Symbols (Grade 12 NSC Matric English FAL): Revision Notes
Symbols
Introduction to symbolism in the novel
In The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Stevenson uses symbolic elements to help readers understand deeper meanings beyond the surface story. These symbols work as powerful tools that reveal the novel's central themes, particularly focusing on the hidden battles within human nature and the ongoing struggle between good and evil impulses.
Stevenson carefully employs objects, locations, and physical descriptions as symbols that mirror the psychological conflicts his characters experience. Each symbolic element connects directly to the story's main themes of duality (having two sides), secrecy, and moral corruption (the decay of ethical behaviour).
Symbols in literature work on multiple levels - they function both as literal objects within the story and as representations of deeper psychological or moral concepts. Understanding these symbols helps readers grasp the novel's complex exploration of human nature.
Dr Jekyll's house and its dual entrances
Dr Jekyll's residence serves as a powerful symbol representing his divided personality and the theme of appearance versus reality. The house literally embodies the two-sided nature of its owner through its contrasting entrances.
The front entrance presents an elegant and well-maintained appearance, symbolising Jekyll's respectable public identity. This represents how Jekyll wishes society to see him - as a distinguished gentleman and respected doctor. In contrast, the back entrance that Hyde uses appears dirty, dark, and neglected, representing the hidden and shameful aspects of Jekyll's character.
This architectural division mirrors Jekyll's psychological split - one side respectable and socially acceptable, the other dark and morally corrupt. The two doors represent the two sides of human nature that exist within a single person. Jekyll's house demonstrates how people often maintain perfect appearances whilst concealing their darker impulses from public view.
The symbolism of Jekyll's house reflects Victorian society's obsession with maintaining respectability while hiding any behaviour that might be considered socially unacceptable. The physical structure becomes a metaphor for the psychological divisions within individuals.
The laboratory and its locked door
Jekyll's laboratory functions as the location where his scientific experiments take place and ultimately where Hyde meets his end. This space symbolises the secret side of science - representing knowledge that becomes hidden and dangerous when used without proper moral consideration.
The locked door within the laboratory reflects Jekyll's secrecy, guilt, and sense of moral imprisonment. When this door finally breaks at the story's conclusion, it symbolises the exposure of truth and the complete destruction of Jekyll's false identity.
The laboratory transforms into a prison for Jekyll's soul, trapping him with his own dangerous creation. This space represents how scientific knowledge, when pursued without ethical boundaries, can become a source of personal destruction rather than beneficial discovery.
The transformative potion
The potion stands as one of the story's most significant symbols, representing temptation, curiosity, and the danger of moral weakness. Jekyll initially believes this chemical mixture will allow him to separate his good and evil sides, but instead, it removes his ability to control both aspects of his nature.
The potion symbolises how science without morality can lead to self-destruction. It represents Jekyll's desire to live without facing consequences for his actions. Additionally, the potion functions as a symbol of addiction - Jekyll becomes dependent on the transformation and cannot resist using it even when he recognises its dangers.
This substance serves as a physical manifestation of Jekyll's temptation to abandon moral responsibility and indulge his darkest desires without restraint. The potion becomes both the source of Jekyll's perceived freedom and his ultimate downfall.
The mirror and self-reflection
Mirrors appear throughout Jekyll's laboratory, where he frequently observes himself after transforming into Hyde. The mirror functions as a symbol of self-examination and truth - it forces Jekyll to confront his real identity rather than the false image he projects to society.
When Jekyll looks in the mirror and sees Hyde's reflexion, he must face the reality that evil exists as part of himself, not as something separate or external. The mirror reflects the truth that Jekyll attempts to hide from society - his inner moral corruption.
This symbol emphasises the theme of self-knowledge and the difficulty of accepting uncomfortable truths about one's own character.
The fog and darkness of London
The London setting, frequently described as foggy, dark, and mysterious, functions as a powerful symbol of confusion and concealment. The fog represents the moral uncertainty and secrecy that exist both in Jekyll's mind and throughout Victorian society.
