Gender & Sexuality Flashcards
Describe the main characteristics of the male characters in the novella.
The main characters are all male, confirmed bachelors or men whose lifestyles suggest bachelorhood, and they maintain close relationships only with other men.
How does the novella reflect themes of homosexuality in the late-Victorian period?
The novella is interpreted by some as an allegory about homosexuality, particularly through the relationships and interactions of the male characters.
Define the significance of ambiguous language in the novella.
Stevenson uses ambiguous, euphemistic language that can be interpreted as references to homosexuality, particularly in relation to Jekyll’s ‘irregularities’.
What is the nature of the relationship between Utterson and Enfield?
Although described as ‘distant kinsman’, Utterson introduces Enfield as his ‘cousin’, suggesting a complex and possibly ambiguous relationship.
How do Utterson and Enfield’s Sunday walks contribute to the interpretation of their relationship?
Their regular Sunday walks, described as the ‘chief jewel of each week’ despite being dull, imply a deeper, possibly hidden connection.
What does Enfield’s impression of Hyde suggest about Jekyll’s character?
Enfield’s belief that Hyde is blackmailing Jekyll implies a sexual connection, suggesting that Hyde may represent Jekyll’s own repressed desires.
How can Hyde be interpreted in relation to Jekyll’s repression?
By the end of the novella, Hyde can be understood as the embodied expression of Jekyll’s repression, likely including aspects of his sexuality.
Describe Hyde’s violent crimes in the context of sexual energy.
Hyde’s violent crimes can be seen as a horrifying expression of displaced sexual energy, reflecting an archetypal ‘lust-murder’ where killing gratifies and stimulates repressed sexual desires.
How does Hyde’s character serve as a metaphor for Victorian society’s view of homosexuality?
Hyde’s character acts as an extended metaphor for the contemporary perception of homosexuality as a degenerate disease, representing an evil that hides in plain sight within Victorian society.
Define the term ‘lust-murder’ as it relates to Hyde
‘Lust-murder’ refers to a type of murder that is driven by sexual desire, where the act of killing is intertwined with the gratification of repressed sexual urges, as seen in Hyde’s actions.
What aspects of Hyde’s domesticity reflect his character’s duality?
Hyde’s perverse domesticity is reflected in his incongruous femininity, which contrasts with his brutal, animalistic nature, showcasing traits like small stature, light step, and weeping.
How are women portrayed in relation to Hyde’s character?
Women in the narrative appear as anonymous, marginalized figures, often depicted as helpless victims, vicious lower-class ‘harpies’, or passive onlookers, highlighting their vulnerability in Hyde’s world.
Explain the significance of the servant-maid witnessing Carew’s murder.
The servant-maid’s role as a passive onlooker during Carew’s murder emphasizes the marginalization of women and their helplessness in the face of Hyde’s violence.
What does the encounter with the woman offering matches suggest about Hyde’s interactions?
The encounter with the woman offering matches, which occurs in a less frequented street, suggests a coded invitation and highlights the potential for exploitation and danger in Hyde’s interactions with women.
Gender & sexuality: Key quotations/references (chapter 2)
• Utterson views Jekyll’s connection to Hyde as a ‘strange preference or bondage’.
• Utterson ‘begin[s] to fear it is disgrace’.
• Utterson has a nightmare in which he sees Jekyll sleeping, when suddenly ‘the curtains of the bed plucked apart… [and] there would stand by his side a figure to whom power was given, and even at that dead hour he must rise and do its bidding’.
• Utterson fears Jekyll is haunted by ‘the ghost of some old sin’ and being eaten away by ‘the cancer of some concealed disgrace’.
• Utterson says ‘It turns me cold to think of this creature stealing like a thief to Harry’s bedside’.
