Reputation (Scottish Highers English): Revision Notes
Reputation
Victorian society and the importance of reputation
In Victorian England, reputation held enormous power over a gentleman's life. The gentlemen in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde understand that maintaining a respectable public image is essential to their social position and success.
Reputation determines a gentleman's place in society. Any hint of immoral activities or uncontrolled emotions would damage this reputation severely. Once damaged, a man might no longer be considered a gentleman at all, which would result in the loss of many social advantages such as business connections, political influence, and social access. The characters in the novel protect their reputations above everything else.
Victorian society operated under strict social codes where a gentleman's reputation was his most valuable asset. The fear of scandal was so powerful that it often dictated behavior more strongly than personal morality or legal obligations.
Utterson's approach to reputation
Utterson demonstrates the Victorian obsession with reputation through his behaviour throughout the novel. He is cautious about rumours, knowing they might negatively impact him or his associates. When he and Enfield encounter something suspicious, they agree never to discuss Hyde again. They share a belief in avoiding questions when something appears questionable.
Even after witnessing evidence of Hyde's violence, Utterson remains more concerned with protecting Jekyll's reputation than pursuing justice. Following Carew's murder, he warns Jekyll:
"If it came to a trial, your name might appear."
This statement reveals Utterson's priorities. He fears public exposure more than he values bringing a murderer to trial. His loyalty to Jekyll's social standing outweighs his moral duty to seek justice for the victim.
The deceptive nature of reputation
Stevenson uses the novel to expose how reputations cannot be trusted. They are constructed from appearances rather than reality. A reputation represents the version of a person that they want the world to see, not who they truly are beneath the surface.
When a society places such extreme value on reputation, it becomes difficult to know people's true character. This creates problems for Utterson. He cannot fully grasp Jekyll's situation because he only sees reputation as important. His fixation on reputation means he clings to the theory of blackmail until the final moment. He finds it hard to look beyond his concern for social standing and see the truth.
Stevenson's critique extends beyond individual characters to Victorian society itself. By showing how reputation obscures truth, he suggests that a culture obsessed with appearances inevitably becomes blind to reality.
Jekyll's obsession with hiding his sins
Jekyll struggles with the need to hide his desires and actions to maintain his respectable reputation. Rather than confronting or controlling his impulses, he becomes focused on concealment. He describes his sins as a "disgrace" that must be kept separate from his public image. This struggle leads him to create Hyde as a solution.
Jekyll's own words reveal his mindset:
Textual Analysis: Jekyll's View of Freedom
"I was the first that could thus plod in the public eye with a load of genial respectability, and in a moment, like a schoolboy, strip off these lendings and spring headlong into the sea of liberty. But for me, in my impenetrable mantle, the safety was complete. Think of it — I did not even exist!"
This passage shows multiple aspects of Jekyll's character:
- The simile "like a schoolboy" makes Jekyll appear childish and irresponsible
- He treats his transformation like a game rather than recognizing the moral seriousness of his actions
- He still desires a gentlemanly reputation whilst craving the freedom to act without restraint
- Jekyll associates Hyde with liberty because Hyde allows him to conceal his sins completely
- The phrase "I did not even exist" demonstrates how Jekyll distances himself from responsibility for Hyde's actions
He believes his reputation remains safe because Hyde is a separate identity. He sees Hyde as a different person because this makes him feel better about his behaviour.
The quotation demonstrates that Jekyll thinks more about hiding his sins than dealing with them morally. He feels free as Hyde not because he has overcome his darker impulses, but because he can act on them whilst maintaining his public image.
The key quote
"I had been safe of all men's respect"
Jekyll becomes excessively invested in his arrangement. As Hyde, he can move freely at night, committing violent acts, whilst his respectable reputation remains intact. He considers this arrangement ideal. However, this false sense of security eventually collapses when he loses control over the transformations.
Key Points to Remember:
- Victorian gentlemen valued reputation above all else because immoral behaviour or emotional displays would result in loss of social advantages and status
- Utterson prioritises protecting Jekyll's reputation over pursuing justice, demonstrating how reputation concerns override moral duty in Victorian society
- Jekyll creates Hyde to separate his sins from his public image, showing he is more worried about concealing his behaviour than addressing it morally
- Stevenson's message is that reputations based on appearances cannot be trusted and obscure people's true nature
- The Victorian obsession with reputation makes it difficult for characters like Utterson to see the truth, as they cannot look beyond concerns about social standing