Key Themes of Jekyll & Hyde

Introduction

• Video aims to cover all necessary themes and quotations for top marks in exams.
• Themes discussed:
  • Women and femininity
  • Christianity
  • Appearance and reality
  • Setting as a metaphor
  • Drug use
  • Friendship
  • Good vs. evil
  • Evolution
  • Duality of man
  • Critique of middle-class hypocrisy
  • London as a character
  • Homosexuality and repression

Women and Femininity

• Women are excluded as main characters to critique men's hypocrisy.
• The Maid:
  • Cynically enjoys retelling the story of Carew's murder.
  • Critiques female readers' fascination with violence.
• Women in Soho:
  • Depicted as alcoholics, highlights negative portrayal.
  • Reader must decide if portrayal is humorous or misogynistic.
• Housekeeper:
  • Embodies hypocrisy; appears polite but is actually malevolent.

Christianity

• Stevenson, likely non-believer, uses Christian context to appeal to readers.
• Hyde's Description:
  • Slime of the pit, amorphous dust; mocks over-exaggerated Christian beliefs.
• Challenges literal truth of the Bible using scientific discoveries.

Appearance vs. Reality

• Hyde and Jekyll: dual nature, inner evil masked by outward respectability.
• Society's tendency to judge by appearance is critiqued.
• Jekyll's house as a metaphor for duality.

Drug Use

• Hyde's transformation linked to drug addiction.
• Society's fear of drugs reflected in the novel.
• Critique of society's judgment of drug users.

Friendship

• Central theme with 43 references.
• Breakdown of friendships due to societal values leads to tragedy.
• Importance of honest, open relationships.

Good vs. Evil

• Jekyll's internal struggle between good and evil.
• Critique of simplistic moral dichotomies.
• Society’s judgmental nature questioned.

Theory of Evolution

• Troglodytic description of Hyde related to evolution.
• Challenges idea that evolution is moral progression.

Duality of Man

• All humans possess both good and evil traits.
• Hyde's Actions:
  • Questions societal definitions of evil.
  • Hyde's rage results from societal repression.

Critique of Middle-Class Hypocrisy

• Victorian society's outward respectability vs. inner corruption.
• Jekyll and Utterson embody societal hypocrisy.

London as a Character

• Reflects societal issues and setting enhances themes.

Homosexuality and Repression

• Possible hidden theme of homosexuality.
• Male friendship as a proxy for forbidden desires.
• Society’s repression leads to tragedy.
• Utterson's dream interpreted as sexual desire.

Conclusion

• Encourages revision using these themes and quotations.
• Mastery of themes promises high exam grades.
• Practice applying themes to potential exam questions.
• More themes provide a more sophisticated argument for top grades.