GRADE 9 Dr Jekyll + Mr Hyde Notes for GCSE
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, Hyde’s cu
Hyde trampling the girl (Chapter 1 – told by Enfield to Utterson)
Character analysis: Mr Edward Hyde juxtapose
“trampled calmly” Chapter 2 descriptions of Hyde (by Utterson) courteous
- Oxymoron shows duality of a person, peaceful + violent simultaneously No implication that Hyde show con
- Adverb = Found it easy / was calm to do something so sinister = brutal, animalistic trampled the girl on ”without bowels of mercy” Utterson
- Left her “screaming” = shows extent of pain and lack of mercy Hyde is a
purpose or had a motive,
- Highlights Hyde’s cruelty + vicious nature/propensity “hissing intake of breath” outsider i
just an amoral act, people
- Provides no motivation for attack = emotionless, careless = inhuman = unnatural - Defensive response when Utterson touches him = hostile, distr
frightened because of
pain he caused or the - Comparing Hyde to a snake = sly, dangerous predator
- As he hurts a child of “maybe eight or ten” = symbol of purity + innocence = crushing innocence of child - Comparing Hyde to Devil as the devil appears as a serpent in th
disruption he has caused
symbolic of him crushing innocence of Jekyll OR because she represents virtues he detests creature of pure evil, just as malevolent as Devil
- Introduces Hyde as a malicious character who seeks to destroy all that is innocent + good to society?
“Hyde” = forces of “snarled” “savage laugh”
“hellish” scene - Animalistic, predatory language + intimidating verbs
wickedness hidden within
- Wild animal snarling before it devours its prey = inhuman, lack
“It wasn’t a man; it was like some damned Juggernaut” the civilised individual
society = giving freedom from shackles of strict Victorian ideals
- Juggernaut = huge wagon which carried image of Hindu god Krishna + worshippers throw themselves under + be crushed to - Language reflects Hyde's capability for violence
death = unstoppable power = violence + force he mercilessly crushed the helpless child with = unnatural, extreme power - Savage = primitive violence + hostility = uncivilised
“the child was not much the worse, more frightened” “impression of deformity”
- A physical feature that is misshapen + abnormal, but Hyde has
“I had taken a loathing to my gentleman at first sight” “I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I scarce know why” - Repulsed by Hyde’s evil, not physical appearance, abnormal wi
- Theme of physiognomy, Stevenson’s criticism to society = why Jekyll remains so unsuspicious to people developed any morals or remorse
- Subconscious awareness that Hyde is somehow unnaturally evil as happens frequently with others (harpies + sawbones
quote below) “displeasing smile”
HOWEVER, Harpies are
“Sawbones turned sick and white with the desire to kill him” (LINK TO JACK THE RIPPER, suspected doctor) famous for their cruelty + “God bless me, the man seems hardly human!” + “something tro
- Ironic, a doctor who saves lives now wants to murder Hyde, completely against society’s expectations immortality so Stevenson - Exclamatory = shock + repentance
- Hyde’s mere physics appearance brings out the very worst evil in other people… WHY could be highlighting that - A troglodyte = caveman = Hyde has more in common with hum
- Represents other people’s evil + duality = scared as they relate to Hyde’s actions?? the Harpies + Doctor + human beings themselves = Hyde hasn’t evolved like everyone
- Extremely violent + defensive, overreaction? Hyde brings out worst in people as he is a corrupting Enfield are all far more THEORY OF EVOLUTION NOTES IN CLASS + “clubbed”)
influence? Anger because Hyde is a mirror image of each individuals’ deepest passions without the evil than Hyde, everyone
expectations from society = Hyde symbol of Jekyll’s evil nature + evil nature present in ALL humanity! has evil like Hyde inside “unknown disgust”
of them which could be - No rational reason as to why, same as Enfield, Doctor + women
“make such a scandal out of this” so make his “name stink from one end of London to another” even worse than Hyde,
- Why Jekyll doesn’t live his desires through Jekyll highlights humanity’s “Satan’s signature upon a face”
- Ruin reputation, lose everything, shameful + disgraceful propensity for evil - metaphor, he is so obviously evil
- Signature + possessive proper noun = belongs to Devil, is under
“as wild as harpies” so evil
- Greek mythology allusion + simile, ironic = women expected to act with grace + meekness - Face = superficial views of society = on face = not completely tr
- Harpies were winged monsters with women’s faces who were vengeful shows evil part to society = symbolic of Jekyll being the good in
- Women were furious + wanted revenge, behave in an aggressive way = completely against society’s expectations = Hyde is ‘Hyde[s]’
unnatural in his behaviour + reactions he causes = threatens society’s standard as destroys influence of societal expectations
= Hyde’s presence brought evil tendencies of these women to life
, Chapter 4: Murder of Carew
Character analysis: Mr Edward Hyde Chapter 8
Hyde murders Carew because he is a symbol of what Hyde SHOULD be in society, this makes him angry as society WANT him to be a gentleman (like Carew) who puts on a “Weeping like a woman or a l
façade of being respectable and righteous but secretly indulges in pleasures seen as disgraceful, want him to live a life of misery and dissatisfaction. ANGRY as society hate
Hyde even though he is better than gentleman like Carew who live their pleasures in secret and put up a façade whereas Hyde openly shows them and is himself. Angry at “Utterson, for God’s sake, hav
hypocritical nature of society?
