jekyll and hyde Flashcards
why does R.L Stevenson use the theme of duality
represents every man which consists of several contrasting personality, similarly to him as a child
how does the different genres represent duality
contrasting genres of gothic which creates fear and mystery and scientific journal which offers rational explanation for Jekyll and Hyde’s actions
how does the setting of the novella represent duality
R.L Stevenson used class system as a theme - set in London which in 1800 experienced change where lower and middle class arrived and created division of the city with different class areas - contrasting areas. Hyde stayed in Jekylls labatory in lower class area - everyone else (rich) stayed in upper class areas
how did language represent duality (quote analysis)
‘trampled calmly’ - use of oxymoron contrasting language
Jekyll states about ‘mans dual nature’ - duality is an open secret throughout the novella
‘man is not truly one but truly two’
how do Jekyll and Hyde represent duality
Jekyll - respectable man, Hyde - crazy psycho, bully and coward
polar opposite class in society
what is the Freudian psychoanalytic theory
A Victorian theory that the brain is split into 3 parts. The Id the ego and the superego
id = animal instincts
ego = balance of the id’s and superegos wants
superego = to conform to society’s standards
how can Freudian’s psychoanalytic’s theory be used to explain the duality of Jekyll and Hyde
Jekyll’s dual nature is caused by the id from Hyde’s instinct’s, shown through animalistic presentation. This contrasts to Jekyll’s superego of conforming to Victorian society
how can the duality of Jekyll be shown as a microcosm of Victorian society
a microcosm is something small representing something larger.
Jekyll represents Victorian man.
How is duality presented as innate in man through the novella
Duality is inherent and irrepressible
inherent = within us
irrepressible = can’t get rid of it
innate means humans are born with it and by Jekyll putting a mask on his true identity is futile (pointless), as Jekyll is a microcosm of society it shows Victorian society has innate duality
how does R.L Stevenson use animalistic imagery to present Hyde (quotes)
‘the animal within me’
‘snarled’
‘cry out like a rat’
‘ape-like fury’
‘ape like tricks’
ape like spite’
why does R.L Stevenson use animalistic imagery
an obvious message of presenting Hyde as wild and dangerous
however repeated message of ape links to Charles Darwin’s theory on evolution, linking apes and humans with a common ancestor.
This created fear as it discredited the biblical account of creation with a potential idea of science disproving God
also created fear as people thought it was possible for people to reverse back to animal state, similarly to Hyde
how does Hyde present the lower class stereotypes
attacked Carew with ‘ape like fury’
spends time in soho
represents the dangerous lower class
how does Carew present middle and upper class stereotypes
said to be ‘innocent’ by the maid and having ‘a pretty manner of politeness’
he represents the kindness of the upper class contrasting to lower class who they fear, similarly to Hyde
the increase of the lower class due to the industrial revolution during this time made upper class nervous
how is language used to present Hyde as similar to the upper class
‘gentleman’ is the most common word throughout the novella used to describe Hyde
Lanyon says Hyde ‘knocked very gently on the door’
Enfield explains encounter with Hyde as ‘perfectly cool and made no resistance’
described that Hyde owned ‘a good picture hung upon the walls’
why is Hyde presented as similar to the upper class and why are other characters presented as similar to Hyde
Shows that the upper class are more than capable of doing acts similar to Hyde, who represents the lower class and are no different, upper class is just as Evil as the lower class
dual nature of humanity
how are other characters presented as similar to Hyde
Enfield saw Hyde when ‘coming home from some place at the end of the world about 3 o’clock of a black winter morning’
Danvers Carew was out during ‘the small hours’
shows the moral superior men also spend time late at night wandering.
how did class change when Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was set
How did the upper class react
A massive influx of people viewed as working class coming in to cities in search of work and housing
London was unprepared for this change
upper class became outnumbered and intimidated
this caused the form of upper class areas and lower class areas
in these lower class areas lots of shocking stories came out known as shilling shockers
What were shilling shockers
stories and novels which when Jekyll and Hyde were set were very popular.
They were stories written about the lower class in order to shock, appal and entertain the upper class
many upper class
how does Jekyll and Hyde contrast to a shilling shocker and what were the reactions
due to shilling shockers, many upper class people especially women, thought it was only the lower class that would do such horrible acts
to see such a well respected upper class Victorian man, like Jekyll, do such things was truly shocking to much of the upper class
whats an allegory and how does Jekyll and Hyde fall under it
a story which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning
what were the medical discoveries from when Jekyll and Hyde was set and how can they link to the novella
an example is John Hunter who was an upper class gentlemen who carried out strange acts such as putting a tooth into a Chickens head to see if it would grow
this shocked much of the upper class to see a well respected man do such peculiar things and made people fear science
this was similar to Jekyll who performed strange experiments on himself
why is it important that a majority of the novella is from a POV of Utterson
important that a rather unbelievable story is from the POV of a character who is believable as possible
how is Utterson presented as believable
serious, rarely smiles, strict
a lawyer - professional and used to strange cases
polar opposite to Jekyll
tolerant and inclined to help - described as ‘lovable’
this is so that the audience builds positive traits for Utterson
how does Utterson fit the stereotypical Victorian gentlemen during this time
tolerant of others, strict to himself
serious but human
contrast to Jekyll - Utterson not thought to have this dual nature within him
