Utterson Analysis Flashcards
Lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow lovable
Long opening description of Utterson because he will lead us through the investigation into the strange case of Jekyll and Hyde. He is described as grumpy, old man but there is something lovable about him. He is someone the reader can trust
He was austere with himself
Someone who is disciplined. He does not give in to his desires. He is able to suppress them (unlike Jekyll), later on we find out that Jekyll wants to be more like Utterson, serious and disciplined
If he be Mr Hyde, he had though, I shall be Mr Seek
Pun on the name of Hyde, reminding us that Hyde likes to hide away and that Utterson’s role is in the novella is to uncover the hidden truth for the reader
If it came to a trial, your name might appear
One of Utterson’s main concerns is to protect Jekyll’s reputation. In Victorian England, maintaining a respectable reputation was very important. A scandal could ruin his name. A key theme is reputation and respectability. Jekyll later tells us he uses Hyde as a mask to protect his reputation
Save his credit
Utterson’s main motivation is keeping quiet about what he is discovering to maintain his reputation