Murder of Carew shows the “a dismal screech, as of mere
Hyde hates everything Carew represents, the “old-world kindness” he has makes him virtuous and righteous
tragic consequences of Jekyll’s
“dressed in clothes far too lar
reckless experimentation with
“full moon” doctor’s bigness”
- There is a full moon at the night of the murder (LINK TO GOTHIC GENRE AS IS A SUPERNATURAL THEME) dual nature + breaking
- Full moon symbolises evil, heinous creatures coming out to prey on victims fundamental aspects of “body of a self-destroyer”
- BOTH Hyde + Carew are out at night = both evil, heinous creatures, one just shows it openly and one puts up a façade existence
- Both as bad as each other, however Carew seen as angelic and pure due to knighthood and high status
- Stevenson criticises society’s view that having a high status means that you have perfect, irrevocable morals and intentions and will always be seen as good and righteous Chapter 9
even if they are the same as lower class people = society base opinions on status
”the creature”
Hyde angry at the goodness Carew represents
“in a great flame of anger”
- Metaphor shows how dangerous Hyde is, he is dangerous like fire (pure evil detests pure good + innocence) BUT is “impatience” “wrestling agai
- But also, Hyde is powerful like fire that destroys things rapidly and with ease (Carew) Carew that pure? Still out at night? Mad at hysteria” “sprang” ”loud sob
- ALSO highlights his volatile nature like fire, shares unpredictable nature of a fire hypocrisy surrounding him, acting like a - Theme of addiction
- Violence + ferocity of attack gentleman when his possible actions + location
juxtapose this?
“broke out of all bounds and clubbed him”
- Bounds = bounds from society expecting him to be a gentleman, shows unrestricted + true anger towards a man who is socially perfect
- Cavemen (Neanderthals) used clubs, link to “troglodytic”, reinforces idea Hyde has not evolved yet, more animal than human, hasn’t learnt how to be civilised yet +
conform to rules of society Hyde’s evil spreads from peo
consumes them:
“ape-like fury” “trampling”
- Simile compares Hyde’s anger to an ape “Sawbones turned sick and
- Physical strength of an ape = inhuman power + strength, more like a animal than a human kill him”
- Stevenson may be referencing to Darwin’s theory of evolution = Hyde less evolved than rest of humanity, hasn’t learnt civilised behaviour as still has raw animalistic,
primitive instincts (“trampled calmly”) “Jekyll grew pale” + “deadly
- If all humans have evolved from “ape-like” creatures like Hyde, do they all have secret Hydes within them like Jekyll with dark and deep desires? Hyde is their true
selves?
+ Lanyon dying with shock a
“bones were audibly shattered”
- Aural language = disturbing = highlights magnitude of force Hyde is using, shows violence + immorality he is capable of Utterson + Enfield both “pal
Hyde is an animalistic transforming into H
- Hyde isn’t satisfied with simply killing Carew, wants to destroy him = shows how much Hyde loathes and despises Carew
ruffian
“incredibly mangled” Shows how his presence and
darkness and evil like a disea
“insensate cruelty” …
- Lacking reason = shows how Hyde had no previous motive
