Jekyll and Hyde

Question 1

“ It was like some damned juggernaut. “

Answer 1

• Readers first description of Hyde.
• Said by Enfield to Mr Utterson.
• “Damned” suggests that Hyde is inherently evil so the Christian readers would believe that Hyde is going to hell.
• Enfield himself was out at the same time as Hyde which leaves the readers to speculate what Enfield was doing out late at night.
• The theme of religion and science can link to this quote.
• Presents Hyde in an unnatural way describing him in a way that makes him seem inhuman.

Question 2

“ I saw that sawbones turn sick and white with the desire to kill him. “

Answer 2

• Description of the doctor who was called for the girl that Hyde “ trampled ”.
• Links to the theme of hypocrisy.
• The doctor and Enfield are opposed to Hyde because he is troglodytic ( because he acts as if he has gone through devolution).
• A Christian reader would also dislike Hyde because he is acting in an immoral way

Question 3

“ The curtain of the bed plucked apart…and there would stand a figure to whom power was given,and… he must rise and do its bidding. “

Answer 3

• “ Plucked “ is quite a sensual choice of language.
• Utterson is imagining Jekyll in an intimate way but not with Utterson with “ A figure “ as readers we can only assume that the figure is Hyde.
• the Victorians were completely against homosexuality.
• In 1885 the government passed an act that banned any gross indecency so Stevenson may have been trying to include a subtle theme of homosexuality as an attack on this act.
• “ power was given “ suggest to the reader that there is blackmail because of the homosexuality.