"I am naturally helpless. No gentleman but wishes to..."

Quote

"I am naturally helpless. No gentleman but wishes to avoid a scene" (spoken by Hyde during the child-trampling incident, recounted in Chapter 1).

Context

In the early hours, Hyde tramples a young girl and is confronted by witnesses, including Enfield. Instead of facing arrest, he negotiates a payoff, using this phrase to appeal to shared social norms and escape public judgement.

Analysis

• The adverb "naturally" employs ironic detachment, suggesting inevitability in social behaviour while masking Hyde's calculated manipulation through passive syntax
• Alliteration in "no gentleman but wishes" creates a rhythmic, persuasive cadence, mimicking gentlemanly speech patterns to enforce complicity
• The word "scene" uses euphemistic diction to downplay violence, revealing how understated language sanitises immorality
• Short, declarative sentences build a tone of resignation, contrasting with the underlying aggression of the event
• Connection to motifs of duality, as the polite phrasing hides Hyde's savage nature, reinforcing Stevenson's critique of superficial civility

Contextual connection

This quote reflects Victorian class structures, where gentlemen's codes of conduct, influenced by public school values and social etiquette manuals like those of Mrs Beeton, prioritised discretion over moral intervention, allowing figures like Hyde to exploit systemic hypocrisies.

"If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek"

Quote

"If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek" (Utterson in Chapter 2).

Context

Utterson, troubled by Jekyll's will naming Hyde as beneficiary, resolves to investigate secretly after reading the document alone at night, framing his pursuit as a personal game to avoid involving others.

Analysis

• The pun on "Hyde" and "Seek" utilises wordplay and homophonic humour to lighten serious intent, demonstrating Utterson's witty yet restrained approach through balanced, parallel clauses
• Archaic phrasing like "be Mr. Hyde" employs formal syntax, evoking legalistic precision that underscores professional decorum
• Repetition of "Mr." adds ironic formality, highlighting how titles maintain social distance and prevent direct confrontation
• The conditional structure ("If... I shall") creates a logical progression, mirroring detective narrative techniques while delaying action
• Relevance to author's purpose, as this linguistic cleverness critiques how intellectual games substitute for ethical urgency in Victorian society

Contextual connection

Utterson's discreet method echoes the era's biographical influences on Stevenson, who drew from Edinburgh's divided society - respectable by day, scandalous by night - illustrating how personal honour codes, rooted in Calvinist restraint, hindered open pursuit of truth.

"I swear to God I will never set eyes on him..."

Quote

"I swear to God I will never set eyes on him again" (Jekyll to Utterson in Chapter 5).

Context

During a dinner party, Utterson presses Jekyll about his association with Hyde. Jekyll responds with this vow to reassure his friend and end the conversation, concealing his ongoing experiments.

Analysis

• Invocation of "swear to God" uses religious hyperbole and exclamatory tone to convey urgency, yet the absolute "never" reveals overcompensation through emphatic diction
• Repetition in "set eyes on him again" employs anaphora for rhythmic insistence, masking desperation with structured formality
• The phrase "set eyes on" is idiomatic and evasive, avoiding direct admission of connection via mild imagery
• Short sentence length builds dramatic intensity, contrasting with the novella's longer descriptive passages to highlight emotional strain
• Symbolic of broader hypocrisy, as the oath's solemn syntax exposes how verbal pledges substitute for real change, advancing Stevenson's exploration of repressed impulses

Contextual connection

This reflects cultural anxieties about reputation in late Victorian Britain, influenced by events like the Oscar Wilde trials, where public oaths and denials often concealed private vices to maintain social standing.

"I bind my honour to you that I am done with him..."

Quote

"I bind my honour to you that I am done with him in this world" (Jekyll to Utterson in Chapter 5).

Context

Following the Carew murder, Utterson visits Jekyll, who claims to have severed ties with Hyde and provides a forged letter as proof, using this phrase to pledge his word and deflect further inquiry.

Analysis

• Archaic verb "bind" employs contractual imagery and imperative tone, evoking legal bonds to lend weight through formal diction
• Possessive "my honour to you" uses personal pronouns for intimate appeal, creating a false sense of trust via direct address
• Hyperbolic "in this world" adds cosmic scope through expansive phrasing, hinting at subconscious guilt via exaggerated syntax
• The clause structure builds from promise to finality, mirroring escalating tension in the narrative's mid-point
• Relevance to motifs of deception, as the polished language critiques how honourable facades enable moral decay, central to Stevenson's Gothic style

Contextual connection

Jekyll's vow mirrors biographical elements from Stevenson's life, including his father's strict moral expectations in Presbyterian Scotland, showing how Victorian honour systems, tied to imperial ideals of gentlemanly conduct, often prioritised appearances over substantive reform.

Example analysis paragraph

Quote used: "If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek" (Chapter 2)

Grade 9 PEE paragraph

Point

• Stevenson employs playful punning and formal syntax to reveal Utterson's cautious approach, highlighting how linguistic wit serves as a tool for discreet investigation in a society bound by reputational constraints.

Evidence

• "If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek"

Explanation

• The homophonic pun on "Hyde" and "Seek" creates ironic humour, subverting serious intent with childlike wordplay that masks deeper anxiety, while the conditional structure adds logical detachment to emphasise intellectual control over emotional impulse.
• This technique demonstrates Stevenson's Gothic innovation, blending comedy with mystery to critique Victorian restraint, potentially allowing alternative readings where Utterson's cleverness borders on avoidance rather than resolve.
• Connected to broader historical unease about scandal, the quote shows how such language preserved social harmony at the cost of truth, reflecting Stevenson's interest in psychological duality.

Grade 7 PEE paragraph

Point

• Through punning language and structured phrasing, Stevenson shows Utterson's determination to investigate privately, using wit to navigate social expectations.

Evidence

• "If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek"

Explanation

• The pun transforms a serious pursuit into a game-like metaphor, with archaic "be" adding formal tone that reflects gentlemanly decorum, effectively concealing urgency.
• This reveals authorial method in building tension through indirect expression, emphasising how reputation influences behaviour.
• Overall, it contributes to the novella's exploration of hidden truths, showing language as a barrier to direct action.

Grade 5 PEE paragraph

Point

• Stevenson uses a clever pun to show Utterson planning to look for Hyde without causing a fuss.

Evidence

• "If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek"

Explanation

• The wordplay on "Hyde" meaning hide and "Seek" meaning search makes it sound like a game, explaining Utterson's secret approach simply.
• This helps show why characters avoid public trouble in the story.