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INTRODUCTION
In Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson plays upon Victorian fears surrounding the turn of the century and scientific advancements to create an atmosphere of fear and danger.¹ Published in 1886, the text follows lawyer Gabriel Utterson as he attempts to piece together the mysterious link between his friend Henry Jekyll and the villainous Edward Hyde. Set against the backdrop of Victorian London, the text utilises setting, animalistic behaviour, and body horror² to effectively cultivate a frightening atmosphere. This essay will argue that Stevenson uses these tropes of Gothic literature to expose anxieties of the period.
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1. This opening sentence immediately establishes a connection to the essay question so the marker can see we’re writing something focused and relevant. It’s always a good idea to reuse key words from the prompt (e.g. in this case, ’atmosphere of fear and danger’) whilst also introducing your own ideas (e.g. Victorian fears, scientific advancements) that will add depth to your discussion.
2. Though not required, you may find it useful to signpost your arguments by outlining what you will examine in each body paragraph like this to give both you and your marker a sense of structure and scope.
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PARAGRAPH 1
The setting of the novella is crucial for Stevenson’s creation of a fearful and dangerous atmosphere.³ Localising the unfolding mystery on the streets of London,⁴ Stevenson plays into his own society’s prejudices and knowledge of the city; for example, Hyde’s rooms are located in a “dismal quarter of Soho,” an area which was renowned for its illicit activity and debauchery such as prostitution and gambling. Labelling the location as “dismal,” connoting desolation and gloom,⁵ Stevenson highlights to the reader the menacing environment Hyde inhabits, thereby creating a dangerous atmosphere. Moreover, Stevenson uses the pathetic fallacy of London’s weather throughout the novel to surround both the characters and readers in a claustrophobic and fearful atmosphere. Throughout the text, Stevenson describes the fog which perpetually hangs over the city: “the fog slept on the wing of the drowned city.” Representing confusion and mystery, the fog conveys the feelings and uncertainty of Utterson to the reader,⁶ whilst the word choice of the “drowned” city emphasises the all-encompassing nature of the fog. This highlights the confusion and secrecy at play in the novel, creating a fear of the unknown and of what is hidden, thus establishing an atmosphere of fear. It is as if nowhere in London is safe for the characters, as Stevenson evokes a fear for the very city itself as he describes “the low growl of London.” This personification⁷ gives life to the city, with the animalistic “growl” suggesting a vicious beastly presence. This communicates the danger of the city itself to the reader, suggesting that none of the characters are safe from the evil which unfolds on its streets, thus creating an atmosphere of impending danger. Through his use of setting, Stevenson utilises a strand of Gothic literature popular at the time to encompass his characters and his reader in a terrifying environment which is recognisable⁸ within their own world, making the events which come to pass even more horrifying.⁹
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3. This is a confident, conceptual topic sentence that directly answers the question. Notice how it foregrounds atmosphere rather than retelling the plot – you should always aim to open paragraphs with an argument, not a summary.
4. Strong contextual awareness that links the setting to Victorian social prejudice, showing how meaning is shaped by historical context. Remember to embed context naturally, rather than bolting it on at the end.
5. Using a short, precise, and highly relevant quote demonstrates a strong grasp of the text. It’s also valuable to occasionally pause and unpack a specific word and its connotations if it’s especially meaningful.
6. Don’t just say the fog is ’symbolic’ – be as specific as possible about what it represents and conveys.
7. Identifying a literary technique is a useful starting point for your analysis, but make sure you then explain the effect or specific meaning in this case. If in doubt, you can follow the sentence structure used here where you introduce evidence from the text, then start the next sentence with ’This + [verbs]’ (e.g. ’This communicates...’ ’This implies...’ ’This underscores...’).
8. An important thing to note about the setting is how familiar it would have been to Stevenson’s contemporary readership (like an author today writing a book set in the 2020s UK).
9. This is a strong linking sentence that reconnects analysis to Gothic convention and reader response. Try to end paragraphs by answering the question of why this matters to the overall text or Stevenson’s intent.
