Moment 6: The Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon Flashcards
(16 cards)
‘Much of his past was unearthed, indeed, and
all disreputable: tales came out of the man’s
cruelty’
This seems, with hindsight, unreliable. Hyde
doesn’t exist most of the time, so there isn’t a
lot to go on. Tales also seem fanciful.
‘He had his death warrant legibly written upon his face.’
Metaphor for his facial expression - ‘Lanyon was so shocked that he appeared / looked as if he would die.’
‘The rosy man had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away.’
Lanyon has changed recently, yet we do not know why - images of deformity.
Visceral imagery: hyperbolic, fortifies his fearful expression.
‘deep-seated terror of the mind’
Shows that the mind is important - links to the Sigmund Freud theory of the mind.
Utterson: “his days are counted”
Used to describe a character’s perceived impending death due to a shock or realisation.
‘a doomed man’
Lanyon is aware of what his fate holds - the truth of Jekyll is so impactful, sense of inevitability and futility created which reflects the creation of Hyde.
Lanyon: “Well, life has been pleasant; I liked it; yes, sir, I used to like it.”
Staggered / stuttering pauses - uncharacteristic of a stereotypical gentleman.
Lanyon: “if we knew all, we should be more glad to get away”
Lanyon’s aware of the terrors on Earth, and he’s aware of Jekyll’s true nature.
Utterson: “Jekyll is ill, too”
In hindsight, we find that Jekyll is in a state of relapse - he is unable to control his drug addiction / transformations into Hyde.
Lanyon: “I beg that you will spare me any allusion to one whom I regard as dead”
Hyperbolic - the friendship between Jekyll and Lanyon is over again, despite a few months back together.
“Nothing can be done,” returned Lanyon, “ask himself.”
Short, sharp sentences within dialogue - shock and tension.
Lanyon: “I cannot tell you.”
Repression and secrecy.
Lanyon:” this accursed topic”
Absence of faith and religion.
Jekyll: “If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also.”
Juxtaposition: he is a sinner and man of God.
We can see that Jekyll is quite depressed by
the situation with Lanyon.
Lanyon: “Not to be opened till the death or
disappearance of Dr Henry Jekyll.”
More secret documents to add to the mystery
of the plot - keeps the readers engaged.
‘But professional honour and faith to his dead
friend were stringent obligations.’
Utterson is respecting the will. He may be
misleading in the plot, but is a good man.
