Jekyll And Hyde Flashcards
UTTERSON
What do we learn about Utterson in the first chapter?
(Hint: private)
‘His friends are those of his own blood’
UTTERSON
What do we learn about Utterson in the first chapter?
(Hint: serious)
‘Never lightened by a smile’
UTTERSON
What do we learn about Utterson in the first chapter?
(Hint: reluctant to display emotion)
‘Backwards in sentiment’
UTTERSON
What do we learn about Utterson in the first chapter?
(Hint: a loyal friend)
‘His affections, like ivy, were the growth of time’
Chapter 1 Summary
- Utterson is introduced, we heard of his walk with Enfield
- Enfield tells us the story of how he saw Hyde trample a young girl
- Utterson thinks that Hyde might be blackmailing his old friend Jekyll
What are the main features of the Gothic Novel?
- Atmosphere of mystery and suspense
- Super natural of inexplicable events
- High emotion
- Women in distress
Give three examples of Gothic novels - including dates and authors
- The Castle of Otranto - 1774 - by Horace Walpoles
- The Monk - 1796 - by Matthew Lewis
- Frankenstein - 1818 - by Mary Shelley
What is the Sublime?
- Feelings of spiritual awe or wonder, often occasioned by an emotional response to grandeur
- Feelings of pleasure derived from fear or terror
What were the notable features of Robert Louis Stevenson’s childhood?
- Born in Edinburgh 1850
- Father was an engineer who worked away from home a lot
- His childhood was shaped by strict Victorian Society
What do you know about Robert Louis Stevenson’s early influences?
(Think religion)
- Stevenson’s nurse was a fundamentalist Christian, so he had a strong religious input from a young age
- She taught him about good and evil, and heaven and hell
- He suffered from nightmares because her descriptions of hell were so vivid
How can Jack the Ripper be linked to Jekyll and Hyde?
When was Jack the Ripper at large?
JACK THE RIPPER - carried out a series of murders throughout autumn 1888, taking the lives of around 5 women
(Jekyll and Hyde written in 1886)
Many believe that Stevenson was influenced by Jack the Ripper, though in fact, it was thought to be the other way round
Give three examples of repression within the novel - include quotes where possible
Why does Stevenson choose to explore the theme of repression?
- Chapter 1 - Enfields story - involves him being out at 3am - he was thought to be seeing a prostitute - an example of Emfield releasing repressed sexual desires due to not discussing matters
- Utterson represses his desires through fear of judgement from a strict Victorian society
‘And although he enjoyed the theatre, he hadn’t crossed the doors of one for over 20 years’ - Jekylls servants, who usually repress all emotion, are now weeping uncontrollably when given even a slight release
WHY - explores the theme of repression to warn his Victorian audience of the dangers of repression - almost as though he was predicting the future - Jack the Ripper was exactly what he warmed of
Why might there be no women in Jekyll and Hyde?
3 reasons
- Stevenson’s mother was absent for a large part of his childhood, which perhaps influenced his view of women
- During this period, women were not particularly highly valued, and most of the characters in the novel are fairly high up professionals
- Women often function as a moral anchor in many Victorian novels, as beacons of good morale influence - women, therefore, may have complicated the story line
Who is the first female to appear in the novel?
How is she portrayed?
The first female to appear in the novella is the little girl who is trampled by Hyde, and although she is ‘not much worse, more frightened’, there is a large fuss and lots of people come to her aid
Who is the second woman to appear in the novella?
How is she portrayed?
Next is the maid who recounts the murder of Sir Danvers Carew.
- Firstly, she is a maid - she fits gender stereotype roles at the time
- She is a passive spectator and does nothing to try to save Carew
- She is portrayed as physically and emotionally weak when she faints
