jekyll and hyde themes Flashcards
how is evil explored in the novel
Stevenson uses Mr Hyde to represent evil and this is shown through the way the character
looks, behaves and speaks.
Stevenson uses the pseudoscience of physiognomy to suggest that Mr Hyde’s evil can be
seen on his face, ‘the man seems hardly human! Something troglodytic’.
He describes Mr Hyde’s violent actions, such as the contrasting verb and adverb in
‘trampled calmly’ to show Mr Hyde’s disregard for the girl’s injuries in Chapter 1.
In Chapter 10, he uses powerful language to convey Mr Hyde’s evil impulses, ‘shaken with
inordinate anger, strung to the pitch of murder, lusting to inflict pain’.
His viciousness and inhumanity are also captured through the way he speaks, ‘snarled aloud
into a savage laugh’. Stevenson emphasises Mr Hyde’s otherness. In addition, Stevenson
links Mr Hyde to evil through biblical language such as ‘Satan’, ‘damned’ and ‘Hell’.
how is goodness explored in the novel
Dr Jekyll is the good to Mr Hyde’s evil. He has a respectable appearance and the
metaphor ‘good shone upon the countenance’ implies his virtuous nature. Similarly, in
Chapter 6, Stevenson adds that, ‘he had always been known for charities, he was now no
less distinquished for religion’.
Mr Utterson and Dr Lanyon are also presented as good men and this can be extended to
minor characters such as Poole and Mr Enfield. Although none are perfect, they all display
respectable behavior, acts of kindness and Christian values.
how does stevenson explore the conflict between good and evil
In the nineteenth century, human nature was often presented as being either good or evil.
Stevenson felt this was too simplistic and disingenuous. Through the character of Dr Jekyll,
he presents humankind as containing both good and evil, acknowledging that, ‘in the
agonised womb of consciousness, these polar twins should be continually struggling’. The
use of foetal imagery suggests that people are born with both instincts but one is more
dominant than the other.
Even though Dr Jekyll chooses goodness, after being horrified by Mr Hyde’s actions, he is
constantly tempted to return to evil and eventually gives in to this temptation.
The fact that the transformations into Mr Hyde then become involuntary suggest that,
once released, Dr Jekyll’s evil side is stronger than his good. His Christian values (I find it
in my heart to pity him’) seem no match for Mr Hyde’s immorality (‘scrawling in my own
hand blasphemies’).
how are characters presented as being respectable
The maiority of the characters follow social codes of respectability: having a clear sense of
how one should behave. This was typical of the Victorian period in which the novel is set.
Mr Enfield has a rule about undue curiosity, which Mr Utterson refers to as ‘a good rule
The lawyer also says, “I am ashamed of my long tongue’, to show his awareness that he has
broken a code of social politeness by discussing Mr Hyde too much.
Similar codes of courtesy can be seen in the way characters behave in contrast to Mr Hyde.
Mr Utterson reprimands his aggressive speech, saying ‘that is not fitting language’, and Dr
Lanvon encourages more gentlemanly behaviour when he offers, ‘Be seated, if you please’
despite his visitor’s disturbing manner.
Dr Lanyon and Dr Jekyll’s respectability is also presented through their servants. The
former’s butler is described as ‘solemn’ and efficient, while Poole is respectful and
attentive, Will you wait here by the fire, sir? Or shall I give you a light in the dining room?’
what is repression and how is it presented
Repression is the restraining of someone or something. In the novel, several characters
remain respectable by repressing certain desires, such as Mr Utterson who avoids going to
the theatre because it was considered vulgar.
The main representation of repression is Dr Jekyll. In Chapter 10, he describes how, from an
early age, he struggled to repress his desires and, instead, hid his undignified pleasures to
safeguard his ‘honorable and distinguished future’.
A lack of repression is described negatively, using the metaphor, ‘I laid aside restraint and
plunged in shame’. However, metaphor is also used to describe repression as painful, ‘suffer
smartingly in the fires of abstinence’. Stevenson presents these contrasting images as Dr
Jekyll’s motivation to try to hide his dishonourable side in a separate identity.
Stevenson implies that repression is unhealthy and can make the situation worse. Dr Jekyll’s
attempt to resist the temptations that Mr Hyde allows only results in ‘a more furious
propensity to ill’ when he once more drinks the transforming potion.
Stevenson emphasises this link between Dr Jekyll’s repression and his downfall when he
reflects on his life after the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, ‘I saw my life as a whole: (…]
through the self-denying toils of my professional life, to arrive again and again […] at the
damned horrors of the evening’.
how are dr jekylls science experiments presented mysteriously
Dr Lanyon’s exploration of Dr Jekyll’s chemicals creates mystery around his work.
Stevenson uses different senses when describing the, ‘blood-red liquor, which was highly
pungent to the sense of smell’, but its actual identity is kept unknown and the doctor adds
‘At the other ingredients I could make no guess’. Dr Jekyll’s diary of experiments is also
obscure, ending ‘quite abruptly’ and including unusual notes such as ‘total failure!’
Stevenson engages the reader by only hinting at the unusual nature of Dr Jekyll’s
experiments and this narrative hook is voiced by Dr Lanyon when he comments, ‘All this,
though it whetted my curiosity, told me little that was definite’.
A range of verbs and colors are used as Mr Hyde prepares the potion, for example, just
before the transformation scene, to create a spellbinding atmosphere: melted, brighten,
effervesce, changed, faded; reddish, dark purple, watery green. The ‘small fumes of vapour
and the description of the potion bubbling also emphasis the eerie mood.
how is scientific discovery presented as dangerous
In the final chapter of the novel Dr Jekyll describes the danger of his experiments, ‘I knew
well that I risked death’. Metaphor is used to describe the power of his drugs, ‘shook the
very fortress of identity’ and the actual transformation is made to sound extremely painful.
