Chapter 7 Flashcards
Dr Jekyll is “like some disconsolate prisoner”
-the adjective “disconsolate” emphasises a sense of despair and the complete eradication of hope
-this simile reinforces Dr Jekyll’s sense of self-entrapment by his own contemptible secrets.
-despite the absence of actual incarceration such as a jail cell, Dr Jekyll is metaphorically imprisoned as reflected through the imagery
-this simile could be reflective of Dr Jekyll’s confinement within his social realm due to the stifling nature of Victorian Society as he battles with his dual nature
-alternatively, this quote could also imply that Dr Jekyll is imprisoned by the consequences of his scientific experiments and moral transgressions
-the trope of a character who possesses a hidden darkness or conflict between their public and private personas is prevalent throughout the Victorian Gothic genre such as in Dr Jekyll and Hyde , and The Picture of Dorian Gray
“I am very low…very low. It will not last long, Thank God”
-Dr Jekyll’s “very low” state is a direct consequence of his transformation into Hyde and his duplicate lifestyle
-the secrecy and guilt is such a heavy burden that it causes such an extreme physical and emotional response
the repetition of the phrase “very low” undescores Dr Jekyll inner torment
-Jekyll seems to engage with religion colloquially and almost idiomatically.
-this could be a criticism on the dictatorial domination of Religion as it affects all aspects of life
-this would be reflective of Stevenson’s rejection of religion despite his Calvinist upbringing die to disdain of the totalitarian indoctrination of Christianity
-However we are aware that it is science that brings about the termination of his current state.
-this could be implicit of the downward significance of Religion as God’s name is spoken without reverence or substance
Enfield and Utterson agree that it was “impossible to do one [see Hyde] without the other [repulsion]”
-Hyde’s physiognomy is reflective of his evil nature. Stevenson satirises the Victorian obsession with physiognomy with Enfield response as ultimately Mr Hyde’s ugly nature and appearance both belong to the respectable and attractive Mr Hyde
-the direct juxtaposition of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’s appearances are used to personify the contrast between good and evil. However the oneness of Hyde and Jekyll explores the complexity of morality and human nature
