Jekyll and Hyde explores the dark underbelly of Victorian society... Show more
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Comprehensive Essay Plans for 'Jekyll and Hyde': Themes and Characters
Michaela๐ค
@michaela_09
1 / 10
Secrecy and Victorian Repression
Victorian society was obsessed with maintaining a spotless reputation, and this pressure created a culture of silence and secrecy. Characters throughout the novella refuse to discuss anything that might damage their social standing, from gossip to horrifying sights they've witnessed.
Enfield and Utterson perfectly demonstrate this when they deliberately cut short their conversation about Hyde, showing their distaste for gossip. It's not just politeness - it's survival in a society where reputation meant everything.
Stevenson cleverly uses sealed letters and shut doors as symbols of this secrecy. Even more telling is how characters struggle to describe Hyde properly - they literally can't find words for what troubles them so deeply.
Remember: The Victorian era's strict moral codes didn't eliminate dark desires - they just forced people to hide them better.
Science versus Religion
The clash between scientific progress and religious belief sits at the heart of Jekyll's downfall. His experiments challenge the Victorian understanding that humans have a unified soul created by God.
Jekyll's pursuit of transcendental medicine - science that borders on the supernatural - reflects real Victorian anxieties about Darwin's theories and scientific overreach. When he declares "man is not truly one but truly two," he's directly undermining religious teachings about human nature.
Dr Lanyon represents traditional science that respects religious boundaries. He dismisses Jekyll's work as "unscientific balderdash" because it crosses ethical lines. Meanwhile, Utterson embodies traditional moral values, serving as a contrast to Jekyll's dangerous experimentation.
Hyde becomes the ultimate warning about playing God. Stevenson, despite his own atheist beliefs, uses his Calvinist upbringing to show the perils of scientific ambition unchecked by moral restraint.
Key insight: Stevenson isn't anti-science - he's warning against science without ethical boundaries.
Character Analysis: Utterson
Gabriel John Utterson serves as our reliable narrator and moral compass throughout the story. As a respected Victorian lawyer, he represents everything his society values: caution, respectability, and emotional restraint.
His name "Gabriel" connects him to the archangel, positioning him as Jekyll's potential saviour. Yet Utterson is deeply repressed - he lives soberly, rarely smiles, and suppresses his own desires to maintain social standing.
Despite his loyalty to Jekyll, Utterson becomes increasingly concerned about Hyde's influence. His promise to "be Mr Seek" shows his determination to protect his friend, even when Jekyll pushes him away.
Utterson functions as Jekyll's foil character - where Jekyll represents the dangerous id (uncontrolled desires), Utterson embodies the ego (rational control). This contrast highlights just how far Jekyll has fallen.
Character tip: Utterson's reliability makes the supernatural events more believable to readers.
Dr Lanyon and Mr Enfield
Dr Lanyon represents the Victorian scientific establishment - rational, methodical, and respectful of boundaries. Once Jekyll's close friend, he becomes horrified by Jekyll's experiments that blur the lines between science and supernatural.
Lanyon's breakdown after witnessing Hyde's transformation shows what happens when rigid worldviews collide with impossible reality. He literally cannot cope with evidence that challenges everything he believed about science and nature.
Mr Enfield, Utterson's walking companion, embodies traditional Victorian values but reveals the era's contradictions. Despite claiming to avoid gossip, he readily shares stories with Utterson, demonstrating the duality that affects even minor characters.
Enfield's motto - "the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask" - perfectly captures Victorian society's willingness to ignore uncomfortable truths to preserve social harmony.
Character connection: Both men represent different aspects of Victorian respectability under pressure.
Jekyll and Hyde: The Divided Self
Dr Jekyll initially appears as the perfect Victorian gentleman - respectable, wealthy, and socially conscious. However, his creation of Hyde reveals his true motivation: maintaining his reputation whilst indulging his dark desires.
Jekyll's transformation into Hyde makes him feel "younger, lighter, happier" because he's finally expressing his suppressed nature. The famous line "my devil has been long caged, he came out roaring" shows how Victorian repression created internal pressure that eventually exploded.
Hyde embodies pure id - impulsive, animalistic, and completely amoral. His physical deformity reflects Victorian beliefs about physiognomy (judging character by appearance), making him instantly recognisable as evil to contemporary readers.
Jekyll's ultimate downfall comes from his arrogance - believing he could control Hyde whenever he chose. His loss of control illustrates how attempting to separate good and evil destroys the natural balance of human nature.
Core theme: We all have capacity for evil - the danger lies in trying to separate rather than integrate these aspects of ourselves.
