Life in Victorian Britain Flashcards
context and themes
True or False? Victorian London was famous for its fog and smoke.
True. The Industrial Revolution led to increased smoke pollution from factories, which is partly why there’s so much “fog” in Stevenson’s portrayal of London.
Give an example from the novella where London is presented as:
a) crowded
b) dirty
c) noisy
a) Utterson sees “many ragged
children huddled in the doorways”
on his way to Soho”
b) Utterson notices Soho’s “muddy
ways”
c) Utterson mentions the “vast hum
and clatter of the city”
What sort of attitude did Victorian gentlemen have towards the lower-class areas of London?
Give examples from the novella in your answer.
A Victorian gentlemen would generally avoid lower-class areas of London, because they weren’t respectable. Utterson thinks of lower-class areas of Soho as “a district of some city in a nightmare”, which reflects this negative attitude. However, Jekyll uses Soho as a place for Hyde to sin, which reflects some Victorian gentlemen’s private view of lower-class areas — although they were seen as disreputable, they were often a place for gentlemen to indulge in their darker sides.
Why do you think Stevenson chose to locate Hyde’s house in Soho?
Use information about what this part of London was like in Victorian times in your answer.
Stevenson locates Hyde’s house in Soho because it had a bad reputation in Victorian times. By connecting Hyde to Soho, he establishes Hyde’s poor character and emphasises he isn’t a gentleman like Jekyll. Soho is also located in the rich, respectable West End of London, which mirrors how the disreputable Hyde is located within the respectable Jekyll.
Which of these is the best definition of a Victorian gentleman?
A. An upper-class man, often with a
profession that was seen as
‘respectable’
B. A member of the aristocracy who
lived in the countryside.
A. A Victorian gentleman was usually
an upper-class man. They often has
respected professions.
Briefly describe how Victorian gentlemen were expected to behave.
Victorian gentlemen had to behave respectably in public, which meant they should be seen behaving politely, morally, kindly and charitably. They also had to control their emotions and hide their desire for things like sex and alcohol.
Give an example from Jekyll and Hyde which shows that Victorian gentlemen worried about blackmail.
Utterson is “scared by the thought” that the sins of his youth could used to blackmail him.
Explain how Utterson could be seen as a typical Victorian gentleman.
Use examples in your answer.
- Utterson is concerned about
reputation. For example, when he
believes Jekyll might be dead, he
says they “may at least save his
credit”. The fact that he is thinking
about this even though Jekyll may be
dead shows how deeply he cares
about reputation. - Utterson keeps his behaviour and
emotions under control. He is
described as “austere with himself”,
“undemonstrative” and “modest” —
this kind of self-restraint was typically
valued by Victorian gentlemen.
