Dr Jekyll Flashcards
“My poor Utterson,” said he, “you are unfortunate in such a client. I never saw a man so distressed as you were by my will; unless it were that hide-bound pedant, Lanyon, at what he called my scientific heresies.”
Chapter 3, Utterson is becoming concerned with Dr Jekylls involvement with someone like Hyde and Jekyll is trying to maintain composure, but is struggling.
“At that time my virtue slumbered; my evil, kept awake by ambition, was alert and swift to seize the occasion; the thing that was projected was Edward Hyde.”
Chapter 10, Jekyll expresses in his letter that his moral code wasn’t engaged, he implies that his evil side was a constant impulse that Jekyll had to actively suppress.
“Utterson, I swear to God,” cried the doctor “ I swear to God I will never set eyes on him again […] you do not know him as I do; he is safe, he is quite safe; Mark my words, he will never more be heard of.”
Chapter 5, Jekyll is desperate to convince Utterson he will have nothing else to do with Hyde, foreshadowing his struggle to terminate his Hyde entity. We know he’s lying through his teeth. Highlights lack of control Jekyll has, he has no control since the beginning. He’s a slave to Hyde he loses control of everything around him, it says to not mess with God because you can’t create life.
“And indeed the worst of my faults was a certain impatient gaiety of disposition[..] but such as I found it hard to reconcile with my imperious desire to carry my head high and wear a more than commonly grave countenance before the public.
Chapter 10, Jekyll reveals that he always had 2 sides his reserved side and his pleasure-seeking side.
“To cast in my lot with Jekyll was to fie to those appetites which I had long secretly indulged and had of late begun to pamper. To cast it in with Hyde, was to die to a thousand interests and aspirations, and to become, at a blow forever, despised and friendless.”[…]
Chapter 10?, Jekyll describes how he had to choose between Jekyll or Hyde. Choosing Jekyll would kill his natural desires and choosing Hyde would kill his professional life and forever be alone.
I felt younger, lighter, happier in body.
Dr Jekyll explaining how it feels to be Hyde, sounds like a drug. Hyde symbolises sin and negativity, its as though evil is pulling him in, he’s a slave to his desires
I sat in the sun on a bench; the animal within me lacking the chops of memory; the spiritual side a little drowned, promising subsequent penitence, but not yet moved to begin.
He is remembering how he felt after everything he did. Religion is being pushed out of it. Shows man’s nature, the power of Hyde the weakness of Jekyll and the constant battle between good and bad. “Licking the chops” points out even though its bad, you can’t help yourself it’s “human nature”
If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also.
Highlights the theme of a lot of 19th century texts, don’t try to be God, can relate to frankenstein as they suffer in the pursuit of happiness. Says if he has done bad he has also suffered for his sins. “Do not mess with God”
