Jekyll and Hyde vocabulary Flashcards
(47 cards)
liminal
a transitional stage, or on both sides of a threshold or boundary
dichotomy
a division or contrast between two things
duality
the quality of being both or double
disconsolate
unhappy/ unable to be comforted
the uncanny
strange and unsettling
abject
extremely unpleasant, without pride, or experienced to the maximum degree
unreliable narrator
biased or untrustworthy narration with many information gaps
effect of unreliable narration
- use of multiple perspectives forces
- shifting viewpoints create a fragmented, unreliable narrative to suggest that the truth is not fixed but shaped by perspective
- mirrors the hidden realities of victorian society and makes the reader complicit in revealing these suppressed truths
‘as the primary lens through which the reader experiences the narrative, utterson’s rational yet…
limited perspective shapes our understanding of events.’
utterson : ‘his failure to grasp the full truth until the end highlights…
…the fallibility of human perception, reinforcing the idea that objective truth is elusive’
‘lanyon’s perspective, initially grounded in scientific…
rationalism, is later shattered when he witnesses hyde’s transformation.’
lanyon: ‘his letter, which reveals the shocking truth posthumously…
..illustrates the subjective nature of knowledge as his account is personal and emotionally charged, demonstrating how perception is shaped by experience’
epistolary elements
letters and confessions
effect of epistolary elements
- stevenson employs the epistolary form to enhance the realism of the novella, making it feel more like a genuine case study than a fictional tale
- inclusion of letters adds a documentary authenticity, prompting the readers to actively piece together the truth, as if solving a real mystery
- STRUCTURAL choice reinforces the detective-like role of Utterson and the reader in uncovering hidden truths
‘lanyon’s written confession serves as an authoritative ‘scientific’ record…
yet simultaneously undermines scientific certainty, as his language conveys horror and disbelief’
‘as the recipient of multiple letters, utterson acts as both…
reader and detective, mirroring the reader’s role in piecing together the fragmented truth’
utterson: ‘the epistolary format positions him as an intermediary figure, as he…
is reliant on written accounts rather than direct experience’
temporal concealment
delayed truths
effect of temporal concealment
- forces readers to piece together the story out of order, enhancing suspense and reflecting the process of scientific discovery
- by withholding information, such as jekyll’s confession, stevenson taps into the notion that only some truths are revealed through careful discovery, much like the gradual unravelling of scientific and psychological truths, aligning with contemporary debates in science
‘utterson’s methodical, legalistic approach to uncovering the mystery…
reflects the readers own journey through the temporally disjointed narrative’
‘utterson’s limited access to key information until the end mirrors…
stevenson’s structural manipulation, where delayed revelations create suspense and heighten thematic resonance’
‘jekyll’s confession, withheld until the final chapter…
embodies the concept of temporal concealment as his gradual unravelling mirrors the process of scientific and self-discovery’
oedipal pattern
freud’s psychological theory that a son feels jealousy/rivalry towards their father
robbie goh
- literary critic
- contends that the oedipal pattern is evident in jekyll in a more metaphorical way
