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New
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Year 11
AQA

'Jekyll and Hyde': technology and dehumanisation

I can explore how Stevenson's depictions of Mr. Hyde draw on Victorian fears of dehumanisation caused by the Industrial Revolution.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 11
AQA

'Jekyll and Hyde': technology and dehumanisation

I can explore how Stevenson's depictions of Mr. Hyde draw on Victorian fears of dehumanisation caused by the Industrial Revolution.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Industrial Revolution led to advantages and disadvantages for society such as economic growth and urban poverty.
  2. Major concerns during the Industrial Revolution included fears of dehumanisation and loss of autonomy.
  3. In 'Jekyll and Hyde', scientific progress is linked to dehumanisation, moral degradation and loss of control.
  4. Hyde represents the primal, base desires of Jekyll, which come to the surface when moral control is lost.
  5. The novella warns readers about the ethical risks of technological advancements and loss of traditional values.

Keywords

  • Primal/primitive - early or undeveloped; relating to the first stages of human or societal development

  • Basic desires - fundamental human urges, such as hunger, survival, or reproduction

  • Dehumanising - to strip someone of human qualities, treating them as less than human

  • Cautionary tale - a story that warns of potential dangers or consequences of certain actions or behaviours

  • Ominous - suggesting that something bad or threatening is about to happen

Common misconception

The Industrial Revolution was a wholly positive change for society because machines created jobs and allowed for foriegn travel.

While there were many advantages to the Industrial Revolution, there were also many disadvantages such as pollution, worsening of working conditions and a widening of the class divide.

There are numerous opportunities for debate in the lesson - these can be indentified as the slides which use responses from our Oak pupils. You may wish to consider using these opportunities to hold a class debate, using our Oak pupils' responses as a springboard.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You will need access to specific extracts from 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson. You can find the extracts in the additional materials.

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Language may offend
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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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6 Questions

Q1.
What is meant by the term 'poverty'?
excessive wealth and luxury
Correct answer: lack of basic necessities and financial resources
moderate income and comfortable living
temporary financial hardship
Q2.
The Victorian era took place between which years?
Correct answer: 1837-1901
1800-1850
1850-1920
1901-1914
Q3.
What is a novella?
a short story under 20,000 words
a full-length novel over 50,000 words
a long poem with narrative elements
Correct answer: a short novel or long short story between 20,000 and 50,000 words
Q4.
What is a revolution?
a gradual change over time
Correct answer: a sudden, radical change in society
a routine daily activity
a peaceful negotiation
Q5.
In the opening chapter of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield ...
visit Dr. Jekyll's house for dinner.
witness Mr. Hyde trample a young girl in the street.
Correct answer: walk past a door, and Mr. Enfield tells a story about Mr. Hyde trampling a girl.
discuss Dr. Jekyll's scientific experiments.
Q6.
Which of these are key themes of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'?
Correct answer: the duality of human nature
the power of friendship
Correct answer: the dangers of scientific experimentation
the beauty of nature
the pursuit of wealth

6 Questions

Q1.
What was one key advantage of the Industrial Revolution for cities like London?
Correct answer: economic growth
a decrease in population
less pollution
a decline in manufacturing
Q2.
What was a major concern people had during the Industrial Revolution?
the rise of democracy
Correct answer: the loss of autonomy/individuality
the growth of small businesses
a decrease in education
Q3.
In Chapter 1 of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', what makes Enfield’s inability to describe Hyde significant?
it shows Hyde is a respected figure and well-liked in society
it suggests Hyde is forgettable and Enfield could have been mistaken
Correct answer: it shows he has an ominous feeling about Hyde can't work out why
it shows Hyde is definitely immoral because Enfield is scared to describe him
Q4.
In 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', what could Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde reflect about Victorian concerns?
fear of losing political power
Correct answer: fear of moral degradation and dehumanisation from industrialisation
optimism about technological progress during the Industrial Revolution
anxieties about not being able to afford the latest technology
Q5.
Which of these statements best describes of the key messages of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'?
Wealth is the root of all evil.
Correct answer: Scientific progress can lead to moral degradation and loss of humanity.
Technology will save humanity.
Social status defines a person's morality.
Q6.
Which of the following phrases suggests Hyde’s inhuman nature in 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'?
"He was beloved"
"I was safe of all men’s respect"
Correct answer: "the man trampled calmly over the child’s body"
Correct answer: "He was perfectly cool and made no resistance"

Additional material

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