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PARAGRAPH 2
Moreover, Stevenson’s depiction of the antagonist Edward Hyde creates an atmosphere of fear and danger. The product of Jekyll’s experiment to divide the good and evil parts of the soul, Hyde is the embodiment of vice and “pure evil,” a character the reader recognises as having no redeeming qualities.¹⁰ Through Hyde’s interactions with other characters, the reader witnesses acts of great cruelty. When Mr Enfield recounts how Hyde trampled an innocent girl, he dehumanises him: “It wasn’t like a man; it was like some damned Juggernaut.” Just as a Juggernaut is a being of immovable force and power, so too does this metaphor establish Hyde’s strength and destructive nature.¹¹ By portraying him as an abnormal and non-human entity, Stevenson uses Gothic motifs of the supernatural to play on contemporary readers’ fear of the unknown and other, creating an atmosphere of danger. Stevenson continues in his othering¹² of Hyde by depicting his primitive and animalistic nature, reflected by the setting. During the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, the maid who witnesses the crime notes that “with apelike fury, he was trampling his victim under foot.” Just as apes display great strength and capacity for brutality, so too does this simile convey the primal and prehistoric character of Hyde, whilst the word choice of “fury”¹³ suggests his extreme and uncontrollable anger. This demonstrates Hyde’s contrast to Victorian sensibilities of propriety and repression, instead cementing his place as a wild, subhuman beast capable of the worst cruelty and harm. In addition, Stevenson uses the effect of Hyde on other characters to reflect an atmosphere of fear and danger. Throughout the text, Hyde’s interactions with characters like Utterson and Poole are tinged with discomfort, with Enfield noting his own indescribable displeasure: “There is something wrong with his appearance, something displeasing, something downright detestable.” The repetition of ‘something’ emphasises Enfield’s inability to name exactly what he doesn’t like Hyde, communicating his unpredictable and enigmatic character. By describing characters’ opinions of Hyde with vague and unsure language,¹⁴ Stevenson encourages this same uncertainty within his reader and utilises Victorian fears of the unknown to create his atmosphere of fear. Through his depiction of Hyde’s appearance and behaviour, Stevenson plays into nineteenth century fears surrounding the dangers of scientific advancement and its repercussions on human identity, thereby echoing the atmosphere of fear and danger of his own society within the novella.¹⁵
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10. This analysis of Hyde’s character links textual evidence with reader interpretation, explaining how Stevenson constructs Hyde in order to evoke certain feelings or beliefs in his audience.
11. An excellent example of integrating quotation smoothly into analysis. Notice how the quotation is immediately unpacked in detail in the following sentence. Incorporating quotes is great, but closely analysing their meaning is what you need to earn top marks!
12. Strong conceptual vocabulary (“othering,” “supernatural,” “Gothic motifs”) that shows critical thinking and a deep engagement with the novella.
13. You can use longer quotes in your essays, but it’s good to still spend some time closely analysing a specific word or phrase from within a longer quote to showcase your grasp on language.
14. Here, we’re analysing Stevenson’s repeated use of ambiguous or unclear descriptions of Hyde. You may have noticed the novella lacks a clear outline of his physical appearance – you can analyse this absence as Stevenson heightening our fear of the unknown.
15. This is a strong contextual synthesis, connecting characterisation to fears of scientific progress.
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PARAGRAPH 3
Furthermore, Stevenson’s use of the Gothic trope of bodily horror adds to the atmosphere of fear and dangers.¹⁶ By depicting visible mutilations, transformations or changes to the human body, Stevenson explores anxieties around identity and scientific advancement.¹⁷ A recurring motif within the text is the cooling of blood, with many characters experiencing a chill brought on by the behaviour or appearance of Hyde. When Utterson visits the house of Henry Jekyll after meeting Hyde for the first time, the narrator notes that there was a “shudder in his blood.” This adjective connotes a compulsive tremble, highlighting the involuntary embodied fear that Hyde has conjured within the usually pragmatic and stalwart lawyer.¹⁸ This adds to the sense of danger and fear as the reader witnesses Utterson’s inability to stop or shake his fear of Hyde, showing a lack of power in the face of evil. Stevenson’s description of Jekyll and Hyde’s transformation also helps to create an atmosphere of fear and danger. When Jekyll first changes into Hyde, Stevenson uses detailed language to immerse the reader in the scene, noting how there was a “grinding of bones” and “deadly nausea.”¹⁹ The onomatopoeia of “grind” mimics the clenching and tensions between the bones, eliciting a discomfort from the reader as they imagine it occurring within their own body. By drawing the reader’s attention to their own physicality, Stevenson can then use such descriptions of mutilation and pain to highlight the true terror of the scene to the reader, making the supernatural tangible and deeply unsettling to Victorian ideas of identity and peace in a turbulent era. Through the depiction of psychological and physical fear, Stevenson immerses the reader in the fear and disturbing events of the text, destabilizing Victorian notions of upper class propriety to convey the universality of fear.
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16. This topic sentence names a genre convention and links it directly to atmosphere and the key concern of the essay question.
17. This sentence expands upon the topic sentence’s idea and explains why elements of body horror contribute to the novella’s themes and messages.
18. Strong use of evaluative adjectives (“involuntary,” “pragmatic,” “stalwart”). This precision strengthens analysis. Avoid vague descriptors and aim for specific character-based language.
19. Well-chosen paired quotations that reinforce one another. This is a good model of quotation clustering, allowing a single analytical point to be richly supported by multiple pieces of evidence, though try to keep your quotes short if doing this as you don’t want to quote so much that it sounds like you’re retelling the story.
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CONCLUSION
Ultimately, Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde powerfully creates an atmosphere of fear and danger in order to effectively explore nineteenth century anxieties.²⁰ Through his use of setting, the language of violence and Gothic body horror, Stevenson engages his reader with themes of scientific advancement, horror and good and evil. The reader is left to ponder their own sense of reality and the world they believe they live in as well as their own innate ability within all humanity to be both moral and immoral.²¹
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20. A clear, purposeful opening that signals closure without simply repeating earlier points. Your conclusion should aim to reiterate your argument without repeating your introduction.
21. It is often impressive to end your essay with a universal, big picture idea like this, widening the scope to consider readers and society.
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