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Anna
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Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
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Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Comprehensive Essay Plans for 'Jekyll and Hyde': Themes and Characters
Michaela๐ค
@michaela_09
Jekyll and Hyde explores the dark underbelly of Victorian society through themes of secrecy, scientific ambition, and human duality. Stevenson masterfully reveals how the strict moral expectations of his era forced people to hide their true nature, leading to dangerous... Show more
Secrecy and Victorian Repression
Victorian society was obsessed with maintaining a spotless reputation, and this pressure created a culture of silence and secrecy. Characters throughout the novella refuse to discuss anything that might damage their social standing, from gossip to horrifying sights they've witnessed.
Enfield and Utterson perfectly demonstrate this when they deliberately cut short their conversation about Hyde, showing their distaste for gossip. It's not just politeness - it's survival in a society where reputation meant everything.
Stevenson cleverly uses sealed letters and shut doors as symbols of this secrecy. Even more telling is how characters struggle to describe Hyde properly - they literally can't find words for what troubles them so deeply.
Remember: The Victorian era's strict moral codes didn't eliminate dark desires - they just forced people to hide them better.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Science versus Religion
The clash between scientific progress and religious belief sits at the heart of Jekyll's downfall. His experiments challenge the Victorian understanding that humans have a unified soul created by God.
Jekyll's pursuit of transcendental medicine - science that borders on the supernatural - reflects real Victorian anxieties about Darwin's theories and scientific overreach. When he declares "man is not truly one but truly two," he's directly undermining religious teachings about human nature.
Dr Lanyon represents traditional science that respects religious boundaries. He dismisses Jekyll's work as "unscientific balderdash" because it crosses ethical lines. Meanwhile, Utterson embodies traditional moral values, serving as a contrast to Jekyll's dangerous experimentation.
Hyde becomes the ultimate warning about playing God. Stevenson, despite his own atheist beliefs, uses his Calvinist upbringing to show the perils of scientific ambition unchecked by moral restraint.
Key insight: Stevenson isn't anti-science - he's warning against science without ethical boundaries.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Character Analysis: Utterson
Gabriel John Utterson serves as our reliable narrator and moral compass throughout the story. As a respected Victorian lawyer, he represents everything his society values: caution, respectability, and emotional restraint.
His name "Gabriel" connects him to the archangel, positioning him as Jekyll's potential saviour. Yet Utterson is deeply repressed - he lives soberly, rarely smiles, and suppresses his own desires to maintain social standing.
Despite his loyalty to Jekyll, Utterson becomes increasingly concerned about Hyde's influence. His promise to "be Mr Seek" shows his determination to protect his friend, even when Jekyll pushes him away.
Utterson functions as Jekyll's foil character - where Jekyll represents the dangerous id (uncontrolled desires), Utterson embodies the ego (rational control). This contrast highlights just how far Jekyll has fallen.
Character tip: Utterson's reliability makes the supernatural events more believable to readers.
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Dr Lanyon and Mr Enfield
Dr Lanyon represents the Victorian scientific establishment - rational, methodical, and respectful of boundaries. Once Jekyll's close friend, he becomes horrified by Jekyll's experiments that blur the lines between science and supernatural.
Lanyon's breakdown after witnessing Hyde's transformation shows what happens when rigid worldviews collide with impossible reality. He literally cannot cope with evidence that challenges everything he believed about science and nature.
Mr Enfield, Utterson's walking companion, embodies traditional Victorian values but reveals the era's contradictions. Despite claiming to avoid gossip, he readily shares stories with Utterson, demonstrating the duality that affects even minor characters.
Enfield's motto - "the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask" - perfectly captures Victorian society's willingness to ignore uncomfortable truths to preserve social harmony.
Character connection: Both men represent different aspects of Victorian respectability under pressure.
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Jekyll and Hyde: The Divided Self
Dr Jekyll initially appears as the perfect Victorian gentleman - respectable, wealthy, and socially conscious. However, his creation of Hyde reveals his true motivation: maintaining his reputation whilst indulging his dark desires.
Jekyll's transformation into Hyde makes him feel "younger, lighter, happier" because he's finally expressing his suppressed nature. The famous line "my devil has been long caged, he came out roaring" shows how Victorian repression created internal pressure that eventually exploded.
Hyde embodies pure id - impulsive, animalistic, and completely amoral. His physical deformity reflects Victorian beliefs about physiognomy (judging character by appearance), making him instantly recognisable as evil to contemporary readers.
Jekyll's ultimate downfall comes from his arrogance - believing he could control Hyde whenever he chose. His loss of control illustrates how attempting to separate good and evil destroys the natural balance of human nature.
Core theme: We all have capacity for evil - the danger lies in trying to separate rather than integrate these aspects of ourselves.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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We thought youโd never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user