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
Novel’s reception by religious communities
A sermon in St Paul’s used text as it was seen as concerning the essential tale of Good vs Evil
Likened to writings of Apostle Paul as it concerned the “two-fold nature of man
Darwinism
theory evolution occurs by natural selection
fear of this scientific development going against religion and creation story
Stevenson plays on fears of degeneration or devolution by giving Hyde ape-like and cavemen esque features
Hyde labelled as “troglodyte”
“troglodyte”
comment on the theories of evolution
he is regression to the primitive and violent stage of development
Freud’s structural theory of the mind
The id is primitive, instinctual part of the psyche which contains hidden sexual and aggressive desires
The superego is individual’s moral conscience
The ego represents outward version of a person and is often a balance between the id and superego
Impact of Freud;s structural theory of the mind
Hyde is representative of an individual controlled wholly by the id whereas Dr Jekyll could be viewed as a character symbolising the ego
Stevenson included information relevant to readers at the time as Freud’s work had become very popular
Lombroso’s theory of atavism
presents idea some people are “born criminal”
studied criminals and found that many shared physical characteristics
concluded they were more primitive in an evolutionary sense than other people
Hyde had some atavistic traits
“pale and dwarfish”
shows Hyde’s atavistic traits
Dr Jekyll - key quotes
“i concealed my pleasures”
“my devil had long been caged, he came out roaring”
He was conscious of his “more furious propensity to ill”
“the hand that lay on my knee was corded and hairy”
“i felt younger, lighter, happier in body”
An overdose might “blot out that immaterial tabernacle which I looked to change”
“man is not truly one but truly two”
“I was driven to reflect deeply and inveterately on that hard law of life which lies at the root of religion”
“I was no more myself when I laid aside restraint and plunged in shame “
“Man is not truly one but two”
“Doom and burthen of our life”
“had I approached my discovery in a more noble spirit, had I risked the experiment while under the empire of generous or pious aspirations”
“i concealed my pleasures”
He suppressed his sinful side in order to gain social respect and withholding his “position in the world”. Jekyll explains how a pressure to keep his indulgence hidden with contemporary society has led to the creation of Hyde
“My devil had long been caged, he came out roaring … a more furious propensity to ill”
Jekyll’s inner “devil” is a manifestation of his deeper desires
connotations of “devil” also suggest that Jekyll’s desires are in direct opposition to contemporary Christian ideology
notion of “devil” through religious allusion denotes stark contrast with Christian Ideas of morality
roaring has connotations of an animalistic, uncontrolled, agitated and deadly expression of his repressed elements in Hyde
“propensity to ill” indicates deeper, more natural tendency and inclination to morality.
He was conscious of his “more furious propensity to ill”
implies a now natural inclination towards immorality
the hand that lay on my knee was corded and hairy
the hand, a symbol of respectability and honour, is invaded by free-flowing hair insinuating ideas of an unrestrained and uncontrolled freedom
I felt younger, lighter, happier in body
Stevenson uses triadic structure to show how burdensome the restraints of society are on Jekyll : without them, he, or more specifically Hyde, is able to indulge freely
tricolon structure shows Jekyll’s delight. This links to his moral obligations, which are worn away by his chemical mixture as he is no longer constrained by the maintenance of reputation when in a different body
“shook the very fortress of identity … blot out that immaterial tabernacle which I looked to change “
lexis from the semantic field of religion so shows that in Jekyll’s experiments he is encroaching on God’s territory
I was driven to reflect deeply and inveterately on that hard law of life which lies at the root of religion
Alliteration used and refers to common concept of guilt, conscience and sin
Jekyll attempts to isolate the moral and immoral to undercut the “root of religion”
Hyde - key quotes
“strong feeling of deformity”
“ape-like”
“incredibly mangled”
“shrank back with hissing intake of breath”
“seizing, surprising and revolting”
“savage laugh”
“damned juggernaut”
“ a man who was without bowels of mercy”
“ so ugly that it brought out the sweat on me like running”
“his every act and thought centred on self”
“ drinking pleasure with bestial avidity”
“ murderous mixture of timidity and boldness”
“He is not easy to describe … something displeasing, something downright detestable”
“snarled aloud into a savage laugh … extraordinary quickness”
“there was something abnormal and misbegotten”
“masked thing like a monkey jumped from among the chemicals”
“in the ranks of mankind was pure evil”
