Jekyll and Hyde Flashcards
Duality - key quotes
“about three o’clock of a black winter morning”
“all human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil”
“even as good shone upon the countenance of the one, evil was written broadly and plainly on the face of the other”
“i had gone to bed Henry Jekyll, I had awakened Edward Hyde”
“an air of invitation” vs “sinister block of building”
“a profound duplicity of life”
“duality of purpose”
“man is not truly one but truly two”
Good and evil - key quotes
My devil had long been caged: he came out roaring
“I had now two characters as well as two appearances, one was wholly evil, and the other was still the old Henry Jekyll, that incongruous compound”
Duality - man is not truly one, but truly two
- presents theme of duality in character of Jekyll as his inner sinister desires and his outward respectable persona are in conflict w each other, leading to his creation of Hyde
- stevenson is concerned about duality of human nature and society in general and considers idea that everyone is capable of good and evil deeds
Appearance vs reality
An outward image that is very different from the truth
Appearance vs Reality quotes
the fellow had a key
shady lawyers
“that citadel of medicine” vs “the dismal quarter of Soho”
the fellow had a key analysis
shows the way Hyde is able to transcend balance between appearance and reality.
Doors become a metaphor of transition in the novel and the theme of transition is closely linked to that of aprreance and reality
door acts a barrier to prevent one’s true nature from being revealed
shady lawyers analysis
oxymoron
ironic as they should be delivering justice but are in fact exploitative criminals themselves
Utterson defies this stereotype by being the moral compass of the novella
form - theme of appearance and reality
overall form acts as an extended metaphor
chapter titles are relatively understated and do not provoke emotion in the reader where as their contents are composed of mystery and fear
juxtaposition further emphasises dual themes
Secrecy and Reputation Topic sentences
Stevenson creates a suspicious atmosphere in which characters are forced to keep secrets out of fear of their reputation being ruined
By including secrecy as a key theme which is woven throughout the narrative, Stevenson is heightening tension
Secrecy and reputation Key Quotes
“make his name stink from one end of London to the other”
“I feel very strongly about putting questions: it partakes too much of the style of the day of judgement. You start a question and its like starting a stone. You sit quietly on the top of a hill : and away the stone goes, starting others”
“the large handsome face of Dr Jekyll grew pale to the very lips and there came a blackness about his eyes. ‘I do not car to hear more,’ said he. ‘This is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop’”
“It turns me cold to think of this creature stealing like a thief to Harry’s bedside”
“I cannot say that I care what becomes of Hyde;I am quite done with him. I was thinking of my own character, which this hateful business has rather exposed”
“I wish you to judge for me entirely… I have lost confidence in myself”
make his name stink from one end of London to the other
uses olfactory imagery in this metaphor to show how Jekylls reputation could be tarnished. As he was well known in society it is evident the whole of London would find out what he’d done
“I feel very strongly about putting questions: it partakes too much of the style of the day of judgement. You start a question and its like starting a stone. You sit quietly on the top of a hill : and away the stone goes, starting others”
metaphor
presenting the idea that asking untoward questions leads to a cascading effect throughout society which causes all reputation to be destroyed
“the large handsome face of Dr Jekyll grew pale to the very lips and there came a blackness about his eyes. ‘I do not car to hear more,’ said he. ‘This is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop’”
use of colour imagery and antithesis between “pale” and “darkness” highlights a damaging transformation as well as a need to keep it a secret
“It turns me cold to think of this creature stealing like a thief to Harry’s bedside
metaphor “turns me cold “ shows severity of the implications of this accusation and animalistic connotations of “creature” further highlights the criminality of the act and the need to keep it a secret
“I cannot say that I care what becomes of Hyde;I am quite done with him. I was thinking of my own character, which this hateful business has rather exposed”
JYKL attempts to disassociate himself from Hyde. Stevenson also heightens the reader’s curiosity here by ambiguously referring to “this hateful business”
“I wish you to judge for me entirely… I have lost confidence in myself”
shows he no longer cares about retaining his reputation which would be uncharacteristic of a Victorian gentlemen
Friendship Key Quotes
“even [Utterson’s] friendships seemed to be founded in a similar catholicity of good nature”
“Henry Jekyll became too fanciful for me”
“it is more than ten years since Henry Jekyll became too fanciful for me”
“even [Utterson’s] friendships seemed to be founded in a similar catholicity of good nature”
verb founded evokes connotations of security, longevity and reliability.
