Jekyll - Jekyll and Hyde
Introduction idea: Thee novel 'Jekyll and Hyde' allows Stevenson to explore the theme of duality. He protryay Jekyll as a high-status, influentia; man who has a good reputation, however, he also introduces the character of Hyde to show the 'darker side' of Jekyll. It allows Stevenson to show that everyone has an innately darker side.
Narrative Style
Jekyll and Hyde's death
Jekyll's duality in Chapter 10
- Wrestling wit his own moral conscience
Lannyon witnessing Hyde to Jekyll's transformation
Hyde trampling the girl
Both Utters on and Enfeild know that Jekyll is related to this event but neither want to say to protect his reputation.
Jekyll's name is on the cheque that Enfeild saw but Utterson knows that the creepy door goes into Jekyll's labatory
Carew's murder
Because Hyde had killed quite an influential man, Jekyll had to work harder to keep Hyde hidden and secret
Chpt. 9 is told in 1st person from Dr. Lanyon’s POV. The whole chapter is a letter from Dr. Lanyon explaining how he saw Hyde transform back into Jekyll. He says this disturbed him so much that he fell ill and knew he would die. Confusingly, Lanyon’s letter also contains parts of Jekyll’s letters to Lanyon, so some of these sections are 1st person from Jekyll’s POV.
The whole of Chpt. 10 is a letter from Jekyll to Utterson confessing / explaining everything that has happened. This is 1st person from Jekyll’s POV. The important thing to remember is that the reader is never getting facts or the truth because Jekyll is an unreliable narrator. He is confused and upset and keeps changing his mind about who is responsible for all the evil doings; sometimes he takes responsibility for his actions using 1st person (as Jekyll) and then switches and talks about his actions in 3rd person, placing the blame on ‘Hyde’ as if he is a separate person. Jekyll’s account illustrates the hypocrisy that exists within all people.
In chpt. 1 Mr. Enfield tells the story about Hyde trampling a girl - this section is 1st person from Enfield’s POV.
Most of the book is narrated in third person limited, focused on Uttersons actions and emotions. Utterson is not the narrator, but his actions and investigation into the strange events drive the narrative forward.
"Instantly the spirit of hell awoke in me and raged. With a transport of glee, I mailed the unresisting body"
The use of first person suggests that Jekyll is always fully conscious of the crimes he commits as 'Hyde' and therefore must be held accountable for the immorality of his actions ("I mailed the body"). The "glee"is Jekyll's own emotion and he speaks of the "hell" awakening in "me" not "him"
“He, I say—I cannot say, I. That child of Hell.”
In other parts of his same letter, Jekyll speaks of Hyde as a separate being (“that child of hell”), showing Jekyll’s shame over his evil actions. By speaking of Hyde in the third person (“He, I say—I cannot say, I”) he shows that he cannot bring himself to admit to the dreadful deeds he has done and seeks to distance himself from the immorality of his crimes.
Main points summerised:
Jekylls moral conscience - is he responsible for the actions of Hyde
Jekyll's relationship with Lanyon shows how manipulative he is
Rivalry - "hide bound pedant" - Jekyll is disrespecting Lanyon's moral values - means that hew sticks to the rules and is never original, books were bound by animal hide
Faustian pact that Lannyon makes with Hyde - "the seal of our profession" - shows that even as Hyde, Jekyll still has controll or an impact on Hyde's thoughts
Emphasis on their close friendship - his actions essentially kills Lannyon, takes pleasure in his friend's downfall - thinks Lanyon is narrow minded - "You who have derided your superiors" - God superiority
Utterson's view
The purpose of these letters and 1st person sections are to keep the reader engaged. The narrative is a puzzle that needs to be solved, the same way that Utterson is trying to solve the mystery of what is happening to his friends Jekyll and Lanyon.
“When I know how he fears my power to cut him off by suicide, I find it in my heart to pity him.”
When speaking in third person, there is also a sense that Jekyll values the ‘Hyde’ part of himself and has a strong emotional attachment to him and doesn’t want to part with him.
Phisiognomy - the way you look reflects how you act, if you are ugly, you are evil ect - Jekyll is described as "Well made, smooth faced man" - Jekyll is hiding his immorality behind a veneer of respectability
“My devil had been long caged, he came out roaring.”
Some parts of the chapter even switches between pronouns in the same sentence. Jekyll admits the “devil” inside him is “my devil”, but then switches to the third person of “he came out roaring”. This shows the inner turmoil Jekyll is in the middle of experiencing.
Views and reputation Utterson first sees
Jekyll's appearance of his house that Utterson sees - Jekyll lives in an extremely rich, lovely area but the author says that the area is starting to fall down hill and get more dodgy, he is surrounded by people are still respectable but they are the shady side of their professions (shady lawyers and banked ect)
Although the reader spends most of the novella thinking Hyde is an evil man separate from Jekyll, they eventually discover that they are the same person. However, Jekyll appears conflicted over how much they can be truly considered separate.
"Man is not truly one but truly two"
Other quotes from chapter 10
He is a highly unreliable narrator in chapter 10
Narrative style of chapter 10
Stevenson cleverly crafts the story so that Jekyll’s personality is always evident in Hyde’s behaviour:
His politeness when speaking with Utterson and Lanyon.
The symbolism of Hyde’s Soho house decor.
How he refers to ‘our vows’ (as doctors) when making Lanyon keep his transformation secret
Hyde’s arrogance is also apparent in Jekyll:
"Quite easy" (from chapter 1)
Jekyll is also seen as being ‘quite at ease’
The experience of being Hyde is viewed by Jekyll as being like drug addiction:
He needs larger doses of the potion each time to be able to transform into Hyde and back again.
Hyde having control over Jekyll’s actions
Jekyll trying desperately to give Hyde up.
Jekyll giving in to the temptation of Hyde’s actions
Jekyll giving in to the temptation of Hyde’s actions
He takes pleasure in Hyde’s immoral actions
Can Jekyll’s explanation of creating Hyde really be seen as justifiable?
Jekyll’s friendship with Utterson and Lanyon reinforces Jekyll’s questionable morals
He appears to be a troubled man who needs help but in reality he is highly manipulative
He relies on his friends’ good will and manipulates them for his own benefit.
He preys on Lanyon’s weakness when he tempts him during the Faustian pact
Stevenson reinforces the theme of duality through the different settings in the novella:
Night and day
Opposite weathers
Jekyll’s house / location
Jekyll’s entrance hallway
Jekyll’s taste in decor and furniture in Hyde’s house
The degeneration of Jekyll’s lab from clean to chaotic
The symbolism of Jekyll’s lab once being a surgical theatre to study anatomy.