Utterson Flashcards
Utterson quotes - beginning
‘he had an approved tolerance for others’
‘almost with envy at the high pressures of spirits involved in their misdeeds’
‘inclined to help rather than to reprove’
‘wider labyrinth of lamplighted city’
‘he cherished for Utterson a sincere are warm affection’
‘he had an approved tolerance for others’
‘tolerance’ shows he is willing to allow other’s lives to take course over him
an understanding character who has a willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions or behaviours that one dislikes or disagrees with
symbol of perfect Victorian gentleman
Utterson dedicates himself to discovering the truth - he is unsettled by secrecy
tool for Stevenson to reveal truth in an inciting manner
‘he cherished for Utterson a sincere and warm affection’
paragon (perfect example) of a Victorian gentleman
becomes a symbol of naivety in the face of hidden evil
friendship and loyalty - genuine connections with Jekyll, Lanyon and Enfield providing a lens which readers witness the successes of pursuit of moral purity within Victorian society
‘sincere’ serves a dual purpose, reinforces his trustworthiness and honesty yet exposes how Utterson’s unwavering adherence to respectable and loyalty to his friends becomes his fatal flaw
Utterson quotes - end
‘so sharp a wish to see and touch is fellow creatures’
‘inclined to help rather than to reprove’
when friend gets in to trouble he will help them no matter how sinful they are
loyal - hypocrite helping people get away from misdeeds
‘inclined to help rather than to reprove’
when friend gets in to trouble he will help them no matter how sinful they are
loyal - hypocrite helping people get away from misdeeds
‘wider labyrinth of lamplighted city’
his mind is plagued with vivid thoughts of that human ‘juggernaut’ so much that it becomes fanciful and serves to introduce mystery into the novella
‘labyrinth’ could be an allusion to the Greek legend of the minotaur which could suggest a beast is living within the city - could be ambiguous (open to multiple interpretations) as it could be referring to Hyde or more broadly the darkness of man
it also connotes to the state of being lost - foreshadowing how Hyde will be lost to Jekyll
‘if he shall be Mr Hyde i shall be Mr Seek’
‘Hyde’ is a homophone (word will same pronunciation but different meaning) - concept of disguise and illusion - Stevenson utilises this to expose limitations of Victorian physiognomy (judging character from facial characteristics)
while Utterson may not exhibit exaggerated dualism, he nonetheless has his own suppressed desires and darker curiosity like Jekyll but chooses not to indulge in them
quote represents inherent duality within humanity
Stevenson reveals the presence of morbid fascination and curiosity that lurks beneath the facade of even the most refined and sterilised Victorian gentlemen
‘so sharp a wish to see and touch his fellow creatures’
isolation of Utterson at the moment builds tension, it implies looming danger
noun ‘creatures’ in place of human raises questions, it suggests Utterson feels detaches from humanity and civilisation as it animalises the society he lives within
moreover the noun ‘creature’ could be a link to Darwinism suggesting that humans are in touch with their primitive side and degenerate creatures that they have descended from