religious connotations which add to the readers impression of Utterson’s morality, implying that he is a good person and therefore a good friend
“Henry Jekyll became too fanciful”
use of temporal deixis “became” emphasises extent of their disagreement and suggests the distance grew between them over time.
fricatives in “fanciful” implies falsity. Stevenson may be implying Landon should be interpreted to be a false friend
Duality Topic sentences
Stevenson presents the theme of duality primarily in the character of Jekyll as his inner sinister desires and his outward respectable persona are in conflict with each other, leading to his creation of Hyde
While Jekyll is presented as a respectable gentleman, Stevenson hints at his cunning, secretive and deceitful nature by the manner in which he is first described, further alluding to the dual aspect of his character.
Jekyll is not simply portrayed as a purely good character, which reinforces Stevenson’s idea that human nature itself is both complex and multifaceted
Throughout the novella, Jekyll finds himself living a double life and he is unable to reconcile the two sides of his character:
He wishes to be a respected doctor adhering to the highest moral standards. However, he also yearns to engage in malevolent acts
Duality is further revealed in the novella’s setting of London:
Stevenson presents the city of London with contrasting descriptions where affluent streets exist next to areas of degradation and poverty
The description of Jekyll’s house is also used to reveal a duality.
Stevenson presents the door at the front as having a “great air of wealth and comfort” leading to the reputable Jekyll; while the door at the back, which has an impression of “sordid negligence” leads to the repungant Hyde
The door is used as a metaphor for the inner struggles between their two identities:
Stevenson uses this to comment on the deceptive outward appearance of upper Victorian society
Stevenson also hints at the concept of duality in other characters:
Utterson is described as a man having “a rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile”, but also a man of “soundness of mind and ease of manner”
Stevenson hints that Enfield has all the exterior of a gentleman, though may also have sinister secrets of his own
Theme of Duality - Stevenson’s intentions
Stevenson is concerned about the duality of human nature and society in general and considers the idea that everyone is capable of good and evil deeds
Stevenson may also have used the dualities in the novella to reflect a society rapidly moving from the past into a new modern world
Good and Evil Topic Sentences
Jekyll is presented as a man with a reputation and a respected member of society representing good, while Hyde is depicted as a manifestation of evil:
In Jekyll’s view, “man is not truly one, but truly two” and while he is aware of his good side, he also acknowledges there is evil within him
Jekyll believes that it is the “curse of mankind” that good and evil are bound together within him and the two parts are in direct conflict with one another:
Stevenson aims to highlight this idea of an innate duality and the implications of giving in to one’s own evil side
Hyde’s sinister presence and actions are a constant reminder of the power of evil throughout the novella:
He invokes terror in other characters and again this may hint at the possibility of the inner evil and depraved nature that resides within each person
Stevenson depicts Hyde as an inherently violent character and he displays no remorse for his crimes:
Both of Hyde’s victims are presented as innocent and vulnerable which elicits sympathy from the reader and makes them horrified at the wickedness of Hyde’s actions
All of the characters who encounter Hyde are repulsed by the sense of evil that he exudes:
For example, Stevenson uses contrasting imagery to describe Carew and Hyde to highlight the difference between what we could infer is the “good” character of Carew and the “evil” character of Hyde:
The imagery associated with Carew is linked to lightness and innocence: for example, “an aged and beautiful gentleman with white hair” while Hyde is depicted as having an “ape-like fury”
Hyde is described in terms of animalistic imagery which strengthens as the novella develops: for example, “savage”, “snarled”, “ape-like fury” and “hardly human” all allude to his aggressive, predatory and primitive nature:
Stevenson’s deliberate use of animal imagery is used to suggest Hyde’s separateness from human society and his unrestricted nature
Stevenson associates Hyde with Christian ideas about Hell and Satan and Jekyll repeatedly refers to him as “my devil”
