good and evil

Question 1

intro

Answer 1

• jekyll and hyde, published in 1886 by robert louis stevenson is a gothic novel that explores the struggles between good and evil
• stevenson uses the characters of jekyll and hyde, symbolism and narrative structure to reveal the coexistence of good and evil within individuals

Question 2

beginning

Answer 2

• good vs evil is presented through the comparison of Jekyll and Hyde
• hyde is presented as evil through the simile ‘like satan’
  -> suggests he is demonic’
• later on (chapter 2) it says that hyde is like ‘satans signature upon a face’
  -> connotes to the pious victorian society and comparing someone to be like the devil would be outrageous and would mean they were truly evil and wicked
• in comparison jekyll is described to have a ‘large handsome face’ and ‘every mark of capacity and kindness’

Question 3

‘like satan’

Answer 3

• religious connotations of hell
• satan is the embodiment of pure evil
• in the bible, the devil seeks to destroy and tempt people to sin - though at this point the audience is unaware that hyde tempts jekyll

Question 4

‘satans signature upon a face’

Answer 4

• sibilance of ‘satans signature’ makes the quote more ominous as it reminds audience of a serpent
  -> in the bible the serpent helps bring original evil into the world
  -> audience links this to hyde bringing pure evil into the world
• from a biblical standpoint, mankind was said to be gods work so as hyde is linked with ‘satan’ it sets him apart from the rest of mankind and makes it as if he is his own species

Question 5

middle

Answer 5

• hydes malevolent nature is presented through his violent behaviour
• metaphor ‘great flame of anger’ to describe hyde and suggest he has volcanic and volatile anger for the little girl
  -> hyde is maddened to the point of sheer rage
  -> emphasises that hyde is malicious and venomous
  -> freuds theory of physchoanalytics
• description of Jekyll’s house reflects Jekylls descent into violence and wickedness as he progressively becomes hyde more often
• the description ‘three dusty windows barred with iron’ mirrors a prison cell and reflects how jekyll locks himself away from society possibly because he feels guilty for his acts of cruelty

Question 6

end

Answer 6

• the good in jekyll has completely transformed into evil as hyde completely takes over jekylls body
• poole describes jekyll as ‘not pure’ and the medicines ‘last sample is impure and quite useless’ which alluded to how jekyll is no longer in control of his own body and that he is becoming permanently hyde. he is no longer the good and kind jekyll from the beginning, but cruel and vicious
• now that jekyll has permanently become hyde, poole claims ‘that thing is not my master’
  -> addressing jekyll as a ‘thing’ seems dehumanising and suggests jekyll has become a gothic monster which is no longer human
  -> this circles back the the beginning of the book of how hyde was seen as a monstrous and satanic figure but now it is jekyll being described that way
  -> also connotes the religious society in the victorian era and represents the readers disbelief when seeing how blasphemous jekyll becomes