Victorian Society
What term describes the strict rules of moral behaviour, social decorum, and repression that defined polite society during the Victorian era?
Respectability (or Victorian morality).
What is Mr. Utterson's profession?
A lawyer
In which major city is the novel primarily set?
London
Which central theme explores how respectable Victorians often maintain a polite public reputation while secretly engaging in immoral behaviour?
Secrecy and the double life
Analyse this quotation from Chapter 1: "I incline to cane’s heresy," said Utterson. What does this reveal about Utterson's character and his view on human relationships?
It reveals that Utterson maintains a fiercely non-judgmental, live-and-let-live philosophy; he believes in letting people go to the devil in their own way rather than interfering or cutting off old friends who fall from grace.
Victorian hypocrisy describes what...
The reality of many wealthy and upper class Victorians indulging in their base desires privately to preserve an immaculate reputation and appear morally upstanding
Despite being dry, dusty, and somewhat cold in manner, what endearing quality does Utterson possess that makes people continue to confide in him?
He is famously tolerant of others, never-endingly helpful, and acts as the "last good influence in the lives down-going men."
What is the appearance of the neglected, sinister door that Enfield associates with Mr. Hyde?
It is blistered, discolored, and lacks any bell or knocker.
Which overarching theme is introduced through the physical contrast between the pleasant, wealthy main house and the sinister, blistered back door?
Duality (specifically the split between respectability and depravity)
Analyse this quotation from Chapter 1 about Enfield: "The more it looked like queer street, the less he asked." What does this phrase tell us about Victorian social codes?
"Queer street" refers to trouble or shady behaviour. The quote highlights the Victorian taboo against prying into others' private lives, illustrating that gentlemen deliberately turn a blind eye to scandal to protect social decorum.
What anxiety did the Victorians possess that stemmed from a text published by Charles Darwin
They were anxious about devolution / regression due to Darwin's theory that humans and other primates share a common ancestor. This challenged traditional religious belief and triggered an atavistic fear.
Who is Utterson's cousin and walking companion who first shares the story of the door and Mr. Hyde? How are they similar / different?
Richard Enfield
They are both conscious of preserving the reputations of others by avoiding gossip.
Utterson is serious and reserved, Enfield is gregarious and outwardly relaxed
What is the architectural relationship between Dr. Jekyll’s grand, comfortable house and the run-down dissecting rooms (Hyde's domain) at the back?
They are part of the same building complex, connected internally, yet Hyde's side faces a dismal, dreary courtyard and a different back street.
Which theme is highlighted by Utterson's obsession with investigating Hyde, driven by an unyielding sense of duty and professional curiosity?
Curiosity and rational investigation versus the supernatural/irrational.
Analyse this quotation describing Hyde in Chapter 2: "Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation." What is the effect of this description on the reader?
It uses vague, unsettling imagery to suggest that Hyde's deformity is moral rather than purely physical; his evil nature is so unnatural that human language fails to categorize it precisely, evoking a visceral sense of revulsion.
How do Victorian gentlemen like Utterson and Enfield typically spend their Sunday walks, which highlights the rigid and often joyless nature of their social routines?
They walk together in silence or engage in dry, unexciting conversation, deliberately avoiding places of entertainment.
What specific item in Dr. Jekyll's will causes Mr. Utterson immediate distress, leading him to fear that Hyde is blackmailing his friend?
The clause stating that in the event of Jekyll's death or unexplained disappearance for more than three months, all his property should pass entirely to Edward Hyde.
How does Stevenson use the city's weather and atmosphere in Chapter 2 (such as the fog or the dark streets) to mirror the moral corruption and mystery of the plot?
He uses pathetic fallacy, employing nocturnal settings, lamps shining through thick London fog, and labyrinthine streets to create a nightmarish, claustrophobic atmosphere.
How does the theme of urban repression manifest in the behaviour of characters like Enfield and Utterson during their walks?
Their strict suppression of emotion, pleasure, and spontaneity mirrors the broader Victorian repression that forces dark impulses to find alternative, destructive outlets.
Analyse this quotation from Chapter 2 regarding Hyde's aura: "He is not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable." What technique is used here and what does it emphasize?
It uses repetition combined with heavily emotive word choice.This emphasizes how ineffable and instinctive the hatred toward Hyde is—people despise him on a primal level before he even speaks.
What pseudoscientific Victorian concept suggests that a person's inner character or nature can be read directly from their physical facial features and body shape?
Physiognomy
"his friendship seemed to be founded in a similar catholicity of good-nature" - what does this reveal about Utterson?
He has an all-embracing, universal, broad-minded, or comprehensive tolerance of people
What specific, contrasting neighbourhood details does Stevenson provide about Soho (where Hyde lives) compared to the wealthy, respectable square where Jekyll resides?
Soho is depicted as a district of low-class squalor, foggy degradation, and criminal undercurrents, contrasting sharply with the prosperous, orderly facade of Jekyll's neighborhood
In what ways do Chapters 1 and 2 establish the theme of reputation versus morality, particularly regarding how Utterson views scandal?
Utterson is shown to be more concerned with preserving social standing, avoiding public scandal, and protecting a gentleman's "good name" than with pursuing pure moral justice.
Analyse this quotation from Chapter 2: "O my poor old Harry Jekyll, if ever I read Satan's signature upon a face, it is on that of your new friend." How does this quote link to Victorian beliefs and character development?
Utterson draws on physiognomy ("Satan's signature") to argue that physical appearance mirrors the soul, framing Hyde as innately, almost supernaturally evil, while foreshadowing the tragic doom awaiting Jekyll.