Jekyll and HYde

Question 1

‘as empty as a church’

Answer 1

This strikes up the question as to why the church is described to be empty when many people were religious. Perhaps to symbolise that the church might as well be empty because everyone was a secret sinner?

Question 2

Although a fog rolled over the city in the small hours, the early part of the night was cloudless, and the lane, which the maid’s window overlooked, was brilliantly lit by the full moon

Answer 2

Just before Carew’s murder, Stevenson uses pathetic fallacy to great effect. The scene is described as being “brilliantly lit by the full moon.” This is a classic gothic motif, and works like a dramatic spotlight that shines both on the scene of the murder, and one that illuminates the sides of ourselves that we cannot bear to look at. For the same reason it is described as being “cloudless” – as though the veil has been lifted. Stevenson is keen to remind us though that this veil will return in the “small hours” as a fog rolled over the city” and allowed Hyde to escape back into invisibility, hidden within its depths.

Question 3

Front of house “air of wealth” Back door which Hyde enters though “blistered and disdained”

Answer 3

Jekyll’s side of the house is described as having an “air of wealth.” This obviously suggests that it is well looked after and cared for – much like Jekyll himself. Also the adjective “air” suggests something light and essential, clear and clean. Hyde’s side of the house, however, is “blistered and disdained.” Blistered which obviously connotes disease and illness, or burning perhaps – as though Hyde’s side has been burnt in the fires of hell. While “disdained” simply means ignored, in the way that Hyde – who represents our subconscious id – has also been ignored.

Question 4

Before finding Hyde dead, the moon is described as “lying on her back”

Answer 4

While Utterson and Poole are going to see Jekyll, Stevenon personifies the moon saying that the world and says she is “lying on her back.” This personification makes the world seem as though it has been turned upside down as we enter deep into the subconscious world of Hyde, and approach the big reveal.

Question 5

I bade a resolute farewell to the liberty, the comparative youth, the light step, leaping impulses and secret pleasures, that I had enjoyed in the disguise of Hyde

Answer 5

During his early transformations, Jekyll really enjoys being Hyde. So much so that when he decides to stop he describes having to say farewell to the “liberty,” “youth,” and “light step” that he felt as Hyde – and all these are notable positive virtues. However, in many ways, each has a downside: his “liberty” is only achievable at a cost to others – the girl who he trampled and Sir Danvers who he killed; the “youth” and “light-step” only come about as he has removed any sense of guilt at his actions. It is interesting as well, that he claims he only enjoyed these while in the “disguise” of Hyde, and one has to wonder why he couldn’t adopt them even without the disguise – or why society couldn’t learn to incorporate liberty, youth and a light step, so that he no longer needed to hide.

Question 6

Natural and human

Answer 6

At one point Jekyll describes Hyde as “natural” and “human.” These adjectives both show just how much Jekyll accepts Hyde’s presence. He sees Hyde as being an part of himself – and of all people. However, the adjective “natural” also has connotations within the animal world, and he could be suggesting that Hyde represents the animal sides to our natures that we cannot escape, but that we shouldn’t necessarily go back to.

Question 7

Great flame of anger

Answer 7

When Hyde attacks Danvers he releases a “great flame of anger.” Here the adjective “great” is used to emphasise and almost glorify the power of his rage; while a “flame” connotes all the fiery heat and horror of hell. The fact that this is all released by his anger reminds the audience of the uncontrolled power of rage. This would have been important to a Victorian male audience who saw emotional control as being of paramount importance.

Question 8

I incline to Cain’s heresy

Answer 8

In the opening section of the book, Utterson says that he inclines to “Cain’s heresy.” This refers to the biblical story of Cain and Able – Adam and Eve’s children. Cain killed Able, but when God asked where Able was Cain replied “I am not my brother’s keeper.” With this, Utterson is suggesting that he is inclined to ignore other people’s worst traits – he is not their keeper after all – and as a result he often ends up dealing with the worst of folk. It is also, perhaps, for this reason that he eventually finds Hyde – he is prepared to see others without judging them, and as a result he can see the subconscious reality of who we really are.

