Jekyl And Hyde Quotes Flashcards
Quote relating to Jekyll’s laboratory door
‘Thrust forward’ links to the imposition of the building and highlights it within the prosperous street in London.
‘Neither Bell nor knocker’ rids all welcome from the door, telling you it was not build to receive visitors.
Quote about London setting.
‘Mournful re invasion of darkness’ shows London being overcome and dominated by a higher power and Jekyll’s inability to reverse the effects of his actions. Mourning Jekyll’s old self that ‘held every mark of capacity and kindness’.
Industrial revolution meant gloom and fog were very common, distorting London to make it seem nightmarish.
‘Great chocolate-coloured pall lowered over heaven’. Chocolate was a rich luxury at the time which only the upperclassmen could afford, this shows that Jekyll (gentleman) had over indulged in his dark side to the point of crossing a boundary between mystic and transcendental.
Dr Jekyll quotes
He was ambitious, ‘every guarantee of an honourable and distinguished future.’ It was this ambition combined with a guilty conscience that then drove him to explore Hyde further.
He was a pillar of society despite ‘wearing a grave countenance before the public’. Shows how society’s pressures of Elizabethan England has forced him to suppress his darker sides which has ultimately led to his troubles, ‘I bring the life of that unhappy Jekyll to an end’. Feel sympathy for him as normal man dealing with human nature. ‘No one has ever suffered such torments’.
Edward Hyde quotes.
He was self-centred with ‘every act and thought centred on self’ which led to his ‘delight’ in his unprovoked violence. He was merciless, ‘without bowels of mercy’, the mention of the human organ ‘bowels’ suggests Hyde’s inhuman qualities which leads to him as a fearful character as he has no limit to his actions due to the riddance of a conscience. With him comes an inexplicable, ‘imprint of deformity and decay’ which no characters can quite understand, further linking to his lack of human relation. ‘Decay’ suggests Jekyll’s reversal of evolution in his attempts to rid ‘the curse of mankind’ that is their dual nature. He’s compared to animals throughout the play, in ‘apelike fury’ showing his barbarism and primitivity linking to Stephenson’s atheist beliefs in the theory of evolution. This contrasts with the civilised Victorian society.
‘Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.’ Despite his animalistic side, he’s also presented as intelligent while showing weakness at times.
What does the ‘emotional as a bagpipe’ sawbones’ reaction to Hyde show?
Shows that civilised people have immoral thoughts too but don’t act out on them. Also shown by the inexplicable loathing of Hyde everyone senses when they meet him which reveals the repression of their dark side too.
Quotes about Jekyll and Hyde’s relationship.
J alternates between 1st and 3rd person, reflecting his hypocrisy as he understands man’s dual nature but refuses to accept Hyde as part of him. ‘“He, I say- I cannot say, I”’ 3rd person distances him from Hyde. Their physical and mental characteristics contrast greatly, ‘tall, fine build’ (showing respectability as people would look up to him and seen as strong figure) and ‘dwarfish’ (looked down upon) & ‘all men’s respect’ vs ‘damnable’. J increasingly loses control of H, ‘slowly losing hold of my original and better self’ shows his failed attempts to control H. As he becomes addicted (‘drunkard’) linking to Stephenson’s opium addiction. This is shown in his inability to give up the house in SoHo. J’s repression of H means he only comes back stronger, giving an underlying message that repression of one’s dark side may result in more problems. Referred to with, ‘a son’s indifference’ (one sided relationship) and ‘more than a father’s interest’ (obsession with Hyde). J (creator) cares about Hyde while H hates his dependence on J (place to conceal himself) so wants to be separate. ‘The brute that slept within him’, shows J’s self loathing. H resents him and so punishes him showing that you need a balanced life rather than conceal sins. J ‘smiled at the notion’ of transformation to Hyde and finds it ‘humorous’. J enjoys freedom of constraints from society and inhibitions, ‘like a schoolboy, strip off these landings and spring headlong into the sea of liberty.’ Schoolboy shows sense of naivety. Although afterwards,’conscience slumbered’ as still considers to be other person. More bad than good in Jekyll? Although Jekyll does have bad and H has good sometimes.
Quotes about Utterson
Curious/ brave/ loyal, ‘I shall consider it my duty to break down that door’ is troubled by inexplicability of events as H has, ‘engaged, or rather enslaved’ his imagination and feels a, ‘singularly strong, almost an inordinate curiosity.’ Shows how lack of restraint is seen as a sin. It’s this curiosity and loyalty to Hyde that drives him to solve the mystery. Reputable (typical stereotype) contrasting w Hyde. “The last good influence in the lives of down-going men” makes you feel a reassured that he will help Jekyll in his ‘downgoing’ ways. His, ‘rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile’ exaggerates all emotional reactions that he goes through during the play and Hyde’s abilities to bring out people’s dark sides in even the most unreactive of beings. Is rational man of reason, meaning analysis of Hyde’s reputation scientifically in slow reveal and inability to comprehend irrationality. Is a lawyer (like Stephenson) showing unbiased and balanced analysis of the sequence of events.
