Key Quotes And Analyse Dr Jekyl And Mr Hyde Flashcards
“The man trampled calmly over the child’s body” -theme of violence or character Hyde
The noun “man” is contrasted by the noun “child”. “Man” offers a sense of massiveness and authority where’s the idea of the “child” presents vulnerability and innocence. As a result a power imbalance is created presenting Hyde as someone who takes advantage of the innocent, the vague nature of the word “the man” also heightens the fear of the unknown which links to urban terror. The oxymoronic verb phrase “trampled calmly” shows hydes lack of remorse and the violent verb “trampled” is directly contrasted by the relaxed connotations of the adverb of “calmly”. This shows hides comfortability with the evil and the preposition “over” intensifies the horror of this event the child seems completely reduced to the ground and Hyde stays towering over her
“Three o’ clock of a black winters morning” -setting and mystery
The use of pathetic fallacy here creates an ominous sense of forbidden and the use of temple dexus in the phrase “three o’ clock” is significant as it was believed to be the witching hour also, a Victorian readership would question why a respectable gentleman is out at such time. The adjective black denotes pure darkness and has connotations of concealment the reference to “winter”(pathetic fallacy) the cold coming in and the warmth going out which shows the lost of comfortability
“The figure had no face” -secrecy, mystery or Hyde
The noun “figure” is used to describe Hyde despite him being a human being with a real name this is in order to show his evasive nature he doesn’t want to be seen by mr Utterson. A second time readership would know this is because Jekyll is actually friends with Utterson and doesn’t want him to find out his secret. The metaphor “no face” intensifies the disturbing atmosphere created as now Hyde is described as a silhouette of some sort. The Fricative sound of “figure” “face” could allude to Utterson frustration and trying to find out who Hyde is this description of Hyde would be scary for a Victorian readership who would of believed in physiognomy. The fact that Hyde has no face means that they can’t possibly predict his evil. Alternatively Stevenson could have done this In order to show that evil can be present anywhere despite a persons looks, status or wealth
“A certain sinister block of building thrust forward its gable” -setting, fear and mystery
The adjective “certain” is intentionally vague in order to contribute to the theme of secrecy and the adjective “sinister” connotes evil and intentional wrongdoing, it’s odd to describe a building as sinister so it could form as a part of transferred epithet a readership would question what is inside that building that is sinister? Ominous undertones created by the sibilance “certain sinister” is instantly subverted by the plosives “block of buildings” which could connote violence this links to the violent verb “thrust” which personifies the building using the preposition “forward” as if intmidating everyone who walks down the street.
“Broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth” -violence and Hyde
The metaphorical verb phrase “broke out” emphasises Hyde’s intent and forcefullness in evil doing and the noun “bounds” is a euphemism for the constriction of legality that Hyde has now escaped. The verb “clubbed” has caveman-like connotations which presents Hyde as a troglodyte he seems de-evolved here which links to Charles Darwin’s theory of evelution the contrasting prepositions of “out” “to” intensifies the horror of this murder but we as reader are let to envision a man literally being flattened.
