Jekyll and Hyde - Mr Hyde character analysis

Question 1

Context about Mr Hyde

Answer 1

Atavism, Darwinism and Freud’s Structural Theory of the Mind:

• Atavism in criminology and biology is where ancient ancestral genetic traits seem to reappear.
• This links to Darwinism, if Darwinism states we evolved from animals, is it possible to devolve (one of the prominent fears during the Victorian era).
• This theme is shown through Hyde and his primitive traits in character as well as physiognomy.
• Hyde embodies these fears, and can be interpreted as personifying the Id of the mind, symbolising man’s basal, initial and animalistic instincts.

Repression: Some people can argue that Stevenson employed the use of an aptronym when naming Hyde. Hyde could symbolise the iniquitous desires innate within mankind, and the consequences of suppressing those desires. He could also symbolise the consequences of allowing those desires to take control by succumbing to them.
Most Victorian men where expected to hide certain characteristics.

Fin de Siècle: Hyde symbolises the prevalent fears Victorians had regarding the advancement of science and medicine, if Jekyll created this concoction of a monster, Hyde, through science, what else could science create?
Hyde also propelled the fear of devolution through his animalistic traits.

Classist system:
- Some could interpret Hyde to be a proletariat as he lives in Soho, and seems to have less connections. Because of this Jekyll can fulfil his desires through Hyde without facing scrutiny due to the class disparity.
- Therefore, the murder of Carew could symbolise the violent uprise of the lower class against the bourgeoisie which was a large fear in the Victorian era.
- Or if we interpret Hyde to be a bourgeoisie himself, the murder of Carew could symbolise disloyalty amongst the upper-class sphere and trampling on girl could criticise the mistreatment displayed by the upper-class to the lower-class.

Question 2

How is Hyde presented?

Answer 2

• Volatile, turbulent, erratic.
  (Becomes more violent and controlling, cannot be found after murder, so unpredictable, ‘‘snarled aloud into a savage laugh and the next moment, with extraordinary quickness, he had unlocked the door and disappeared into the house’’)
• Callous, incremented, sadistic.
  (Trampling, murder of Carew, Jekyll and influencing death of Lanyon)
• Brutish, bestial, animalistic, primitive, degenerate.
  (physiognomy, personality, murders and trampling).

Question 3

'’It wasn’t like a man it was like some _______’’

Answer 3

'’It wasn’t like a man it was like some damned Juggernaut’’

Question 4

'’A man who was without _____’’

Answer 4

'’A man who was without bowels of mercy’’

Question 5

'’Drinking pleasure with bestial avidity from_____’’

Answer 5

'’Drinking pleasure with bestial avidity from any degree of torture; relentless like a man of stone’’

Question 6

'’Snarled aloud into a savage laugh: and the next moment______’’

Answer 6

'’Snarled aloud into a savage laugh; and the next moment, with extraordinary quickness, he had unlocked the door and disappeared into the house’’

Question 7

'’Ape-like___’’

Answer 7

'’Ape-like fury’’

Question 8

'’With a flush of____’’

Answer 8

'’With a flush of anger’’

Question 9

'’Shrank back with a _____’’

Answer 9

'’Shrank back with a hissing intake of the breath’’