Gothic and Supernatural Flashcards
“troglodytic”
There is evidence for Hyde’s humanity in the description of him as “troglodytic”. Troglodyte is another term for a caveman. By describing Hyde in this way, Stevenson may be suggesting that Hyde represents the common ancestor from which all modern humans are descended
“trampled calmly over the child’s body”
Hyde’s acts of violence defy explanation so by definition are supernatural. They are all unprovoked and also devoid of emotion. He “trampled calmly over the child’s body”. The verb “trampled” connotes animalistic aggression whilst the adverb “calmly” emphasises Hyde’s detachment from his actions.
“But the words were hardly uttered, before the smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair, as froze the very blood of the gentleman below”
Mr Hyde is depicted to be the literal bringer of death through the metaphor “froze the very blood” in “But the words were hardly uttered, before the smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair, as froze the very blood of the gentleman below”. The potency of “abject terror and despair” is reinforced by Stevensons use or siblance.
“The fog still slept on the wing about the drowned city”
Pathetic fallacy is often used in gothic literature to emphasise the supernatural aspect of the text. The sinister setting is highlighted by the pathetic fallacy and sibilance used in “The fog still slept
on the wing about the drowned city”
“Although a fog rolled over the city in the small hours, the early part of the night was cloudless… the lane…. was brilliantly lit…”.
Moreover, sinister goings on often happen at night. Before the murder of Danvers Carew Stevenson uses pathetic fallacy to create a tense atmosphere: “Although a fog rolled over the city in the small hours, the early part of the night was cloudless… the lane…. was brilliantly lit…”.
“Pall lowered over heaven”
Stevenson emphasises the darkness in the
novel. The less respectable parts of London are especially associated with darkness. In Soho, the light is always changing: this symbolises the narrative as a whole - only parts of the truth can be seen at any one time. Stevenson repeatedly mentions the fog. It’s so dense it covers the streets, making them a place of secrecy where crimes take place. During the Victorian era, London was known for its smoke. It was so dense that people sometimes fell into the Thames.
Stevenson uses the fog to isolate the characters and restrict the view of events. The fog symbolises mystery. For example, the fog in Jekyll’s house symbolises how deeply his secret is hidden, and Hyde’s house is surrounded by a “pall lowered over heaven”, which shows how the fog is
connected to death and sinister activities.
“sense of
strangeness”
“blistered and
distained”
“three dusty
windows barred
with iron”
Jekyll’s house shows both sides of his
character: the Hyde half has a “sense of
strangeness”. Jekyll’s house is divided, like his character - with the laboratory representing the shame and the hidden unconscious desires that Jekyll represses. This is why the door is “blistered and distained” which indicates the decay that Jekyll hides from society. Jekyll’s house is described as “three dusty windows barred with iron” The windows are blacked out, which could represent the unconscious part of his mind that he has suppressed and crushed from releasing.
“dingy windowless
structure”
“house of voluntary
bondage”
The laboratory is also described as a “dingy windowless structure”, which further suggests that his house is sinister. As Hyde becomes more powerful, this increases. The house becomes a “house of voluntary bondage”, which shows that Jekyll has chosen to lock himself in the house. Just as he has tried to hide from Hyde emerging, so the house has become a vessel for harbouring his unconscious and hidden self.
“a district of some
city in a
nightmare”
The streets are often empty, creating a sense of silence and mystery. Hyde’s attacks take place there, and there is therefore a nightmarish atmosphere around London’s streets. This is also emphasised by the use of pathetic fallacy (when weather is used to reflect the mood) and metaphors that describe the fog and the streets as frightening places. Soho is described as “a district of some city in a nightmare.
“embattled vapours?
“a fog rolled over the
city in the small
hours”
Stevenson also uses vague descriptions of
familiar settings, and there are rarely any
people in what is normally a busy city. The lack of characters makes the streets seem
isolated and mysterious. Instead of being
highly populated, there is a movement of “embattled vapours”. We also hear: “a fog rolled over the city in the small hours” These dynamic metaphors suggest that there are clandestine (secret) forces working within London, and these sinister forces of evil manifest in the weather and the conditions of fog and vapours in the air. These subterraneous hints and ambiguous symbols are familiar throughout the novel, and increase especially when Hyde is around.
