This is a concise but detailed Level 9 essay plan outlining an introduction, 3 paragraphs & a conclusion in answer to questions about Utterson as a rational & confident character in Jekyll & Hyde; there are key quotes & nuanced AO3 contextual links in each paragraph.
Q. Explore how Stevenson presents Utterson as a rational and confident
character.
Thesis:
G: contemporary views - manliness = respectable, moral behaviour, totally
controlled at all times
S: detective fiction’s logical victorian man of action, e.g. sherlock holmes. later
gothic novels contrasted e.g. = pic. of dorian gray, j&h
T: S presents U as logical & confident in rationality, maybe to criticise laughable
vic. gentleman in contrast to H & devolution. alternatively, U’s futile desire for
empirical understanding used to convey how inevitably no security in
metaphysical universe, despite science/religion
Para 1:
at outset of novella, S presents U’s rationality as integral to character to preface S’s use
of him as ironic detective trope vs. insecurity of real society/universe
➔ U immediately defined as lawyer
◆ despite respected profession, no protection from human evil or dark
underside of society represented in H
➔ U as moral relativist
◆ ‘I incline to Cain’s heresy’ = contentment from ignorance (more
mid-victorian), lack of religious judgement in increasingly secularised
society - dependence on logic rather than religion
➔ U as having futile, baseless sense of security
◆ ‘it offended him both as a lawyer and a lover of the sane and customary
sides of life’ = will is a gothic challenge to his rational understanding of life
◆ ‘fanciful’ = self-mortification, undermines logic & reason
Para 2:
as the novella progresses, U as laughable victorian gentleman in a fin du siecle society
filled with decadence and moral ambiguity.
➔ U as uncomfortable with things outside of societal boundaries i.e. H
◆ ‘that is not fitting language’ = H is outside limits of acceptable behaviour &
this rattles U
◆ ‘like a man in mental perplexity’ = characteristics of a vic. gentleman,
rationality & logic offered U no protection from fear & confusion caused
by H
➔ U as almost naively helpful man of action
◆ ‘I am a man to be trusted… I make no doubt I can get you out of it’ = U
cannot see beyond his trust & confidence in ratiocination
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