“it wasn’t like a man”
strong feeling of deformity
through physiognomy, his appearance would convict him as a criminal
Atavism
Damned Juggernaut
hugely overwhelming destructive force
religious connotations of damned - predestined to hell
a man who was without bowels of mercy
alliterative “w” shows how difficult it is to articulate Hyde as a character as he is a being who lacks all conventional morals
so ugly that it brought out the sweat on me like running
physical manifestation of evil who evokes disgust in all simply by sight
his every act and thought centred on self
selfish so this further aligns him with animals rather than humanity
drinking pleasure with bestial avidity
hedonistic connotations of excessive drinking further cause the reader to dislike Hyde for his self-indulgence
murderous mixture of timidity and boldness
stevenson’s use of antithesis highlights the internal conflict present in him, providing depth to his character
use of alliteration could imply that violence is an intrinsic behaviour
He is not easy to describe … something displeasing, something downright detestable”
Hyde is vague in nature and unable to be defined in words
evokes fear in other characters and the reader
use of ambiguity forces the reader to project their worst fears in Hyde
alliterative “d” reinforces a sense of repulsion; anaphoric repetition of “something” creates an air of intangibility
snarled aloud into a savage laugh … extraordinary quickness
sense of unrestrained and uncontrollable destruction and freedom
hyde is a degenerate
sibilance reinforces his underlying sinisterness
“extraordinary quickness” highlights Hyde’s supernatural force
there was something abnormal and misbegotten in the very essence of the creature
differentiates Hyde from all other beings
“very essence”, Stevenson is commenting on the true evil personality of Mr Hyde
could imply that Mr Hyde is the true essence of Dr Jekyll
In the ranks of mankind was pure evil
implies that Hyde has somehow infiltrated civil society
Utterson - Key Quotes
“a rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile”
“If he be Mr Hyde … I shall be Mr Seek”
“last good influence in the lives of down-going men”
“professional honour and faith to his dead friend were stringent obligations”
“besieged by questions”
“Hyde sat heavy on his memory”
a rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile
reserved and seemingly unaffected by emotion
if he be Mr Hyde … I shall be Mr Seek
shows innate curiosity which propels the plot forward
emphasises the theme of opposites and duality
last good influence in the lives of down-going men
man of significant morals as he is the last role models for criminals
professional honour and faith to his dead friend were stringent obligations
values friendship over curiosity
makes utterson an even more reliable narrator
Enfield - Key quotes
“I was coming home from some place at the end of the world, about three o’clock of a black winter morning “
“i make it a rule of mine : the more it looks like Queer street, the less I ask”
“I am ashamed of my long tongue”
I was coming home from some place at the end of the world, about three o’clock of a black winter morning
shows that he may not be as morally strict as he presents
links to the theme of duality
suggests he’s engaged in some dubious behaviour which contrasts with his reputable portrayal
heightens air of mystery surrounding the novella and the plot
I make it a rule of mine : the more it looks like Queeer Street , the less I ask
shows that if Utterson did not defy societal expectations by investigating, Jekyll would have been totally isolated
Enfield acts as a foil to Utterson here
Lanyon - Key quotes
“Jekyll became too fanciful for me “
“conscious at his touch of a certain icy pang along my blood”
jekyll became too fanciful for me
traditional and remains rooted in traditional science, highlighting the absurdities in Jekyll’sexperimentation
foil to Jekyll
Fricatives create harsh tone in his rejection of Jekyll
conscious at his touch of a certain icy pang along my blood
even Lanyon who symbolises rationality is shaken by his encounter with Hyde
Sir Carew - Key Quotes
“an aged and beautiful gentlemen with white hair”
“such an innocent and wild-world kindness”
“with the air of one very much surprised and a trifle hurt”
“London was startled by a crime of singular ferocity and rendered all the more notable by the high position of the victim”
“an aged and beautiful gentlemen with white hair”
white hair is a symbol of age, distinguishment, and perhaps purity
perpetuates Carew’s presentation as a victim in the plot and the description of Carew is feminised, adding to the view that females are hopeless in the novella
provides angelic connotations and emphasises his vulnerability
“such an innocent and wild-world kindness”
emphasises Carew’s vulnerability, heightening the magnitude and effect of the violence committed by Hyde against him
“with the air of one very much surprised and a trifle hurt”