Question 9

like a man restored from death

Answer 9

When Lanyon sees Jekyll transform back from Hyde and into Jekyll, we get a clear image of reincarnation. This inevitably has religious connotations of returning from the grave, though the key thing here is that Hyde is compared to a death state. Hyde represents the horror of the grave.

Question 10

(he covered me) “like a thick cloak”

Answer 10

Again, a description of Hyde that is a clear reference to his subconscious existence. Here, a simile is used to compare him to a cloak that Jekyll can use to hide behind, almost like a disguise. It’s almost as though – when he is covered in this cloak – Jekyll has become the subconscious: others can’t describe him, they often ignore him; he has become invisible to the world.

Question 11

He delighted me like wine

Answer 11

Again, Jekyll’s first experiences of Hyde are often positive. Here, he says that Hyde “delighted” him – a verb that reflects excitement and pleasure; but – as a word of caution – he does so like “wine.” Wine is alcoholic and we must remember that it takes away our control, it loosens our morals, and, just like Hyde, it sometimes allows us to do things that we wouldn’t normally have done.

Question 12

A very small gentleman, to whom at first she paid less attention

Answer 12

The reasons why Hyde was small has been explored previously. The fact that the maid who witnessed the Carew murder at first “paid less attention” to him is a clear reference to his position as the id. Characters often say that Hyde is difficult to describe; people seem unable to put their finger on how to describe him, as though he himself is constantly hiding from their eyes in the way that our subconscious desires – or our id – often hides from our conscious selves.

Question 13

large, well-made, smooth-faced

Answer 13

It is interesting to note that, other than the fact that the second half of the book is his confession, Jekyll rarely appears in the first half. When Utterson first meets him, however, he is described as being “large, well-made” and “smooth-faced.” The size of him is a clear opposite to Jekyll, who is often called small or “dwarfish.” He is also “well-made” an adjective phrase that suggest a few things: firstly, that he is a “made man” – a well supported, influential member of a powerful and very rich society. But also that he was literally “made” well – his genes were strong; his upbringing and his heredity were trustworthy and stable – he is, after-all, a civilised Victorian gentleman. This, again, is in contrast to Hyde who is often described as being deformed or otherwise grotesque. It’s also a little ironic, as you could argue that Jekyll in fact made Hyde in many ways. Jekyll’s “smooth-faced” charm also suggests that he is good to look at – he is trustworthy and unblemished; though this could also suggest something untrustworthy as to be smooth is charming, yes, but also, at times, someone to be wary of.

Question 14

agonised womb of consciousness

Answer 14

In one of the most powerful images in the book, Jekyll describes existence itself as being like an “agonised womb of consciousness.” At the heart of this image is a deeply religious suggestion that something greater will be born from existence; he is saying that existence itself is merely a womb from which something more will be born; this is a clear suggestion of something along the lines of an afterlife. He also calls existence “agonised,” implying that it is a painful experience, something that has been explored thoroughly through religious texts over the years, and always with the promise of paradise on the other side.

Question 15

“The moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde.”

Answer 15

In Chapter 3 Jekyll says that he can be rid of Mr Hyde at the “moment I choose.” At this point, Jekyll still believes that he is in control – that his ego has control over the base desires of his id. It is only later, as Hyde starts to take over, that we realise that he is in fact addicted to being this creature – and only later still that we see Hyde begin to take over seemingly at will. Here, Jekyll really represents the Victorian arrogance that thinks it can ever escape its flirtation with its inner animal

Question 16

“If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek.”

