Jekyll Flashcards
Overview:
He develops a concoction which separates the positive and negative characteristics of himself and creates Hyde, a seemingly separate person which allows him to act in a way disapproved by society, to fulfil his pleasures. As the story unfolds, Jekyll loses control leading to Hyde appearing uninvited: this is perhaps Stevenson commenting on the increasing lack of control individuals can have over their behaviour after giving into temptation
“A fortnight later, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all intelligent, reputable men and all judges of good wine”
● Jekyll is sociable, well respected and well liked: behaving in a socially acceptable way. He is described elsewhere as a “charitable man” who carries “his head high” in public and social matters, putting on “a more commonly grave countenance before the public”.
“My devil had long been caged, he came out roaring
● This quote references the inner “devil”, which is a manifestation of Jekyll’s deepest desires in the form of Hyde. The notion of “devil” through religious allusion denotes a stark contrast with Christian ideas of morality. ● Furthermore, the verb “roaring” has connotations of an animalistic, uncontrolled, agitated and deadly expression of his repressed elements in Hyde, and the phrase “Propensity to ill” indicates a deeper, now natural tendency and inclination to immorality.
“Man is not truly one but truly two”
● Jekyll risks death to test his hypothesis that the human psyche can be split, and the quote’s syntactic parallelism emphasises the view that man cannot be pure as he is constantly in equilibrium between good and evil.
“he was now no less distinguished for religion”
This shows his difficult relationship with religion. He has previously studied religious texts but appears here to have rejected it. However, as the novella unfolds Jekyll “had fallen upon his knees and lifted his clasped hands to God” He has turned to God for redemption after realising his mistakes
