Setting Analysis Flashcards
Dingy neighbourhood, sinister block
The description of Jekyll’s house from the back, this is the entrance when he wears the disguise of Hyde. The adjective sinister suggests something menacing and evil. It is hidden in darkness, just like Hyde.
No window, the door was equipped with neither bell nor knocker
The door has nothing suggesting that Jekyll has secrets that he wants to hide from society
Blistered and distained
The adjective distained acts as a metaphor for Jekyll’s reputation. Like the door his reputation if the truth was to be revealed would be stained
Cavendish square
This is where Dr Lanyon lives, it is described as the ‘citadel of medicine’ where all the reputable doctors have their surgeries and homes. Ironically, Dr Jekyll who is meant to be a reputable doctor does not have him home and surgery here which reinforced the idea he has something to hide from his medical peers
A square of ancient, handsome houses
Description of Jekyll’s house from the front. Notice the square his house is on is called ‘handsome’. Stevenson is suggesting that the house is a symbol of Jekyll’s split personality. The back is hidden whilst the front looks respectable.
Decayed from their high estate
In contrast, this hints to Jekyll’s evil personality. The verb decayed is in the past tense suggesting the house are not for the most respectable in society. It is fitting that Jekyll who is going downhill lives in a house also going downhill
Fog rolled over the city
Repeated motif throughout, the fog like the darkness symbolises the presence of Hyde, Hyde metaphorically hides his evil deeds in the fog and the fog brings the darkness. Each time fog is mentioned Hyde is out
Chocolate coloured pall
Alliteration, is a metaphor to describe the fog which has covered the city. Wind tries to blow the fog and there is a semantic field of war, ‘charging’ and ‘routing’ and ‘embattled’
The fog was broken up and a ‘haggard shaft of daylight would glance in between’
The use of pathetic fallacy here reflects the war raging in between Jekyll (the light) and Hyde (the fog). Light and dark fight metaphorically. Jekyll represented by the ‘haggard shaft’ is exhausted by the battle and is tired of suppressing Hyde.
Lights had been ‘kindled afresh to combat this mournful reinvasion of darkness’
The street lights are ‘kindled afresh’ to combat/fight of the ‘rein axion of darkness’ suggesting that Jekyll is trying to get control but the darkness keeps coming back. Again semantic field of battle ‘combat’ ‘reinvasion’
Like a district of some city in a nightmare
Soho is described like a city in a nightmare reminding us that Stevenson in fact dreamed this scene when he had one of his first nightmares, soho is presented as a place of sin and has a eerie atmosphere, reinforced a perfect place for Hyde to hide
