Utterson Flashcards
Entire novella is written through Utterson’s point of view except for the last two chapters
Utterson is rational and unbiased unlike:
Jekyll: He is interested in science less than religion; called Lanyon a “hide-bound pedant”
Lanyon: He is an Orthodox Christian who had disregarded Jekyll’s thoughts as “unscientific balderdash”
Bias shown by characters elevates importance as events might have been distorted if someone else narrated
Allows us to see the events from someone who is not directly involved
austere…
drank gin…to…
with himself
mortify a taste for vintages
Represents the typical Victorian man
Austere - disciplined and self controlled, suggesting that he does not have any secrets to hide, which allows him to fit into the image of a perfect gentleman
Makes Utterson seem reliable, as he was “the last reputable acquaintance in the lives of downgoing men”, shows many trusted him, so we should as well (“so great a trust”)