Answer 16

Hyde’s name is clearly a reference to the way that he is hidden, though his hiding is symbolic in a number of ways: in one sense he represents the id, and his hidden in our subconscious, kept far away from the judgement of the super-ego. In another sense, he represents the working class poor and dejected, who celebrated so many of the things that Hyde also enjoyed, but who are hidden from civilised society. He is everything that exists, but which Victorian England wanted to turn away from.

At one point in the book, Utterson suggests that if Mr Hyde will remain hidden, that he will be “Mr Seek.” Despite it not being the strongest or smartest pun in the history of literature, it sets up the real detective story here, which is not the search for the killer, but the search for the inner self. The monster at the heart of us all

Question 17

younger, lighter, happier

Answer 17

When Jekyll first turns into Hyde, he clearly has positive feelings for his new form. He says he feels “younger, lighter, happier.” The reference to him being “younger” could relate to Hyde having been so underdeveloped previously, or it could relate to a freshness that Jekyll had never found in the stuffy Victorian smoking rooms. The fact that he was “lighter” could suggest his size, but the connotations here might suggest that the weight that has been lifted is actually his conscience – he no longer feels the weight of responsibility that he once did. This is supported by the fact that he is now “happier,” again – he has no conscience – none of the guilt that is associated with extreme religiosity. It is clear at the outset, that there is much in this new form that Jekyll enjoys. In some ways this could be seen as Stevenson criticising a society that emphasises feelings of guilt over the freedom of expression, though the way that Hyde eventually took over could suggest otherwise.

Question 18

It seemed natural and human … a livelier image of the spirit

Answer 18

When Jekyll first turns into Hyde he says that “it seemed natural and human.” It is interesting first to note that Jekyll calls Hyde “it” rather than him. It is the case that Jekyll often struggles to draw a distinction between Hyde and himself, often struggling to accept that they are a part of the same person. But in this first instance, Jekyll can’t even humanise Hyde with a “him” and instead objectifies Hyde by referring to “it.” But Jekyll calls him “natural” – suggesting that he is normal, and acceptable – and “human,” which again shows Jekyll’s struggle to know how to define his new state.

He goes on to say that Hyde bore a “livelier image of the spirit.” The fact that Jekyll refers to the “spirit,” which is a kind of soul, suggests that Jekyll is talking about something from deep inside him. He says it has a “livelier image” which suggests activity, excitement – even a childish wonder – that counters the more serious image that traditional Christian goodness entails. There is undeniably something exciting in Hyde – and it is this thrill that he eventually succumbs to.

Question 19

ape-like fury

Answer 19

Hyde is described as attacking Sir Danvers with “ape-like fury.” This simile – like many others in the book – clearly compares him to an animal, an ape, and places him further back down the evolutionary ladder than the civilised Victorian gentlemen. Also, if you imagine that Hyde represents all the things he is compared to, you could see the way that Stevenson brings together ideas of animalism, uncivility, madness and evil into one pot; which sits opposite to the civilised, humane, intelligent and rational humans who are symbolised by Jekyll, Utterson or the other Victorian gentlemen in the book.

Question 20

clubbed / trampling / like a madman

Answer 20

When Hyde attacks Sir Danvers, Stevenson uses a range of verbs that make his attack sound violent and out of control. “Clubbed” relates him to cavemen – or “troglodytes” – who used to carry clubs around to batter their prey. “Trampling” almost reminds me of a child, carelessly stamping on things it doesn’t like with the sole aim of destroying them. He is described as doing this “like a madman,” a simile that makes it clear that Hyde has lost control. It is clear that Hyde is nothing like the upstanding, civilised gentleman that Jekyll would have wanted to see himself as. Also, the idea of madness as a state was relatively new in Victorian times. As a result, it would have terrified a Victorian audience as it reminded them of everything that lacked control or refinement – or the other trappings of civilisation.