increases tension surrounding his death, as this leads the reader to assume he was unaware of who Hyde was or why he was trying to hurt him
reinforces idea that Carew serves as more of a plot device rather than a three-dimensional character
London was startled by a crime of singular ferocity and rendered all the more notable by the high position of the victim”
Carew is being portrayed as a victim which heightens tension and works to the mystery/thriller genre of the novella
animalistic connotations of “ferocity” place Carew in the role of prey and Hyde as predator
“all human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil”
Dr Jekyll is being reflective on his experiment and condemning the existence of Hyde ad inhuman
“even as good shone upon the countenance of the one, evil was written broadly and plainly on the face of the other”
duality of human nature cannot be isolated
two elements are in delicate equilibrium, disrupting this equilibrium has terrible consequences
“i had gone to bed Henry Jekyll, I had awakened Edward Hyde”
awakened shows a deeper association between the two and implies a fluidity between either state
”an air of invitation” vs “sinister block of building”
duality of the city explored here
“a profound duplicity of life”
self-aware here of his true nature
“duality of purpose”
Jekyll is divided between his duties as an upstanding member of society and his basal instincts
pressure is heightened as he is a member of the upper class so is held to higher standards
man is not truly one but truly two
significance of the phrase is reinforced by the use of repetition and harsh constants
syntactic parallelism emphasise the view that man cannot be pure as he is constantly in equilibrium between good and evi;
Repression - key quotes
“cold, scanty and embarrassed”
“concealed [his] pleasures”
“storm of blows”
cold, scanty and embarrassed”
traits of a repressed character, he channels his passions into his investigation and profession
Science - Key Quotes
“the old dissecting room “
“began, in proportion as the crystals melted, to brighten in colour”
“unscientific balderdash”
“the old dissecting room “
links with immortality and Jekyll’s experimentation on the human body and mind
“began, in proportion as the crystals melted, to brighten in colour”
illogical word order shows Jekyll’s irrationality, which is juxtaposed with the traditional rationality of science, and this syntactic manipulation suggests that Jekyll is out of place in the scientific community
“unscientific balderdash”
highlights difference in scientific study and research that Lanyon and Jekyll undertakes
Lanyon focuses on the material realm, and so is able to balance his experiments with his religious beliefs
Jekyll focuses on metaphysical science
shown by the sibilance in “unscientific”
“that citadel of medicine” vs “the dismal quarter of Soho”
an area is able to present itself as being reputable however, it is never far than an area where criminality is rife
Violence - key quotes
“the man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground”
“he broke out in a great flame of anger, stamping with his foot, brandishing the cane, and carrying on like a madman”
“the man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground”
her young age makes the attack more brutal however, the unembellished language used could imply that this is more a disregard four human life than a deliberate act of malice
“he broke out in a great flame of anger, stamping with his foot, brandishing the cane, and carrying on like a madman”
metaphor “flame of anger” shows. Hyde’s volatility as well as relating to the semantic field of violence
ordered series of clauses which depict his behaviour contrast with the violent and irrational nature of it
If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also
Sin has a dual nature : reward and punishment
novella acts as a cautionary tale, showing how the rewards do not outweigh the punishment of acting sinfully
religion - key quotes
“if ever I read Satan’s signature upon a face, it is on that your new friend”
“i incline to Cain’s heresy”
Jekyll refers to the “law of life”
Dr Jekyll - Religion
turbulent relationship with religion
“had fallen upon his knees and lifted his clasped hands to God” - he only turns to God for redemption after realising his mistakes
Dr Jekyll - Freud’s structural theory of the mind
can be viewed as symbolising the ego - a balance between man’s basal instincts
Dr Jekyll - Marxism and
Dr Jekyll is a member of the bourgeoisie an by extension Hyde could also be considered a member,
violent actions that take place due to Hyde could be shown as Stevenson’s commentary on the behaviour of those with high status in society
violent trampling of the girl could be Stevenson commenting on the bourgeoisie behaviour towards the lower class
Jekyll as inventive
highly intelligent with a curious mind
symbolises the encroachment of science on religious thought
“all intelligent, reputable men and all judges of good wine”
Jekyll is sociable, well respected and well liked : behaving in a socially acceptable way
Hyde : Repression.