Darkness provides cover for evil acts, just as Jekyll hides his true identity behind his respectable facade. The contrast between foggy streets and bright lamp lights reflects the battle between knowledge (represented by light) and ignorance or sin (represented by darkness).
The atmospheric descriptions of Victorian London serve as more than just setting - they create a mood that mirrors the psychological state of the characters and the moral ambiguity of the story's themes.
Mr Hyde's physical appearance
Hyde's deformed and repulsive appearance symbolises moral corruption made visible. His physical ugliness represents the way evil cannot remain completely hidden - it eventually reveals itself outwardly.
Hyde's appearance causes immediate fear and disgust in others, even though they cannot explain exactly why. This demonstrates that evil carries an unmistakable quality that people instinctively recognise. His small size and animal-like movements represent primitive instincts and a lack of humanity.
Hyde's body serves as a symbol showing what happens when a person surrenders completely to their darkest desires - the corruption becomes physically manifest. This challenges the Victorian belief that respectability could be maintained through appearances alone.
Letters and written documents
The novel includes various letters and written statements, including Lanyon's Narrative and Jekyll's Full Statement of the Case. These documents symbolise the search for truth through evidence and confession.
The letters also reflect Victorian society's obsession with respectability and record-keeping - people often hide behind formal language to disguise emotional truths. Reading these documents allows readers to "unlock" the mystery, just as Utterson physically unlocks Jekyll's secrets by breaking down doors.
These written confessions represent humanity's need to reveal truth after attempting to hide it, as well as the weight of guilt that demands acknowledgement. The formal, legal language of these documents contrasts with the emotional turmoil they describe.
Doors and keys as barriers
Doors appear repeatedly throughout the novel, functioning as symbols of secrecy, division, and discovery. Jekyll's locked doors represent hidden sins and forbidden knowledge that he keeps concealed from others.
When Utterson and Poole break down the laboratory door, this action symbolises the moment when secrets become revealed and Jekyll's dual identity becomes exposed to others.
Keys represent control - Jekyll's possession of the key to Hyde's entrance demonstrates his belief that he can control his darker side. However, he ultimately loses this power. The frequent use of doors and keys symbolises the barriers that exist between good and evil, knowledge and ignorance, and freedom and guilt.
The cane as a corrupted symbol
Hyde uses a walking cane to murder Sir Danvers Carew, which represents respectability turned violent. A walking cane traditionally functions as a gentleman's accessory, associated with decency and social status. However, Hyde corrupts this symbol by transforming it into a weapon for evil purposes.
This demonstrates how Hyde corrupts everything connected with decency and civilisation. The broken cane symbolises how Hyde destroys both morality and the illusion of control that Jekyll believed he possessed.
The transformation of a gentleman's accessory into a murder weapon perfectly encapsulates the novel's theme of how appearances can be deceiving and how evil can corrupt even the most respectable symbols of society.
Science and religion as opposing symbolic forces
Though not represented by a single object, the conflict between science and religion functions symbolically throughout the novel. Jekyll's experiments symbolise human ambition to rival divine power - essentially attempting to play the role of God by controlling the fundamental nature of humanity.
Jekyll's downfall serves as punishment for crossing moral and divine boundaries. The story presents a warning that science without ethics becomes a symbol of moral chaos and destruction.
This symbolic conflict reflects Victorian anxieties about scientific progress potentially undermining religious and moral authority. Stevenson warns that unchecked scientific ambition, divorced from ethical consideration, leads inevitably to destruction.
Key Points to Remember:
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Symbols in this novel reveal hidden truths about human nature - they help readers understand the deeper psychological and moral conflicts in the story
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Jekyll's house, laboratory, and potion all represent secrecy and duality - they show how people can maintain respectable appearances while concealing darker impulses
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The mirror, fog, and darkness reflect themes of self-knowledge and concealment - they symbolise the difficulty of facing uncomfortable truths about oneself
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Hyde's physical appearance makes evil visible - his deformity represents how moral corruption eventually reveals itself outwardly
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Each symbol supports the central message that good and evil coexist within human nature - attempting to deny this truth leads to psychological and moral destruction