You could say another drive is the fact that he may see an element of his own darker side in Hyde. He represses his desires while Jekyll suppresses themes, he’s ‘austere’, ‘cold’ and ‘dreary’, on,y showing more human aspects later on in the play as we learn suppression of emotion leads to deeper problems. His refusal to gossip/ go against restraint for truth (in the letter) ultimately delays him in solving the ‘curious’ case. Follows rules but understands needs for breaking them.
Dr Lanyon quotes
At beginning of play, is sociable, flamboyant and friendly, (‘welcomed him with both hands’). Has dispute with Jekyll over his ‘unscientific balderdash’ as feels it crosses a line between religion and science. Jekyll calls him an, ‘ignorant, blatant pedant’ showing criticisms of the character lanyon who is too stuck with restraints and rules of society also linking him to utterson as a man of restraint who rationalises truth about Jekyll. However, he’s overcome with curiosity (tempted by knowledge) and gives in to the witnessing of J&H’s transformation. He’s ‘soul sickened’, relating to ‘decay’ associated with Hyde. Life views proven to be wrong, and ‘the rosy man had grown pale’.
Quotes about Enfield
He shares the same values as U (embodies Victorian values) and is the introductory character to the mystery. Threatens Hyde with his reputation. ‘Ashamed of my long tongue’ shows his restraint and difference to U in aspect of curiosity as goes no further to find truth, ‘the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask.’ This also links to everyone’s awareness of sinning yet lack of questions (hinting at an immoral side to him as to why he’s out late). Him and U are drawn together despite differences.
Quotes about Poole
Loyal, 20 year butler, knows J well; makes U’s reluctance to believe P’s theory unreasonable. Cares about Jekyll, reflecting well on J’s character as is worthy of concern.
Reputation quotes
Reputation can’t be trusted on appearance. J is more worried about reputation than sins.
‘In a moment, like a schoolboy, strip off these landings and dive headlong into the sea of liberty’ shows naivety and inability to be dual, must have full immersion in sins or no sin at all.
‘Austere with himself’
‘Grave countenance before the public’
‘High views’ vs ‘black secrets’
Respectability is prioritised over honesty.
Duality quotes
Double lives of gentlemen, ‘high views’ vs ‘ black secrets’. ‘Primitive duality of man’
Primitive instinct to be dual, relating to Darwinism and Stephenson’s atheism, ‘two sides at war’ showing evils win at the end (more evil than good in J). ‘Two nature’s that contended in the field.’ Shows how conflict between people may show conflict within themselves too. ‘Ordinary secret sinner’ sympathises with J’s duality as a Normal man dealing w instinct.
Much religion imagery (heaven and hell) ‘Satan’s signature’
Jekyll regrets intentions in experiments and says H could have been, ‘an angel instead of a fiend’ if he’d been more pious w intentions.
Relates to evangelicalism’s belief that a&W meant all humans are inevitably sinful.
Quotes about science vs religion:
J & Lanyon are both scientists (rational) but both Christian (calls on God for help) with different approaches. Lanyon keeps science and religion separate while J combines it. ‘Towards the mystic and transcendental’. Science & religion was conflict at Victorian times, thought evolution was dangerous view as showed science can create life (much like creation of Jekyll). Evangelicalism teaches everyone has sin due to A&E. Criticises beliefs of being religious in public n sinful in private. Jekyll’s work is portrayed as mysterious and disturbing due to hideous change to Hyde, ‘racking pangs’ n ‘deadly nausea’. Vague language in lab portrays mystery of experiment. Incomplete experiment that went out of control. Tries to change God’s creation, ‘alone in the ranks of mankind’ which he is ultimately punished for as the, ‘chief of sufferers’.
Quotes about secrecy:
Slow reveal in plot, only revealed in chap 10. Jekyll’s, ‘luxuries’ (sins) aren’t described, making you imagine worst. Links to gentlemen’s ignorance of unpleasant things. Jekyll refuses to speak about Hyde as can’t admit origin. There’s an overall down play of major events, the trampled girl is described as a, ‘bad story’ and Jekyll’s death was responded to with a, ‘tut-tut’. This shows determination to maintain normality. Secrets are written, not spoken (too sinful to say out loud?)
There are also many closed doors and windows, this represents desire to hide secrets, leads to smashing of door as symbolic as breakdown of Jekyll’s secrecy.
