Jekyll Flashcards
how is Jekyll initially presented
as a respectable, upper class gentleman in Victorian society
rational and takes precautions when necessary
how does Jekyll’s character change as the story progresses
as the story progresses, the darker side of Jekyll’s personality becomes more evident
his desires to indulge himself in immoral activities as Hyde grows become increasingly more evident
what leads to Jekyll’s downfall
Jekyll is often consumed by his desires to fully explore and gain knowledge on the duality of human nature
this, along with his righteous facade and obsession of maintaining his position in society eventually leads to his downfall
what is Jekyll a symbol of
Jekyll represents the dual nature of man and the understanding that all humans have both inherent good and inherent evil. This was prevalent (widespread) in the Victorian era, as many gentlemen had a sophisticated outward appearance, but often partook in sinful deeds due to extreme suppression of desires
These desires were in more cases suppressed in fear of tarnishing one’s reputation, as this was the hallmark of an upper-class gentleman
Jekyll quotes - beginning
‘a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty’ / ‘every mark of capacity and kindness’
‘the large handsome face of Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness around his eyes’
‘the moment i choose, i can be ride of Mr Hyde’
‘a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty’ / ‘every mark of capacity and kindness’
‘smooth-faced’ connotes Jekyll well groomed and presentable - he is respected by the community and follows Victorian societal expectations
‘kindness’ implies he’s sociable, friendly
by presenting Jekyll as an ideal Victorian gentleman, Stevenson ensures the reader will be shocked when they learn about Hyde due to the contrast between the two
‘the large, handsome face of Jekyll grew pale to the lips, and there came a blackness around his eyes’
juxtaposition implies his handsomeness could serve as a deceitful mask; hints towards his pretentious nature
‘blackness’ in his eyes connotes evil and danger, provoking an image of concealed darkness that’s hidden behind his gentlemanly appearance
we get a sense of Stevenson’s overall message here as he seems willing to tarnish the image of a reputable gentleman to exemplify the strong duality of man present in those times
Jekyll quotes - middle
‘i swear to God i will never set my eyes on him again’
Jekyll looks down on Utterson and Enfield ‘like some disconsolate prisoner’
‘i swear to God i will never set my eyes on him again’
(Jekyll says this when Utterson confronts him about Hyde’
suggests Jekyll has had enough of Hyde and will no longer associate with him and his malevolence (a wish to do evil to others). Jekyll is presented as a cautious and rational persons who understood the dangers that Hyde poses to him and his reputation: one of the more prestigious characteristics for a victorian gentleman
‘I swear to God’ emphasises seriousness and sincerity. The adverb ‘never’ creates a tone of finality and implies his decision is absolute
phrase would be particularly controversial for a Victorian reader as the majority of them were religious and thought swearing to God and lying was one of the most sinful deeds that could be committed
Stevenson portrays Jekyll as desperate to convince Utterson there will be no more of Hyde, which could foreshadow his struggles to terminate Hyde
Jekyll quotes - end
‘younger, lighter, happier’
‘my devil has been long caged, he came out roaring’
‘younger, lighter, happier’
reference to him being ‘younger’ could relate to Hyde having been so underdeveloped previously
the fact he was ‘lighter’ could suggest his smaller size, but the connotations here might suggest that the weight that has been lifted is actually is conscience; he no longer feels the weight of the responsibility that he once did
this is supported with the fact he is now ‘happier’ as he has none of the guilt that is associated with extreme religiosity
Stevenson is criticising the Victorian society that supported suppression of feelings over the freedom of expression
Jekyll looks down on Utterson and Enfield ‘like some disconsolate prisoner’
(disconsolate means very unhappy)
(Jekyll is ultimately forced into hiding due to his addiction and lack of control over Hyde)
the simile reflects his struggles with his conflicted desires and impulses
use of ‘disconsolate’ evokes an image of Jekyll being deeply unhappy and dissatisfied with life
the noun ‘prisoner’ suggests his confinement and captivity by his own body and mind, emphasising his inability to fully express his desires
this supports Stevenson’s notion of Jekyll being deeply as deceptive as his dual nature is brought to light
externally he is reputable in society
internally he wishes to indulge in Hyde’s mischievous pleasures without bearing the consequences
Through this Stevenson hints towards the pressure on Victorian gentlemen to maintain their status, while feeling isolated from the repression of their desires and darker sides of their natures, similar to Jekyll
this would leave a contemporary reader wondering whether society is truly putting so much pressure on their gentlemen
‘my devil has been long caged, he came out roaring’
implies that Jekyll’s dark nature finally emerged in a powerful and destructive manner, like a wild animal which appropriately links to the release of demons inside him as he had delved into his supernatural science
metaphor strongly indicates his dual nature as he portrays himself as a respectable, upright member of society, whilst secretly indulging in desires
the religious imagery of ‘devil’, which is the epitome of evilness, highlights Jekyll’s secret wickedness
verb ‘roaring’ shows his aggression and ferocity, comparing it to an inhumane beast. this could link to Darwin’s theory of evolution, which instilled a fear of developing into a more primitive state, as Victorian society believed that if humans and apes both evolved from the same ancestor, it was definitely possible to devolve. this may have happened to Jekyll, as his strong desires for evil overtook his obsession with maintaining respect and honour. this links to ‘Frankenstein’, which was also published in the Victorian era, in which the fear of the horrific scientific experiments was developed further, exaggerating the sense of horror associated with science that tampered with human nature.
‘the moment i choose, i can be rid of Mr Hyde’
verb ‘choose’ highlights Jekyll’s belief that he is in control - this is ironic as he doesn’t realise he’s addicted to being Hyde
Stevenson uses Jekyll to portray Victorian arrogance that stems from overly repressive society. He criticises the society which causes Victorian gentlemen to suppress their desires with stubborn determination in order to be viewed as reputable
conclusion on Jekyll’s character
Jekyll’s character develops through the novella, as the hints of his secret nature become more prevalent as the novel progresses
Ultimately, Jekyll was not able to control his desires to break free from the constraints of being a gentleman in Victorian society
this further emphasises Stevenson’s overall message of there being a strong sense of duality in gentlemen of the Victorian era, which became overwhelming and the cause of trouble for those who aimed to maintain a high standard and class in society