Question 21

if ever I read Satan’s signature upon a face

Answer 21

Utterson claims that Hyde’s face contains “Satan’s signature.” Here, he is almost suggesting that Hyde is a work of evil art – as though Satan himself has signed off the creation. This is ironic, given the fact that it later turns out that the real creator of Hyde is, in fact, his good friend Henry Jekyll. Also, the alliteration here makes the phrase sound almost like an advertising gimmick, or a slogan. Hyde is repeatedly described using images of Satan which makes it clear that he is a pure form of evil – a kind of symbolic, religious evil that normally only exists in theory, but which has now been created as flesh and bone.

Question 22

Troglodytic

Answer 22

Here, Hyde is described using an adjective that literally means “cave dweller.” This draws comparisons with Neanderthal man, and pushes Hyde back down the evolutionary ladder. At the time, Darwin’s theory of evolution was still quite new and Stevenson’s use of this kind of scientific term would have made his story sound authentic and trustworthy. This also relates Hyde to the “uncivilised” people who were being encountered as the British empire expanded, who were seen as being further back down the evolutionary ladder than the British.

Question 23

a murderous mixture of timidity and boldness

Answer 23

This image is almost oxymoronic, but perfectly describes Hyde’s state. His “timidity” could come from how Hyde has not experienced the outside world so much, given that he was always hidden while he was kept in Jekyll’s id. It’s almost like the world is new to him and he often presents himself as being nervous around others. However, he also displays a “boldness” which suggests a confidence. Perhaps we could look at Hyde as a child who was born into the world as a man, and has the child’s naivety combined with an adults confidence. The fact that he has all this combined in a “murderous mixture” completes the image of Hyde as a real character of horror: he has no conscience, no civilised, learned state; he has only the selfishness of an angry toddler who sees only what makes him happy and pursues it ruthlessly.

Question 24

pale and dwarfish

Answer 24

Hyde is described as “pale and dwarfish.” These adjectives both relate to him being weak or deformed. Also, although “pale” relates to a lack of life or vigour, it also has horrific connotations which link him to vampires, or anyone else who spends no time around sunlight. And “dwarfish” although linking him to being short, could also suggest that he is below other people socially as well as physically; also, that he is less well developed – or less evolved – than the civilised than the “upstanding” gentlemen of Victorian England. Also, both words suggest that Hyde was not a significant part of Jekyll – that he was “underdeveloped.” The fact that he was “pale,” suggests something ghostly or like a feint version of him, while his “dwarfish” stature also suggests that he was only a small part of a larger whole.

Question 25

man is not truly one, but truly two

Answer 25

Here, Jekyll observes that there are, in fact, two people within each of us. He uses the adjective “truly” – which simply means honestly, or factually – to emphasise himself. Here, the “two” could refer to both the civilised side of humanity – which is represented by the upper class and very respectable Henry Jekyll – and the “beast within,” Hyde. It could also be Stevenson suggesting that there isn’t as much difference between the uncivilised rabble and gentlemen as many people would like to believe. It also suggests that ideas like Good and Evil are not distinct from each other, but that we all contain elements of both.

Question 26

Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil

Answer 26

Here, the adjective “alone” emphasises how unique and isolated Hyde was. In some ways, this creates a similar sympathy for Hyde as we might feel for Frankenstein’s Monster, since neither asked to be created. Here, however, Hyde is described as “pure evil.” The adjective emphasises that Hyde is nothing except “evil,” suggesting something that has only previously existed as the Devil himself – an almost religious idea. It’s not just that he does wrong, he is evil in its purest form.

Question 27

primitive duality of man

Answer 27

In this quote, Jekyll is realising that there are actually two people in each of us. The stative verb “duality” could be seen to represent the good and bad sides of each of us, in a religious context; or the double lives that were being lived by Victorian gentlemen, as they balance their sordid pleasures with their desire to appear respectable; or as a part of Freud’s structural theory where the Ego (Jekyll) contains both the Super-Ego (Victorian society) and the Id (Hyde). The adjective “primitive” also relates to original or basic, and here Stevenson is suggesting that at our most basic levels humans have many layers.