J&H Quotes Flashcards
(39 cards)
This description of Utterson introduces a stereotypical 19th Century British gentleman - private and unemotional with a reserved personality
Chapter 1
“Cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary, and yet somehow loveable.
Analysis
“Cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary, and yet somehow loveable.”
The alliteration of the “L” and “D” sounds are deep and heavy, mimicking the dull, tedious personality of Utterson
The adjectives used to describe Utterson emphasise the sort of life Jekyll later rejects - they have associations with boring, lacklustre lifestyle where the current way of life is never questioned
“Cold” and “embarrassed in discourse” highlight the value placed on privacy - it is this cloak of secrecy that allows Jekyll to experiment uninterrupted
We have the first depiction of Hyde’s evil nature, and Stevenson deliberately inflicts it on a child to increase the reader’s fear of Hydes character
Chapter 1
“The man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming”
“it was like some damned Juggernaut”
Analysis
“The man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming”
“it was like some damned Juggernaut”
The contrasting “man” against “child” is threatening, but the oxymoronic “trampled calmly” shows Hyde is naturally comfortable with violence
Referencing the “child’s body” dehumanises the victim, and the image of her “screaming” is a powerful sensual depiction of Hyde’s cruelty
“Damned” refers to Hyde’s sinful nature, with the image of “Juggernaut” suggesting a violent, powerful force surging forwards in an unstoppable manner
The adverb “calmly” displays how Hyde has no remorse for the girl and was so unforgiving which foreshadows how Hyde will become increasingly violent throughout the novel as his true nature shows from the very beginning
Utterson contrasts with Jekyll, as he rigidly sticks to structure, order and rationality, maintaining a routine and socially acceptable lifestyle
Chapter 2
“A volume of some dry divinity on his reading-desk, until the clock of the neighbouring church rang out the hour of twelve, when he would go soberly and gratefully to bed”
Analysis
“A volume of some dry divinity on his reading-desk, until the clock of the neighbouring church rang out the hour of twelve, when he would go soberly and gratefully to bed”
The heavy, dull alliteration of “d” in “dry divinity” refers to religious restrictions and lack of vibrancy that typifies Christianity in the 19th Century
Utterson’s reading material is a “volume”, suggesting many more volumes offering rules and restrictions as to how one should live
The church dictates when Utterson sleeps, which is without enthusiasm for a new day (“soberly”), and he is relieved that day is over (“gratefully”)
Chapter 2
Hyde gave “an impression of deformity”
To a 19th century audience, he is seen as deformed as he is not of God’s creation but was instead created by the abuse of science.
Human beings were unable to imagine what an ungodly creature would like look and so therefore he only gave an “impression” of deformity.
This links to the theme of science vs religion as following the recently published Theory of Evolution, fear was created around this subject that the religious 19th Century audience may not have been created by God
Jekyll’s cheerful and pleasant demeanour rapidly disappears when he is questioned about his will - the change from good to evil is disturbingly quick.
Chapter 3
“the large handsome face of Dr Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes”
Analysis
“the large handsome face of Dr Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes”
The juxtaposition of Jekyll’s “handsome” face with his pale lips and dark eyes shows that man’s dual nature is not just a mental conflict, but also a physical one
“Pale” has associations with the death that comes later in the novel. The “blackness” of “his eyes” alludes to the darkness of Hyde’s soul.
Since Jekyll’s lips “grew” pale, and blackness “came…about” his eyes, the reader gets a sense of evil spreading over him uncontrollably
Brutal, animalistic violence and evil fill this image - the almost inhuman destruction of another human life highlights the power of evil
Chapter 4
“The next moment”
“with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot, and hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered”
Analysis
“The next moment”
“with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under foot, and hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered”
The simile “ape-like” gives Hyde strong animal characteristics but also suggests he has not yet evolved from animals, and as he inflicts a metaphorical “storm of blows” he is also seen as a brutal force of nature
Hyde’s victim becomes totally dehumanised - he is nothing more than “his victim” and “bones” rather than a person, and is “shattered”.
The swiftness of these actions is frightening - it all occurs in a “moment”
Chapter 4
Stevenson describes the setting as a “chocolate pall, lowered over heaven”
“Pall” has a dual meaning of being a dense cloud or a shroud that is placed over someones face in the evnt of death. These two idea mirror that a violent death has just taken place and the movement of “lowered over heaven” reflects this death was untimely as Carew was murdered
Jekyll inhabits a highly scientific environment, rejecting the simple pleasures of the old garden - he prefers the appeal of chemistry to the natural world
Chapter 5
“A yard which had once been a garden, to the building which was indifferently known as the laboratory or the dissecting-rooms”
“his own tastes being rather chemical than anatomical”
Analysis
“A yard which had once been a garden, to the building which was indifferently known as the laboratory or the dissecting-rooms”
“his own tastes being rather chemical than anatomical”
This was once a “garden”, a natural, wholesome place of relaxation, but has been replaced by the scientific experimentation of “the laboratory”
Science was a threat to religion in the 19th Century as it often contradicted religious teachings. Jekyll’s “tastes being rather chemical” refers to the fact that he desires scientific exploration over Utterson’s “dry divinity”
The adverb “indifferently” reinforces ideas of privacy and secrecy - Jekyll commits horrific acts as people are “indifferent” to his actions.