Further, Stevenson presents evil through Hyde’s manner and appearance but he deliberately chooses to make that evil to remain somewhat undefined:
This lack of a clear definition of evil in the novella makes it appear more pervasive and more terrifying
Good and Evil - Stevenson’s intention
Stevenson presents good and evil as a constant duality throughout the novel and portrays it as a natural facet of the individual, which results in an ongoing battle between the two
Stevenson proposes that the inherent evil aspect of man is merely suppressed by society and he attempts to explore the consequences of attempting to separate one from the other
Secrecy and Reputation Topic Sentences
Jekyll is depicted as a respectable, model gentleman: he is courteous, has a wide circle of acquaintances, is charitable and supports the Church:
Underneath this veneer of respectability, Jekyll retains his dark secret, for if exposed to society, it would result in his utter ruination
Stevenson also presents other characters who appear to retain secrets or fail to disclose information about their behaviour:
Lanyon refuses to tell Utterson as to why he had a disagreement with Jekyll; Enfield and Carew do not disclose why they are out walking the London streets late at night:
This heightens the sense of secrecy and suspicion within the novella, as characters withhold information in order to protect their reputation or the reputation of others
Ideas relating to secrecy are also revealed through descriptions and events within the narrative:
Stevenson continually references locked doors and windows, and letters with information that must not be read, which all heighten the sense of mystery of what is not being revealed to the reader:
In Chapter I, “The Story of the Door” Stevenson uses the door and lock to suggest how it can prevent the true nature of a person from being revealed
For example, “The door was very strong, the lock was excellent” underscores how deeply hidden and protected Jekyll’s secret appears to be that it cannot be easily penetrated
Secrecy and Reputation - Stevensons intentions
Stevenson conveys how reputation is based merely on one’s appearance to society, rather than one’s actual conduct and this leads to ideas about hypocrisy
Stevenson demonstrates the extent to which the characters place reputation and respectability above responsibility
Science and Religion Topic sentences
Stevenson uses fear of the unknown to create anxiety and terror in the novella:
Victorian concerns about the progress of science makes Jekyll’s experiment even more terrifying as they would have feared his experiment might have been possible
Lanyon is presented as conservative and traditional in his approach to science:
Stevenson positions Lanyon as the only character to witness Jekyll’s transformation, as his belief in the laws of science does not enable him to comprehend what he has witnessed: for example, he states “My life is shaken to its roots”
Lanyon’s shock at Jekyll’s experiment is so great that it leads to his own physical and mental deterioration and subsequent death
Stevenson presents Utterson as a highly moral and devout Christian and he is depicted as a model Victorian gentleman:
He is described as being “austere with himself” and that he restricts his pleasures: for example, he enjoys attending the theatre though had not frequented one for twenty years, due to their somewhat poor reputation
Mr Utterson
respectable lawyer
symbolises honesty
moral compass of the novella
Dr Jekyll
seemingly reputable doctor
symbolises repression as well as insatiable curiosity
Mr Hyde
Dr Jekyll’s evil doppelgänger
symbolises man’s basal instincts
Dr Lanyon
well-respected member of scientific community
symbolises reputability
foil to Dr Jekyll
Poole
Dr Jekyll’s butler
symbolises loyalty
Sir Danvers Carew
Mp and member of high society
his death symbolises Hyde’s disregard for conventional authority
Mr Enfield
Mr Utterson’s cousin
key to the theme of repression and silence
“the street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighbourhood”
theme of duality
links to the interpretation of the novella as a metaphor for the division seen in Stevenson’s contemporary Edinburgh
sibilance used in “street shone” implies the presence of this duality poses as an underlying threat
“some damned juggernaut”
satanic connotations of “damned” are juxtaposed against the omnipotent connotations of “juggernaut”
implies Hyde is unrestricted by conventional ideas of religious morality
“something displeasing, something downright detestable”
repetition of something implies Hyde is more a thing than a being
repeated harsh “d” introduce Hyde as a force of evil
“strong feeling of deformity”
ambiguity created by “feeling” establishes an impression of uncertainty surrounding Hyde.
