Section 1 Background And Context Flashcards
Why did Jekyll hide his bad thoughts for so long, allowing Hyde to become so evil
Jekyll was a gentleman and in Victorian times, they were expected to look the perfect example of what people wanted to become. They also had a reputation they had to look after so they couldn’t let people see there darker sides. This is what Hyde was
Differences between Hyde and Jekyll
Jekyll was a gentleman and only stayed in the nice parts of London, Hyde lived in a “dismal quarter of soho” where “ragged children” huddled in doorways
How did Stevenson make this gothic novel more frightening
Traditional gothic novels happened in faraway places such as abandoned castles or foreign countries, this novel happened in a familier place for the readers, London, which would make the novel more scary
Why did Jekyll create Hyde,
He didn’t like his sinful thoughts as he had set standards of himself so high. This meant he couldn’t have much fun as he didn’t want to ruin himself. He made Hyde to have fun without ruining his own reputation
How does Stevenson use the idea of evolution in this novel
Hyde is described as the “animal within” Jekyll. He seems “hardly human” and lets out a scream of “animal terror” and Poole says he is “like a money”. Hyde is also shorter than Jekyll, almost “dwarfish” suggesting he is less evolved than Jekyll
How does Enfield show secrecy
He preferred not to have conversations with utterson on there Sunday walks, in Victorian times, discretion was preferred over gossip. He also had a rule of never asking questions to suspicious things as he doesn’t want to know about immoral behaviour or get involved
How is utterson different from most gentlemen
He is often “the last reputable acquaintance” of those who have ruined their reputation suggesting he is more tolerant of the sins of others
