Mr Hyde

Question 1

“pale and dwarfish”

Answer 1

• shows his lack of life, ghostly
• he is less developed/evolved than civilised victorian gentlemen
• links to darwins theory of evolution
• perhaps suggests inhumane and animalistic nature

Question 2

“murderous mixture of timidity and boldness”

Answer 2

• example of duality
• timidity could reference his need to hide and inexperience as hyde - unsure how to behave
• could be fearful of people discovering his identity or reference to the secretive lifestyle victorian gentlemen had to keep up to preserve their image and maintain reputation
• “boldness” could reference his underlying necessity for violence and the need to be secretive all the time only fuelling his dark side

Question 3

“alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil”

Answer 3

• “alone” adjective, emphasises how unique and isolated he is, perhaps due to his bloodthirsty nature
• “pure evil” “pure” usually associated with innocence and sweet, gently nature, contrasted with juxtapositing “evil”, adjective to exaggerate the utmost demonic nature of hyde

Question 4

“clubbed him to the earth”

Answer 4

• violent imagery
• “earth” could reference creation story, how the world and life started from the earth and he was in that state once again

Question 5

“haunting sense of deformity”

Answer 5

• dehumanisation of hyde
• suggests he may be lesser developed from evolution
• controversial idea about humans evolving from apes
• hyde created by something other than god
• “haunting suggests something other than human, perhaps supernatural malicious being

Question 6

“trampled calmly”

Answer 6

• juxtaposition
• suggests violence nature and dehumanisation
• makes hyde seem amanilistic as is similar behaviours to a careless unaware animal