DEPRAVITY
a state of being morally corrupt
stevenson uses hyde as a manifestation of depravity. epitomises the depravity lurking behind the facade of mankind’s primal instincts
DUPLICITY
a state of being double or deceitful
the novella’s structure, with its multiple perspectives and unreliable narrators, mirrors Stevenson’s exploitation of duplicity, reinforcing the idea that appearances can be deceiving.
PERVERSION
a distortion or corruption of morality or nature
Hyde’s violent nature represents a perversion of the civilised gentleman that Victorian society valued.
Jekyll’s scientific experiments reflect a perversion of the natural order, as he attempts to separate the good and evil within himself.
The unnatural transformation from Jekyll to Hyde symbolises the perversion of both science and morality in the pursuit of unchecked desire.
SCRUPULOUS
the act of behaving morally
Utterson is portrayed as a scrupulous character, always seeking to do what is right and avoid scandal.
REPRESSION
the action of holding something back by force
Jekyll’s repression of his darker desires ultimately leads to their explosive release in the form of Hyde.
Victorian society’s strict moral codes forced men like Jekyll to repress their secret darker desires.
The novel explores the consequences of repression, demonstrating how denying one’s true nature can result in calamitous consequences.
TRANSGRESSIONS
an act that goes against moral or social codes of conducts
Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde is a transgression against both societal and natural laws.
Hyde’s acts of violence and cruelty are transgressions that appall Victorian society, which advocate for restraint and decorum.
Stevenson uses Jekyll’s scientific transgressions to explore the dangers of unchecked ambition and the pursuit of forbidden knowledge.
TRANSMOGRIFICATION
the action of changing greatly into something else
tevenson uses Jekyll’s transmogrification into Hyde to represent the duality of human nature, highlighting that beneath everyone’s public persona lurks repressed darker desires.
PARADOXICAL
to seem impossible or difficult to understand because of containing two opposite facts or characteristics
It is paradoxical that Jekyll, a man devoted to scientific progress and rational inquiry, ultimately uses his intellect to unleash the very chaos and moral degeneracy he seeks to control.
Jekyll’s experiment is inherently paradoxical, as his desire to purify himself of evil only serves to magnify and empower his malevolent alter ego.
Hyde’s diminutive and deformed physique presents a paradox, as his outward frailty belies the profound and unchecked evil he embodies, challenging traditional associations between physical form and moral corruption
HEINOUS
a person or act that is odious or wicked
he Victorian audience would have found Hyde’s disregard for morality particularly heinous, as it threatens the fabric of respectable society.
DICHOTOMY
a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different
The novel explores the dichotomy between good and evil through Jekyll and Hyde’s dual existence.
Stevenson presents a dichotomy between Victorian respectability and the hidden vices that lurk beneath its surface.
The contrast between Jekyll’s refined demeanour and Hyde’s animalistic behaviour highlights the dichotomy of human nature.
HYPOCRISY
the practice of claiming to have certain standards contrary to one’s real character or behaviour
ekyll embodies the hypocrisy of Victorian society, outwardly presenting himself as virtuous while secretly indulging in immoral pleasures.
The hypocrisy of London’s elite is reflected in their willingness to overlook vice so long as it remains hidden.
Stevenson criticises the hypocrisy of the upper classes, who enforce strict moral standards while secretly engaging in depravity.
BLASPHEMOUS
the act of showing a lack of respect to God or to a religion
ekyll’s experiment is seen as blasphemous, as he usurps the divine role of creation, attempting to sever good from evil as though morality were a mere scientific equation.
Hyde’s existence itself is almost blasphemous, an aberration that defies both natural law and divine will, embodying mankind’s most depraved and unrestrained instincts.
The Victorian fear of scientific progress is reflected in the perception that Jekyll’s actions are blasphemous, an affront to the established order in which morality, rather than science, governs human nature.
ARCHETYPE
a very typical example of a certain person or thing
FAÇADE
ekyll maintains the façade of a respectable gentleman while secretly indulging in vice.
The novel exposes how Victorian society itself is built upon a façade of morality that conceals widespread corruption.
Jekyll’s house serves as an architectural metaphor for his duality, with its grand front entrance representing his façade of respectability, while the neglected and concealed laboratory at the rear exposes his hidden transgressions.
MORBID CURIOSITY
an interest in or curiosity about unpleasant things, especially death
Utterson’s morbid curiosity drives him to investigate the mystery surrounding Hyde, despite his instinct to avoid scandal.
The novel plays upon the reader’s morbid curiosity by gradually revealing the horrors of Jekyll’s transformation.
Lanyon’s death is not merely a consequence of morbid curiosity but a testament to the fragility of the rational mind when confronted with the horrifying reality of Jekyll’s transformation.
Quintessential Victorian Gentleman
scrutinises (criticises)
engulfing (consuming)
jubilant (happy)
deep melancholy (sadness)
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