Violence & Horror

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Hyde and Violence

Hyde gains pleasure from violence.

Young girl

In Chapter 1, Enfield reports seeing Hyde trample on a young and innocent girl. Hyde “trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming”.
The juxtaposition of "trampled calmly" indicates how Hyde feels no remorse for his crimes, and how the act of violence is a habitual event that he fulfils without much contemplation.

Violence against the innocent

Hyde commits two crimes of violence against innocent and helpless citizens: first, a little girl, and second, an elderly man.
The violence in the novel centres on Mr Hyde, and raises the question of whether or not violence is an inherent part of man’s nature.
It is shocking how much pleasure Hyde gets from the murder of Carew - he feels “glee” and tasted "delight from every blow" as he attacked him.

Violence

Stevenson explores the relationships between science and violence, dual personality and violence, and Victorian fears and violence.

Science and dual personality

The theme of violence ties into the theme of science and dual personality: Hyde is the only violent character, acting with “ape-like fury” and feeling “glee” at his brutality.
In Gothic novels like this one, the idea of ‘doubles’ or ‘two’ characters existing within one entity was common.
The authors let their character personify the unchecked and darker side of the human consciousness and allow them to commit violent and evil acts.

Victorian fears

Acts of violence in the novella are against innocent people and provoke horror in the characters around them.
This would have linked to the context of Victorian crimes in London, and the fear that some invisible force was driving evil into its citizens.
Hyde is described as “Satan’s signature upon a face” - this shows how he is an embodiment of evil and how he epitomises everything that citizens feared at the time.

1Plot Summary

1.1Chapters 1-10

1.1.1Chapters 1 & 2

1.1.2Chapters 3 & 4

1.1.3Chapters 5 & 6

1.1.4Chapters 7 & 8

1.1.5Chapters 9 & 10

1.1.6End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-6

1.1.7End of Topic Test - Chapters 7-10

2Characters

2.1Jekyll & Hyde

2.1.1Dr Henry Jekyll

2.1.2Jekyll - Name & Quotes

2.1.3Mr Edward Hyde

2.1.4Jekyll/Hyde Quotes - Chapters 1-9

2.1.5Jekyll/Hyde Quotes - Chapter 10

2.1.6End of Topic Test - Jekyll & Hyde

2.1.7Exam-Style Questions - Mr Hyde

2.2Other Characters

2.2.1Mr Gabriel John Utterson

2.2.2Dr Hastie Lanyon

2.2.3Minor Characters

2.2.4End of Topic Test - Other Characters

3Gothic Genre

3.1Gothic Elements

3.1.1Gothic Conventions

3.1.2Gothic Settings & Symbolism

3.1.3End of Topic Test - Gothic Conventions

4Key Themes

4.1Key Themes & Quotes

4.1.1Science

4.1.2Dual Nature of Man

4.1.3Religion & Sin

4.1.4Violence & Horror

4.1.5Victorian Gentlemen

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Key Themes & Quotes

5Context & Author

5.1Context & Author

5.1.1The Victorian Era

5.1.2Deacon Brodie & Freud

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Context & Author

6Literary Techniques

6.1Literary Techniques

6.1.1Language

6.1.2Structure & Form

6.1.3End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques

7Grade 9 - Key Character & Theme Questions

7.1Key Character & Themes - Linked Questions

7.1.1Grade 9 - Key Characters & Themes

7.1.2Extract Analysis - Jekyll

7.1.3Extract Analysis - Duality

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