Jekyll and Hyde - Dr Henry Jekyll Flashcards
dual personality
reflects Dr Jekylls split between his respectable public persona and the darker inhabited Mr Hyde
moral conflict
emphasises the internal struggle within Dr Jekyll
torn between the desire for respectability and the temptation of freedom through Hyde
repressed desires
highlights the Victorian context where societal norms repress darker instincts, which manifest in Mr Hyde
scientific experimentation
captures Dr Jekylls pursuit of knowledge and control of human nature through science, which leads to disastrous consequences
introduction
Dr Jekylls character arc serves as a cautionary tale about the limits of human control and the inevitable consequences of unleashing repressed instincts, as seen in the destructive actions of Mr Hyde
‘it wasn’t like a man;
it was like some damned Juggernaut’
‘it wasn’t like a man; it was like some damned Juggernaut’
Hydes lack of remorse and the casual nature of his violence highlights his utter disregard for human life
This quote demonstrates the extremity of his evil and the stark contrast between Hyde and Jekylls moral conscience
How does Stevenson present Jekyll
Stevenson presents Jekyll as a tragic figure who’s noble quest for understanding human nature leads to his downfall, as the evil Mr Hyde becomes increasingly uncontrollable, consuming Jekylls identity
‘a large, well made,
smooth-faced man of fifty’
‘a large, well made, smooth-faced man of fifty’
- idea of physiognomy (how someone looks is how they act)
‘well made’ - Victorian idea of repression, how they were actively encouraged to repress their true nature -> put on a pristine public facade to be accepted by society
‘man is not truly one
but truly two’
‘man is not truly one, but truly two’
- sinister alter ego
