Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Jekyll and Hyde
Chapter 1
- Reader is introduced to Utterson and Enfield
- Chapter introduces Gabriel Utterson, a
well-respected lawyer
- Who narrative the majority
of the novella is in
- Utterson's a typical Victorian gentleman
- He's "embarrassed" in
conversations and hides
his emotions
- He's rational - as a lawyer
he deals in facts and
evidence
- Utterson and Enfield appear to have nothing in
common, but they enjoy spending time together
- Two men go on Sunday
walks together during
which they say "nothing"
- Their silence creates
suspense and a lack of
information
- In Victorian society, discretion was
preferred to gossip
- It's Enfield's rule not to ask
questions if something seems
suspicious
- He doesn't want
to know about
immoral
behaviour
- However Utterson is often "the last
reputable acquaintance" of men who
have ruined their reputation
- Suggests that he's more tolerant of sins of others
- Sets the scene for the start of the mystery
- Utterson and Enfield walk down a
prosperous street in London
- Shown by the condition of the
houses, which have "freshly
painted shutters" and
"well-polished brasses"
- One building with "nothing but a door"
contrasts with the other buildings
- Stevenson uses negative
adjectives such as "sinister" and
"sordid" to make it stand out as
unusual
- Later in the chapter we're told that Mr Hyde has a key to
the building and has been inside
- Link is important as Hyde
and the building are both
sinister and disturbing
- Enfield's story introduces Mr Hyde
- Enfield tells Utterson that he saw Hyde trample a young girl
- Enfield's language emphasises how evil Hyde is
- He describes him as "like Satan"
- Hyde "calmly" tramples over the little girl
- Shows how easily he does violent things
- When he produces a cheque signed by a man
whose name Enfield won't mention - creates
mystery
- Enfield can't put his finger on why Hyde
makes him feel so uncomfortable
- He says "I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I
scarce know why" - hints at an unusual evil within
Hyde
- Reputation
- Was important among upper and middle class Victorians
- Utterson and Enfield promise not to discuss
Hyde - whose cheque is signed by Henry Jekyll,
in order to protect Jekyll's reputation