, Enfield breaches his respectability in subtle ways.
•Stevenson, through this subtle contrast, introduces the novella’s central theme: the duplicity inherent in the Victorian ideal. The seemingly upstanding gentleman, often possesses a hidden, potentially scandalous side, shattering the myth of unwavering respectability.
“The more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask” chapter 1
Colloquialism: “Queer Street” serves as a colloquial expression, accentuating the camaraderie and shared understanding between Utterson and Enfield through informal language.
However, even as Enfield dismisses his curiosity, the phrase hints at the petal facade of sanitised camaraderie among Victorian men.
Euphemism: The euphemism “Queer Street” hints at a deliberate avoidance of confronting the truth and acknowledging the gravity of the atrocities he has witnessed.
Enfield subtly vilifies curiosity, insinuating that Uttersons investigative nature may defy societal norms. Despite his nuanced duality evidenced by his early morning strolls at “three ‘o’ clock in the morning”, he remains bound to upholding Victorian conventions.
