45 minutes; 1 question; 40 marks; 20% of GCSE
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Robot Says…
- The historical context of Jack the Ripper, a notorious figure active in Victorian London during the late 19th century, parallels the setting of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written in 1886. Both explore themes of urban fear and the darker side of human nature.
- The novel's depiction of London's duality, with its respectable façade and sinister underbelly, mirrors the environment in which Jack the Ripper operated. This duality is central to the novel’s message, as Dr Jekyll embodies outward respectability while Mr Hyde represents hidden depravity.
- Jack the Ripper’s crimes heightened public concern about the anonymity and moral decay of urban life, which is reflected in the novel’s setting. Stevenson describes London as a city of “fogged city moon” and “dingy streets,” evoking an atmosphere of secrecy and danger.
- The anonymity of the Ripper echoes the secret identity of Mr Hyde. Just as the Ripper’s true identity was never uncovered, Mr Hyde moves through the city largely undetected, highlighting fears of the unknown and unseen lurking within society.
- The violent crimes committed by Jack the Ripper resonate with Mr Hyde's brutality, such as his murder of Sir Danvers Carew, described as “bones audibly shattered” and “ape-like fury.” This reflects Victorian anxieties around uncontrolled, primal violence disrupting civilised society.
- The concept of duality in the novel is further contextualised by the public’s fascination with the Ripper’s ability to live a double life—appearing ordinary by day while committing atrocities by night. Similarly, Dr Jekyll is described as “a profound duplicity of life.”
- The Ripper’s crimes also brought attention to the plight of the urban poor, who lived in squalid conditions in areas like Whitechapel. Stevenson’s portrayal of Soho as Mr Hyde's domain, described as “a district of some city in a nightmare,” reinforces the novel’s social critique of class disparity.
- Finally, the novel’s exploration of the darker aspects of human nature aligns with contemporary fears about moral degeneration, spurred by the Ripper’s crimes. Dr Jekyll's assertion that “man is not truly one, but truly two” reflects a Victorian concern that beneath the veneer of respectability lies the potential for unspeakable evil.
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