Jekyll and Hyde - tension

Question 1

points for tension

Answer 1

• presented through Hyde and Uttersons curiosity
• setting develops suspense
• unreliable narration

Question 2

intro

Answer 2

Stevensons novel of ‘The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ explores the theme of tension as characters battle with hidden identities. The layers of tension drive the plot forward, reader is like Utterson, trying to find truth as Stevenson withholds info to engage reader

Question 3

‘trampled

Answer 3

calmly’

Question 4

‘trampled calmly’

Answer 4

creates tension as Hyde is seen as morally evil and a psychotic character, it is also clear he does not care about his actions
oxymoron - illustrates how Hyde is not normal

Question 5

What does the use of animal imagery to describe Hyde as ‘trampled’ show

Answer 5

emphasises how different Hyde is from a typical Victorian gentlemen who is proper and doesn’t ‘trample’, creates more tension as readers wonder why and who he is

Question 6

‘hissing

Answer 6

intake of breath’

Question 7

‘hissing intake of breath’

Answer 7

snake like -> reminiscent to serpent in bible, also shows animalistic behaviour
zoomorphism depicts animalistic, aggressive descriptions of Hyde
- alludes to evil snake in Garden of Eden who tempts Adam into eating forbidden fruit, as it Jekyll cannot resist the temptation of separating his good and bad side
context: religion was big part of Victorian society, snake and link to bible would shock victorians and suggest Hyde is all evil

Question 8

‘the other snarled

Answer 8

into a savage laugh’

Question 9

‘the other snarled into a savage laugh’

Answer 9

sibilance creates sinister tone
‘snarled’ animalistic, vicious, uncivilised, primitive -> connotes image of violet animal
Stevenson does this to present Hyde as unpredictable, malevolent and uncontrollable
Furthermore, animals snarl when frightened, potentially could show Utterson is a threat to Hyde and his real identity

Question 10

how does the fog in the middle of the novella create tension

Answer 10

• reflects Uttersons state of mind, confusion and uncertainty as well as a tense atmosphere in weather - gothic
• fog impairs vision and symbolises masking of the truth and hidden identities
• may also symbolise a cloud in judgement

Question 11

‘the fog rolled

Answer 11

over the city in the small hours’

Question 12

‘the fog rolled over the city in the small hours’

Answer 12

eerie atmosphere covers up crime scene which adds tension as we don’t see what happens in detail
- Stevenson uses this technique to foreshadow upcoming events
‘small hours’ creates uncertainty

Question 13

unreliable narration in the middle of the novella

Answer 13

Stevenson does not answer questions he leaves in the novella ‘advancing to meet him, another and very small gentlemen’ creates curiosity around Hydes motives, ‘gentlemen’ isn’t named -> adds suspense

‘I sometimes think if we all knew, we should be more glad to get away’ Stevenson deliberately doesn’t say what he finds out, engages reader -> science vs religion, as science was not popular they held onto idea of religion because it was the only thing they knew at the time

Question 14

‘premature

Answer 14

twilight’

Question 15

‘premature twilight’

Answer 15

pathetic fallacy and contrast between light and dark presents Jekyll as bad and good, adds tension as readers may guess he will die soon

Question 16

‘they saw it

Answer 16

for a glimspe’

Question 17

‘they saw it for a glimpse’

Answer 17

inhuman use of ‘it’ builds tension as Stevenson mentions the supernatural by dehumanising Hyde, it is not described what they saw and readers want to know why Utterson and Enfield has ‘an expression of such abject terror and dispair’

Question 18

‘an expression of such

Answer 18

abject terror and dispair’

Question 19

‘doggedly

Answer 19

disregarding the question’

Question 20

‘doggedly disregarding the question’

Answer 20

alliteration builds tension since we don’t fully know what’s happened which has us and mr Utterson intrigued

Question 21

‘he had not once

Answer 21

looked the lawyer in his face’

Question 22

what does Pooles visit imply about tension

Answer 22

• Pooles panicked behaviour implies how he knows Jekylls secrets would ruin his reputation if exposed to society
• in victorian society a mans secrets could be used to ruin min

Question 23

pathetic fallacy at the end of the novella: clouds

Answer 23

‘flying wrack’ - moving quick which is mysterious
‘lawney texture’ - strangely moving fast suggests we are close to solving the mystery

Question 24

‘swept the streets

Answer 24

unusually bare of passengers’

Question 25

‘swept the streets unusually bare of passengers’

Answer 25

isolated city is strange and emphasises tension as readers question why a busy, popular city like London would be isolated
-> aspects of nature are affected by Jekylls transgression

Question 26

‘thin trees in the garden were

Answer 26

lashing themselves along the railing’

Question 27

‘thin trees in the garden were lashing themselves along the raling’

Answer 27

personified trees warning something violent has happened -> suspense
‘lashing’ - brutal force of wind may foreshadow Jekylls consequences for his actions