Dr Lanyon also describes the transformation in a frightening way, ‘staring with injected
eyes, gasping with open mouth’, using verbs and adjectives to suggest a violent alteration
of normal physical features.
However, the greatest danger is Dr Jekyll’s inability to control his transformations into Mr
Hyde. Similes are used, initially to suggest that his creation is not a problem, ‘Edward Hyde
would pass away like the stain of breath on a mirror’, then to show Dr Jekyll’s horror when
he changes involuntarily, ‘terror woke up in my breast as sudden and startling as the crash
of cymbals’,
how are dr jekylls scientific discoveries presented as blasphemous
Dr Jekyll’s experiments release something abominable and diabolical in the shape of Mr
Hyde. Stevenson uses metaphor to describe him as a ‘child of Hell’ whose ‘evil was written
broadly and plainly on the face’,
Meeting Mr Utterson after witnessing the transformation, Dr Lanyon refers to Dr Jekyll
as an ‘accursed topic’. Later, exploring the laboratory, Mr Utterson is shocked to find a
religious book that Dr Jekyll has ‘annotated in his own hand with startling blasphemies’
what dilemmas do characters face and how are these presented
A dilemma is a difficult decision, often where the alternatives are undesirable.
In Chapter 10, Dr Jekyll describes the initial dilemma of whether to take the drug that he
has created. Abstract nouns are used to present the pros (‘discovery) and cons (‘death’) of
continuing with his experiment. His dilemma is solved when he gives in to ‘temptation’.
Similarly, after the first involuntary transformation into Mr Hyde, Jekyll faces the dilemma
of whether to give up the drug completely. Stevenson uses an image of ‘scales’ to show Dr
Jekyll weighing up his choices. He realises that this is a choice between good and evil; after
breaking his vow not to take the drug again, he refers to it as a ‘moral weakness’
Mr Utterson also faces a moral dilemma in Chapter 5 about whether to hand Mr Hyde’s
letter to the police (as it could incriminate Dr Jekyll) and this increases when he discovers
that it is a forgery. The metaphor ‘struggled with himself’ shows his reluctance to know the
truth about his friend. After Mr Utterson locks the letter away in his safe, Stevenson adds
the metaphor ‘And his blood ran cold in his veins’. This shows Mr Utterson’s horror at Dr
Jekyll’s behaviour but could also be interpreted as describing his own feelings about hiding
the truth.
how does stevenson present the consequences of dr jekylls experiments
Dr Jekyll faces the loss of his life as a consequence of his actions. At first, this is described as
“the terrors of the scaffold’ because, if caught, Mr Hyde would be hanged for murder.
Stevenson later presents this loss of life more metaphorically as Mr Hyde takes control. The
civilised Victorian gentleman cannot stop his own de-evolution and faces life as a sinful,
hunted criminal.
As well as describing the ‘torments’ that he receives from his own creation, Dr Jekyll
says how running out of the required drug has ‘finally severed me from my own face
and nature’.
The horror and desperation his involuntary transformations cause him can be seen when
Mr Hyde goes to Dr Lanyon (who also pays the consequence for witnessing the truth) for
help and is described as being ‘on fire with sombre excitement’. The fire metaphor conveys
his agitation and suffering as well as adding a moral element when interpreted as a link to
Hell and damnation.
what is duality
Duality refers to how two things are linked or how something consists of two parts (often
in opposition to each other). Stevenson uses images of duality and doubles throughout
the novel.
These images foreshadow the revelation that Mr Hyde is actually a part of Dr Jekyll, as
Well as allowing Stevenson to explore his belief that elements of Victorian society were
hypocritical and hid their own misdemeanours while condemning them in others.
Because it is such a dominant motif in the novel, it is advisable to look back over character
setting and theme, paying specific attention to duality.
where does stevenson present duality in character
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are presented as two people inhabiting the same body and fighting
for dominance. Dr Jekyll is well-educated, respectable, charitable and Christian; Mr Hyde is
barbarous, criminal, aggressive and blasphemous. Hyde’s otherness contrasts with Jekyll’s
apparent normality.
The contrast between Jekyll’s double identities is conveyed particularly well in chapter
10 by detailed comparison of their hands. The doctor’s hands are ‘large, firm, white, and
comely’ whereas Hyde’s hands are “lean, corded, knuckly, of a dusky pallor and thickly
shaded with a swarthy growth of hair’.
Mr Utterson and Dr Jekyll are presented as dual aspects of Victorian society. They both
have similar social status and good reputation, but the lawyer represses temptation and
lives a life of moderation, while his friend secretly indulges all his sinful desires. The same
link could be made between Dr Jekyll and Dr Lanyon.
how is duality presented through settings
There is duality in the symbolic way Dr Jekyll’s house is described. The front entrance looks
welcoming, affluent and well-kept, while the back entrance that is used by Mr Hyde is
unwelcoming, sinister and neglected.
This is developed further when Stevenson describes Mr Hyde’s lodgings in Soho. The
streets outside are dirty, full of poverty and linked to a lack of morality: ‘his blackguardly
surroundings’. However, the interior is luxurious, well-decorated and respectable: ‘the plate
was of silver, the napery elegant.
which themes of the novel also link to duality
Duality is a theme in itself but Stevenson includes other themes that contain aspects of
doubling. For example, he explores good and evil, the dilemmas that characters face and the
way in which characters repress their true natures and present a false impression to society.
