Considering Stevenson's subversion of Gothic setting in 'Jekyll and Hyde'
I can trace Stevenson’s use of setting across the the novel, ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’.
Considering Stevenson's subversion of Gothic setting in 'Jekyll and Hyde'
I can trace Stevenson’s use of setting across the the novel, ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Stevenson takes the conventions of the Gothic genre and subverts them to make his fictional world seem even stranger
- The key settings are Jekyll’s home, his laboratory and Hyde’s house.
- The key settings contrast with each other which relates to the theme of duality.
- The city of London is as divided as Jekyll himself.
Keywords
Setting - Setting in literature refers to the time and place of the text.
Juxtaposition - The placing of contrasting ideas or images close together is known as juxtaposition.
Duality - The word duality describes the combination of two opposite things in one.
Pious - If you are pious, you live in a way that shows your religious beliefs.
Blasphemy - Blasphemy is saying or doing something that shows you do not respect God or a religion.
Common misconception
Students may think that the novel is Gothic in the typical sense.
Be clear about subversion and how it works in the novella. Although Stevenson uses some Gothic elements they are not always used in the typical way for the genre.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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