This set of notes include: detailed analysis into the themes, context and characters in Dr. Jekyll and Hyde as well as annotations on a number of quotes. (Achieved grade 9)
Hyde:
Stevenson includes Hyde to symbolise the beast within us —> the dark side of humanity and to
expose the savage and primal side of us. He also uses Hyde to explore the implications of
Darwin’s theory —> we all have animalistic characteristics. Hyde also represents the ‘ID’ part of us
which wants and wishes for instant gratification
- Hyde presents Mr. Hyde as having animalistic characteristics ( links to the theme of violence).
-Hyde described with ‘ape like fury, he was trampling his victim under his foot and hailing down a
storm of blows’ The simile ‘ape’ like reinforces Hyde’s strong animalistic characteristics as it
suggests he has evolved from animals. Moreover, the bestial imagery used suggests Hyde’s
savage and primal violent instincts. This links to the idea of Darwinism, and the idea that we are all
developed from animals. This was controversial because in victorian society, ‘showing face’ was
important as the idea of human beings being developed from apes was a frightening and unsettling
idea. This reinforces the idea that Stevenson focuses on us having an animalistic side, in which we
are all shown to have a ‘beast within’, to reveal the savage and dark side of humanity
-Hyde shown to have inflicted a metaphorical ‘storm of blows’. this suggests that Hyde is shown as
a brutal force of nature, which is shown to have deformity. In addition, the swiftness of these
actions are frightening, as all of this is shown to have occurred ‘in a moment’ —> reinforces his
aggressive and violent personality.
-Hyde is shown to have his ‘every act and thought centred on self; drinking pleasure with bestial
avidity from any degree of torture on another; relentless like a man of stone’. This suggests that
Hyde’s wickedness extends beyond simply harming others, as he is selfish and takes joy in the
suffering of others. The phrase ‘ever act and thought’ affirms that Hyde is entirely evil in both body
and soul. The words ‘Drinking’, ‘pleasure’ and ‘avidity’ are in a semantic field of greed, as they all
have associations with wild over-indulgence, linking with his animal, ‘bestial’ nature. By using a
simile to compare Mr. Hyde as a ‘man of stone’, this suggests that Hyde is hard, unmoving and
soulless. The use of semi-colons creates a list of his faults, alongside with his ‘relentless’ pursuit of
‘torture’, helps to create a truly terrifying depiction
-Stevenson presents Mr. Hyde as a frightening character through presenting him to be a fearful
and inhumane character
Stevenson deliberately has Hyde inflict violence on the child to increase the reader’s fear over his
character. This is shown, where Mr. Enfield describes Mr. Hyde to have ‘trampled calmly over the
child’s body and left her screaming on the ground’. The contrasting depiction of a “man” violently
clashing with a ‘child’ is threatening enough as it creates a great sense of fear of Hyde, but the
oxymoronic ‘trample calmly’ shows Hyde is naturally comfortable with violence in a society which
fears it, in which he shows no guilt and remorse.
Furthermore, referencing the ‘child’s body’ dehumanises the victim. This gives off an impression
that Hyde doesn’t even see her as a human, let alone an innocent child. Moreover the image of her
creaming is a powerful sensual description of Hyde’s cruelty and violence. This is reinforced by the
fact that Hyde is described as a ‘damned juggernaut. The use of the simile helps to reinforce
Hyde’s sinful nature, with the image of ‘Juggernaut’ suggesting a violent, powerful force surging
forwards in an unstoppable manner.
Dr. Jekyll:
Stevenson includes Jekyll as a representative of Victorian gentlemen at the time —> victorian
gentlemen were guilty of hypocrisy. As they spend a lot of time cultivating a reputation, causing
them having to repress duality. In the 19th century, Jekyll also represents the radical experimental
approach to science.
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