Weather Flashcards
Symbolism: Weather
The streets of Utterson’s London are obscured by the weather, just as the mysteries of Mr Hyde’s crimes and existence, and his relationship with Jekyll, are themselves obscured. The mist makes the layout of the streets hard to follow, and makes the Gothic façade in chapter one jut ominously from the others. Effects of light are used to forewarn and indicate the coming of Jekyll’s transformations and Hyde’s violence, and the moon sheds an eerie light over the most suspenseful moments. The London fog serves to shroud or veil the city and make it eerie. Fog = obscurity, and the literal fog emphasizes the metaphorical fog surrounding the true identity of Hyde - “for even in the houses the fog began to lie thickly”
The weather patterns of London seem perfectly suited to dastardly deeds done dirt cheap. Although there is “brilliant” moonlight early in the evening (which makes the maid feel at peace with all mankind), a really ominous fog rolls in when all hell is about to break loose.You’ve also got firelight, lighted lamps, and light in general as the counterpoint to fog because of their safe, illuminating qualities.Stevenson uses the weather to present two conflicting side to Jekyll’s personality by describing that the “weather was continually charging their embattled vapours” - “embattled” suggests literal conflict which foreshadows the conclusion of the novella. “charging” complements conflict of the inevitable take over of Jekyll into Hyde.
“To combat the reinvasion of darkness” - stevenson presents light as forlorn, although desperate, and is attempting to “combat” the inevitable take over of darkness, represented by the character of Hyde. This may relate to darker urges colliding with respectable manner.
Symbolism: Jekyll’s lab and House
Jekyll has a well appointed home, characterised by Stevenson as having a “great air of wealth and comfort”, which contrasts to his lab being described as “a sinister block of buildings…marks of profound negligence.” The decaying facade and air of neglect quite neatly symbolises the corruption of Jekyll through Hyde, as both buildings belong to Jekyll yet one seems to have a more “profound” impact on the novel and the readers as the other, symbolising the take over of Jekyll into Hyde. The buildings are ajoined but look onto two different streets - the casual observer can’t detect that it is a whole, just as they can’t detect with Jekyll and Hyde.
Jekyll’s house is described as having an “open fire” in the front hall. This represents Jekyll as it is warm, inviting and hugely welcoming – all things that match Jekyll’s character. We are also told that the street on which his house sits is filled with similar houses – yet his is the only one kept clean and tidy and whole, upholding Jekyll’s character as we know he is concerned with making himself look good to other people, which his house certainly does. Hyde, on the other hand, is secretive and doesn’t so much lurk in the shadows as lives only in the night. He doesn’t hide from other people but he doesn’t encourage interactions. The lab door sums up his character perfectly. Unlike the main house it juts out on an alley street, its windows are covered and the door bears no knocker. The windows emulate Hyde’s private nature, he doesn’t want people prying into his business. The lack of a knocker shows he doesn’t want or expect guests. The untidiness of the doorway similarly keeps people from visiting. The text, as mentioned, describes the lab as a “sinister block of buildings”- there is something off about them, just like we are told there is something off or “deformed” about Hyde’s appearance. Here, setting in the form of the house, serves to reinforce the characters of Hyde and Jekyll and further highlights the theme of good versus evil.
Symbolism: The Door
The door itself is a means for Hyde to enter and leave the Jekyll residence unhindered. It gives Jekyll the ultimate freedom to embrace his inner evil, become Hyde, and go about the city engaging in evil exploits, without ever being held accountable to his servants or friends. When Jekyll resolves to stop turning into Hyde, he crushes the key to the door beneath his heel; however, it ultimately does not stop the evil Hyde from returning.
Symbolism: HYDE’S PHYSIOGNOMY
Hyde’s face exudes pure evil; the mere sight of him inspires people to hate him, fear him, or be completely repulsed by him. Enfield relates, “There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.” Hyde himself is small in stature, because he is the side of Jekyll’s personality that hasn’t been nourished: the evil side that has been repressed for years.
Symbolism:The Salt
The salt that Jekyll uses to finalize and perfect his experiment turns out to be impure. It is the irony that this impurity is what allows the experiment to work, and brings out the impurity in Jekyll. When Jekyll is struggling to stay as Jekyll, he discovers that all of the new samples of this salt are pure, and he realizes the mistake. It is in this moment that Jekyll realizes he cannot be saved.
Symbolism:
The cane that belonged to Jekyll/Hyde is a handy symbol of this dichotomy. It was a gift from Utterson and thus a representation of friendship yet it was used by Hyde as a murder weapon representing how ideals can become perverted. Fittingly, the cane cracks in two. Linking back to the idea that one needs all sides of their being, the two cane halves are used as evidence against Hyde which in turn make it nigh impossible for him to appear publicly from then on.
