Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde: Context (AQA GCSE English Literature)

Context should inform, but should never dominate, your reading of the test. Any comments on contextual factors must always be linked to the ideas in the novella. When exploring the context in which the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was written, you should consider: 

• the contexts in which the text is set
• the contexts in which the text is received
• and its literary context (genre)

Each of the below topics links directly to Stevenson’s ideas in the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:

• Duality
• Good and Evil
• Secrecy and Reputation
• Science and Religion
• The Gothic Genre

• Due to the Industrial Revolution, the population of London grew from 1 million in 1800 to approximately 6.7 million in 1900 and became the largest city in the world
• London was home to many people who lived in extreme poverty and the poor, who made up the majority of London’s population, lived in cramped and squalid conditions:
  • The city was a reflection of the stark inequality between the classes, with the wealthy living in luxury, and the poor struggling in poverty
  • This led to a stark contrast between the wealthy and the poor and this social divide was further defined by the differences in the locations they inhabited:

• Duality is revealed in the novella’s setting of London as Stevenson presents the city with contrasting descriptions where affluent streets exist directly next to areas of degradation and poverty
• The Industrial Revolution also resulted in a shift from a rural farming lifestyle in the countryside to that of technology and industry in the city:
  • As factories and railroads were constructed, smoke filled the city’s atmosphere and as a result, the air quality in London was heavily polluted:
    • Stevenson vividly describes the choking fog in the novella which hung over the city like a shroud
      • This heightens the atmosphere of mystery and secrecy
      • It also creates a gothic atmosphere

• The strict nature of Victorian society could be seen to have resulted in individuals having to suppress an element of their character in order to appear respectable and upright within society:
  • Repression is evident in the character of Jekyll who can not suppress his inner desires, which results in the creation of Hyde
  • Stevenson also depicts other characters as suppressing some aspect of themselves, such as Utterson, Lanyon and Enfield

• The overcrowded London city meant that crime became prevalent and the idea that sinister individuals could remain largely hidden within the city’s large population became a popular theme within gothic literature
• Many novels from the 19th century examined moral, ethical, and social themes and it also reflected the Victorian era's interest in the inner workings of the human psyche:
  • For example, Stevenson portrays the moral and physical degeneration of Jekyll

• The emergence of the field of psychology in this era presented a distinct philosophical challenge to the existing understanding of mental processes:
  • The development of insane asylums (including new definitions of and treatments for madness) became a significant feature of Victorian society:
    • For example, Hyde could be seen as a manifestation of Jekyll’s madness

• The science of physiognomy was viewed as a respected science during the 19th century and suggested that the study of a person’s physical characteristics, especially their facial features, could determine aspects about their morality or personality:
• Stevenson’s depiction of Hyde focuses predominantly on his appearance as evidence for him being evil, which could appear to support this theory
• However, Stevenson could also be viewed as contesting this theory as Hyde and Jekyll are one and the same person and therefore appearance may provide no indication of the nature within

• Stevenson associates Hyde with Christian ideas about Hell and Satan and Jekyll repeatedly refers to him as “my devil”

• The novella is set during the Victorian era in England, a period of time that spanned Queen Victoria's reign from 1837 to 1901:
• Queen Victoria placed a strong emphasis on duty, seriousness, hard work, and self-control
• Victorians were eager to ensure that they were adhering to the conventions of behaviour and etiquette and this was evidenced by the proliferation of guides about proper behaviour and conduct
• Respectability was a key aspect of Victorian society and there were strict social codes regarding behaviour
• Moral and social conventions were highly valued
• Victorian social standards of the time expected gentlemen and bachelors (unmarried men) to act in a dignified and respectable manner:
• Gentlemen were expected to adhere to the highest standards of behaviour and one was expected to restrain themselves when it came to emotional and sexual desires
• This is exemplified by the character of Utterson who is known for his restrained and respectable demeanour
• This period saw the emergence of a new middle class who were able to gain wealth and power through their own success, rather than through being born into the aristocracy:
• This led to debates about what it meant to be a ‘gentleman’ and whether the qualities of one could be acquired or were merely based upon one’s birthright:
• Some argued that a gentleman was someone who behaved with respect and civility, regardless of his social class; others argued a gentleman was someone of a certain social standing who had certain privileges and obligations
• These expected behaviours could be subject to enormous hypocrisy, as gentlemen could keep up the appearance of respectability but act quite differently in secret:
• Enfield is depicted as being late out at night which could hint he is not content to live according to the strict moral code required of a Victorian gentleman
• Due to Jekyll’s position in society, he must suppress his inner desires

• The 19th century was a time of great exploration and discovery and, in particular, science, medicine and psychology were all undergoing rapid changes and advances:
  • Religion and science are central themes in the novella as it explores the ideas of creation and moral and scientific responsibility
• The Victorian era was a very religious era and religion pervaded most aspects of everyday life
  • The Christian Bible was viewed as an essential guide to leading a moral life 
  • Victorian notions of morality and respectability were heavily rooted in Christian teachings and values
• Victorians traditionally sought solace in the notion that religion was the only viable explanation for the natural world, though the emergence of new scientific ideologies played a crucial role in challenging these established religious beliefs
• Christian theology defined creation as an act of God, whereas Charles Darwin promoted the argument that man had evolved similarly to other species which led to traditional assumptions about religion being challenged and revised:
  • The theory of evolution haunted Victorian society and the idea that humans evolved from apes led to anxieties about the possibility of returning to this primitive state:
    • This is evident when Stevenson describes Hyde as “ape-like” and “troglodytic”
• The belief in the supernatural also played a significant role in the 19th century:
  • It permeated all forms of art and was seen as a reaction to the "Victorian crisis of faith", which meant people began to question organised religion and its role in their lives
• As a result of the Victorian era's increasing secularisation, an interest in the supernatural began to increase:
• • In literature, the interest in the supernatural and the unknown was linked to Victorian gothic conventions and sensationalism

• The Gothic genre rose to prominence in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and was widespread in Victorian literature:
  • The gothic genre had become very influential and therefore many works of popular Victorian novels had elements of it
• The atmosphere of horror, the possibility of supernatural occurrences, and the present being haunted by the past are key characteristics of gothic fiction:
• • • The atmosphere is typically claustrophobic and incarceration or persecution are common elements
    • It frequently uses the description of horrific occurrences to metaphorically express psychological or social tensions