The reader is graphically shown the transformation of Lanyon and the physical deterioration of his person when he discovers Jekyll’s secret
Chapter 6
“He had his death-warrant written legibly upon his face. The rosy man had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away.”
Analysis
“He had his death-warrant written legibly upon his face. The rosy man had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away.”
“Rosy man” has associations with vibrant colour and a natural, healthy lifestyle, which juxtaposes “pale” and its deathly connotations
The alliteration of the fluid “f” sound underlines the fact that Lanyon’s flesh is literally slipping from his bones, much like when Jekyll turns into Hyde
A “death-warrant” is an official document ordering an execution. Whilst “death-warrant” foreshadows the deaths of Lanyon and Jekyll, it also reminds us of the sins committed and the justice that must come
Jekyll no longer controls Hyde’s appearances, and Jekyll’s sudden transformation causes extreme physical reactions from Utterson and Enfield.
Chapter 7
“The smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair”
“froze the very blood of the two gentlemen”
Analysis
“The smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair”
“froze the very blood of the two gentlemen”
The sibilance in “smile was struck” quickens the pace with which the pleasant “smile” is replaced by “abject terror and despair”
“Smile” is a gentle image, and is removed forcefully and violently when it is “struck out”. Hyde causes a physical reaction in all he meets, and “froze the very blood” of two men we know to be sensible, rational gentlemen
“Succeeded” has associations with victory - there is a clear sense of a battle between good and evil, and here evil is victorious.
Science and religion clash in a destructive manner - Hyde is animalistic, surrounded by science, and Poole turns to religion to make sense of it.
Chapter 8
“When that masked like a monkey jumped from among the chemicals and whipped into the cabinet, it went down my spine like ice…I give you my bible-word it was Mr Hyde!”
Analysis
“When that masked like a monkey jumped from among the chemicals and whipped into the cabinet, it went down my spine like ice…I give you my bible-word it was Mr Hyde!”
Hyde is a non-human “thing” and is “masked”, hidden from society. Fear would be increased for 19th Century readers - he is “among the chemicals”, dangerous scientific experimentation that could challenge religion.
The simile “like a monkey” reinforces Hyde’s animalistic nature and again he has a physical effect on other people (“down my spine like ice”).
Religion is needed to try to make sense of this; Poole gives his “bible-word”
Jekyll is often seen as a character who embraces science, which is dangerous enough - here we see an explicit, blasphemous rejection of religion
Chapter 8
“One lay beside the tea things open”
“Utterson was amazed to find…a copy of a pious work”
“Jekyll had several times expressed a great esteem, annotated, in his own hand, with startling blasphemies.”
Analysis
“One lay beside the tea things open”
“Utterson was amazed to find…a copy of a pious work”
“Jekyll had several times expressed a great esteem, annotated, in his own hand, with startling blasphemies.”
The “tea things” are a traditional symbol of British manners - taken at a set time, it is a calm, gentlemanly occasion of respectability
Utterson has “great esteem” for strict, rigid religion - “pious” links to “dry divinity”. Jekyll rebels against rigidity in religion, shown in Hyde’s scribbles
The dual nature of man is evident in the juxtaposition of “pious” with the “blasphemies” in the book - Hyde startlingly rejects religious teachings
Lanyon’s description of what he finds in Jekyll’s private cabinet is disturbing - Lanyon cannot make sense of it, and it is depicted as clearly dangerous
Chapter 9
“The phial…half full of blood-red liquor”
“was highly pungent”
“seemed” to contain “phosphorous and some volatile ether.”
Analysis
“The phial…half full of blood-red liquor”
“was highly pungent”
“seemed” to contain “phosphorous and some volatile ether.”
Fear of science stemmed from its unknown qualities. “A”, “seemed” and “some” show even Dr Lanyon cannot make sense of Jekyll’s experiments.
Jekyll’s scientific exploration links to violence. “Blood-red” alludes to Hyde’s bloodshed, and “volatile” mimics the unstable nature of Jekyll and Hyde.
“Highly pungent” shows Jekyll offending the senses as well as our morals. His behaviour is literally and metaphorically rotten