“Henry Jekyll, M.D., D.C.L, L.L.D., F.R.S., etc”
by giving all of Jekyll’s qualifications, his high rank and respectability are shown
can be aligned w conventional expectations of the Victorian gentlemen
“Cavendish square, that citadel of medicine”
Lanyon presented as a reliable source through Stevenson’s description of him. This contrasts w Jekyll living closer to the less reputable part of London (“tramps slouched into the recess”)
“unscientific balderdash”
As Jekyll and Hyde was written in 1885 and Darwin’s theory of evolution was published in 1859, people’s scientific views were a controversial issue.
So despite Utterson’s dismissal of their arguments as a “little spirit of temper”, a contemporary reader would be aware of the significance of Lanyon’s distaste towards Jekyll
“ape-like fury”
simile has animalistic connotations and also alludes to Darwin’s work
this will make a deal of noise
metaphorical languages shows Hyde had disregarded Carew’s high status in his act of violence
shows Victorian society’s preoccupation with rank
“he had his death warrant written legibly upon his face”
fatalistic connotations create an impression of foreboding, metaphor which fulfils gothic convention
“Utterson could not trust his eyes”
idea of characters being betrayed by their senses is a typical gothic trope and adds to the mysteriousness of the scene
significant that Utterson experiences this as he previously represented rationality
“a dismal screech, as of mere animal terror, rang from the cabinet”
auditory imagery of “screech” connotes owl, an animal commonly featured in gothic literature
“mere animal terror” reduces both Jekyll and Hyde to a creature of instinct, leaving this as their legacy
“the body of a man sorely contorted and still twitching”
harsh consonants in “contorted” as well as the use of the continuous verb “twitching” shows his discomfort in death and sit uncomfortably with reader
“like a man restored from death - there stood Henry Jekyll”
religious connotations of resurrection contrast with previous sciences which emphasises the amoral content of the novel
key feature of fin de siècle
“my souls sickened”
alliterative sibilance shows horrific consequence of Jekyll’s revelation to Lanyon
“compound man’s dual nature”
theme of repression
shows Jekyll’s awareness of the duality present in human nature
“Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil”
Hyde is the embodiment of all of the evil in Jekyll’s character
“alone in the ranks of mankind” links to theme of isolation & suggests Jekyll felt isolated in his role as stereotypical Victorian Gentlemen
Context - religious allusion
majority of the population would have been religious so by referencing the Bible, Stevenson is using a universally recognised system of symbolism.
Examples of biblical and religious allusion
“really like satan”
“that human Juggernaut” - likens him to powerful Hindu God
“if ever I read Satan’s signature upon a face, it is on that of your new friend”
“I incline to Cain’s heresy”
“I incline to Cain’s heresy”
Biblical story of Cain and Abel in which Cain murders his brother Abel.
Some believe he is the origin of good and evil
The comparison between the two brothers is symbolic of duality found within Jekyll and Hyde
Transmorphism
Bible implies only Christ has the power to perform change in society, and that transformation should have residual positive effect
Jekyll disregards this when he changes without Christ’s input and secondly when he utilises the ability to trans morph for destructions
Impact of religion on characters
Utterson’s schedule is set according to the ring of the church bells which implies significance of religion over his life
