Mr. Gabriel Utterson was Dr. Jekyll’s “lawyer and friend” (Thomason 200). Stevenson described Utterson as a man whose face was “never lighted by a smile” (Stevenson 1,681). He lacked emotion, however, he was not an unfriendly man and in his dealings with others, he was able to show his “human” side (Thomason 200-01). Even though he was strict in his own transactions, he exhibited lenience in his dealings with others (201). This became apparent in his communications with Dr. Jekyll, throughout the story (201). One of the rare pleasures he allowed himself, was the Sunday evening walks, he took with Enfield (Stevenson 1,678). Utterson is the only character that interacted with all the other characters. Stevenson used plain language to describe
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Three of those issues were: the inequality of women, the use of narcotic drugs and mental illness. The freedoms men were allowed differed drastically from those granted to women. Women were not allowed to vote until the early twentieth century (Greenblatt 1,031). Grounds for divorce were much stricter for a woman than a man (1,032). If married, a woman was not allowed to own or manage property (1,031), until 1882 when The Married Woman's Property Act was passed (Thomason 205). The list of characters from the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is all male; there are several theories why there were no female characters; one possible explanation was “Victorian censorship” (Campbell 309). Though not shown on any list of characters, there were females mentioned throughout the tale. The first female pointed out was the little girl whom Mr. Hyde stamped on; the incident observed by Enfield, which he then related to Utterson (Stevenson 1,678-79). The second was the maid who witnessed the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, committed by Mr. Hyde (1,687-88). Though it was noted that she was the person who brought the murder to the attention of the police, she had no spoken lines in the narrative (1,687-88). The third female was Mr. Hyde’s landlady, her only line indicated that she disliked her tenant (1,689). …show more content…
Jekyll and his altered self, Mr. Hyde. The first recorded accounts of “split personalities” occurred in the early 1800s, and by the end of the nineteenth century occurrences were commonly diagnosed (378). Many people who read the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1885, found the concept frightening, because they believed the events to be possible (378). This may be due to the common use of hashish, which was declared to result in the user displaying “murderous rage” (379). Today, the term “Jekyll and Hyde …” refers to a person who acts differently, depending on the circumstances (Thomason 205). Robert Louis Stevenson used plain language to describe his characters, without the use of metaphors or similes; and hinted at social issues that were being seen in the Victorian Age. Stevenson was already an established writer, known for his children stories, when he first wrote Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1885 (Stevenson 1,676). The book was an international success at the time of its publication; and Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde remains popular today
Three of those issues were: the inequality of women, the use of narcotic drugs and mental illness. The freedoms men were allowed differed drastically from those granted to women. Women were not allowed to vote until the early twentieth century (Greenblatt 1,031). Grounds for divorce were much stricter for a woman than a man (1,032). If married, a woman was not allowed to own or manage property (1,031), until 1882 when The Married Woman's Property Act was passed (Thomason 205). The list of characters from the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is all male; there are several theories why there were no female characters; one possible explanation was “Victorian censorship” (Campbell 309). Though not shown on any list of characters, there were females mentioned throughout the tale. The first female pointed out was the little girl whom Mr. Hyde stamped on; the incident observed by Enfield, which he then related to Utterson (Stevenson 1,678-79). The second was the maid who witnessed the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, committed by Mr. Hyde (1,687-88). Though it was noted that she was the person who brought the murder to the attention of the police, she had no spoken lines in the narrative (1,687-88). The third female was Mr. Hyde’s landlady, her only line indicated that she disliked her tenant (1,689). …show more content…
Jekyll and his altered self, Mr. Hyde. The first recorded accounts of “split personalities” occurred in the early 1800s, and by the end of the nineteenth century occurrences were commonly diagnosed (378). Many people who read the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1885, found the concept frightening, because they believed the events to be possible (378). This may be due to the common use of hashish, which was declared to result in the user displaying “murderous rage” (379). Today, the term “Jekyll and Hyde …” refers to a person who acts differently, depending on the circumstances (Thomason 205). Robert Louis Stevenson used plain language to describe his characters, without the use of metaphors or similes; and hinted at social issues that were being seen in the Victorian Age. Stevenson was already an established writer, known for his children stories, when he first wrote Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1885 (Stevenson 1,676). The book was an international success at the time of its publication; and Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde remains popular today