Good vs. Evil Flashcards
Which characters represent Good?
Mr. Gabriel Utterson, Dr. Lanyon, Dr. Henry Jekyll all respectable Victorian men represent the good and Christian values
Which character represents evil?
Mr. Hyde
“The two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness” analysis
“Contended” suggests a struggle in internal conflict between good and evil.
“I was radically both”
Dr. Jekyll admits that he is simultaneously equally good and evil
“the first breath of this new life, to be more wicked…Braced and delighted me like wine.”
Jekyll sees the evil side of him as a forbidden pleasure, which is why he uses the simile of wine, since alcohol is often seen as that. Hyde is personified as evil here
“Even as good shon upon the countenance of one, evil was written broadly and plainly on the face of the other.”
Contrast between good and evil. My. Hyde is personified as evil, whilst Jekyll is personified as good. The two extremes reflect the duality of man
“In this character, it was frequently his fortune to be the last reputable acquaintance and the last good influence in the lives of down going men”
Although we know that it’s not in Mr. Utterson’s nature to judge people for their actions, the fact that he install dislikes and judges Mr. Hyde emphasises him being evil
“If I ever read Satan’s signature upon a face, it’s on that of your new friend.”
Here, Mr. Hyde is compared to the devil, which shows that his evil so great that Mr. Utterson says he’s the creation of evil, like Satan.
“I was conscious of no repugnance, rather of a leap of welcome. This, too, was myself”
The good and respected Jekyll admits that even if he is that good person, he is also the ‘bad’ person who wants to experiment with science
‘Alone in the ranks of mankind, pure evil.’
Hyde’s evil lies in being selfish. He will do whatever he wants to satisfy his own appetite without any regards for common good
