Jekyll and Hyde: Horror and Terror
Mr Hyde is the centre of the novel's creation of terror and horror: it is created through the description of his behaviour and actions.
Incidents creating feelings of horror and terror
Trampling of the girl: brutal treatment of young girl and strange reaction of those around Hyde.
Utterson's dream: explores the possible nature of the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde and develops the sense of Hyde as a terrifying individual. It demonstrates how Hyde and the idea of Hyde is destroying the peace of a rational man like Jekyll.
Murder of Sir Danvers: we anticipate what is going to happen and then we have our worst fears confirmed.
Incident at the window: Dr Jekyll's mysterious shutting of the window. Utterson and Enfield respond in a terrified way.
The last night: terror in the run up to breaking down the door - horror afterwards
Elements of horror and terror in Dr Lanyon's narrative and Dr Jekyll's statement of the case when we are forced to confront the reality of what Hyde is.
Purpose of the theme in this novel - what Stevenson intends the reader to think and feel
To instil a concern for uncontrolled scientific experimentation undertaken in the wrong spirit.
To warn us against seeking forbidden knowledge.
To force us to question the very nature of human identity by exploiting the implications of Darwin's theories of evolution - what if we are not made in God's image but are in fact descended from apes. What if, instead of moving forwards or evolving, we are actually devolving - theories of devolution abound in the period perhaps compounded by the social pressures and crime and criminality ever-present in cities like London.
To emphasise the dangers of our dual nature if we d not manage it and to warn against the dangers of repressing it in response to strict social codes.
To warn us of the dangers of allowing our darker impulses free reign unchecked by our conscience. We need the good side of us to control the bad - separating them completely is impossible and dangerous.
To create the traditional sensations of a Gothic novel - horror and terror are there to entertain the reader
Key ideas of the Victorian era
Darwin's Theory of Evolution and related theories which prove how society, for all its appearance of progress, is devolving - we are going backwards and not forwards.
Critiquing the pressures of high moral standards placed on Victorians by society and particularly by religious belief.
Concerns about criminality and social deprivation in England's rapidly growing cities (symbolised in the novella by the events and location of C4) which would have provided vivid sense that society seemed to be going backwards and not forwards.
Bird's eye view
In Jekyll and Hyde Stevenson creates a profound sense of horror and terror, primarily through the appearance and behaviour of the character of Hyde, Jekyll's violent and dangerous creation. As a piece of Gothic fiction, the primary purpose of the novella is to horrify and terrify the reader but, in this case, Stevenson directs that horror and terror towards some crucial ideas that were provoking anxiety and concern in the Victorian period, namely the true nature of man, which had been called into question by Darwin's theories, the potential dangers of unchecked scientific experimentation and the terrifying possibility that society, despite the superficial appearance of civilisation and progress was actually devolving.