Mr Hyde’s name is an aptronym because he depicts elements of typically masculine behaviour that men in the Victorian era were expected to conceal and hide.
Jekyll and Hyde’s relationship
power and imbalance and increasing control Hyde has over Jekyll appears to propel the narrative of the novel forward.
As plot progresses, boundary between them becomes increasingly fluid and uncontrollable. Almost as if two is becoming one again
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
Jekyll explains that Hyde was pure evil, but Jekyll was still a mix of both evil and good. He had not been successful in creating a wholly good person
I was no more myself when I laid aside restraint and plunges in shame
Shows Dr Jekyll has failed in splitting the good and bad - rather he has enabled the evil to thrive and to subsume his underlying purity and innocence ; he can no longer return to society
doom and burthen of our life
relates to attempting to balance good and evil ; when one tries to isolate and exploit the individual aspects of good and evil, they unite with greater force
“had I approached my discovery in a more noble spirit, had I risked the experiment while under the empire of generous or pious aspirations”
“noble spirit” and “empire of generous or pious aspirations” highlight notion of Jekyll being accordance with scientific or moral protocol. Inverse iconic word order is used in “death and birth”, highlighting the fact that Jekyll’s desire to isolate moral and immoral goes above and beyond the restrictions of generations
besieged by questions
warlike imagery sows the extent of Utterson’s curiosity
hyde sat heavy on his memory
alliteration -show the physical impact of Utterson’s insatiable curiosity in this metaphor
storm of blows
metaphor highlights intensely violent murder of Carew, implying thy Hyde is concentrated form of Jekyll’s repressed activities and characteristics
it is more than ten years since Henry Jekyll became too fanciful for me
stevenson use of temporal deixis suggests the distance between them over time. fricatives in “fanciful” allude to Lanyon’s falsity as a friend. whilst Lanyon is preoccupied with Jekyll’s wrong doing.
How is Macbeth first presented ?
noble warrior and loyal thane
first three prophecies from the witches
Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor
Macbeth will become king
Banquo’s descendants will become kin’s
second three prophecies from the witches
Beware Macduff
“No man of woman” can kill him
He won’t be defeated unless Birnam Wood
Ambition and Power
Macbeth is the play’s tragic hero & hamartia is ambition
In Ancient greek tragedies, tragic hero will be punished by the gods for their actions however shakespeare decides to punish him but in a Christian context
Lady Macbeth presented as ambitious but her punishment is equally severe but far less noble
Ambition and Power - Shakespeare’s intention
presenting a morality play to his Jacobean audience : message - allow yourself to be morally corrupted & act against societal norms and you will suffer the consequences
Kingship and the Divine Right of Kings
Jacobean audience would have believed in the Divine Right of Kings : that kings derived their authority from God and therefore could not be challenged
Macbeth’s treasons are an act of regicide was an act against God
Christian audience would have thought regicide as a mortal sin. Means dying without that grace of God and being condemned to Hell, terrifying for a Jacobean
In the play, Duncan is referred to as a “king”, but Macbeth is frequently called a tyrant
Kings were seen to bring harmony to their kingdom - in line with God’s plan - but tyrants bring only chaos and disorder
Kingship and Divine Right of Kings - Shakespeare’s intentions
can be seen upholding these contemporary views about kingship
may also be suggesting that those unaccustomed and undeserving of power will be destroyed by it
shakespeare is suggesting that kings are legitimate rulers but tyrants are not
