write about how Stevenson presents Mr Hyde as an inherently evil character, write about...

Throughout the novel, Hyde is presented as inherently evil due to his lack of remorse to the innocent and his ability to leave an impression on those witnesses to him. Hyde's inherent evil is also shown through his inability to conform to Victorian societal standards and his opposition to god.

In the extract, Hyde is shown to be inherently evil through the impression he leaves on Mr Utterson and the differences between them. Hyde's tone of speech appears to be short and volatile, when this is juxtaposed with Uttersons steady, calculated mannerisms it is shown to us that Hyde is filled with anger- despite nothing being around to trigger it. In this way, Stevenson is suggesting that Hyde's only emotion is that of anger, as even a controlled conversation bring out a "flush of anger". After the interaction, Utterson describes how he "read Satan's signature upon a face" through this metaphor Stevenson links Hyde directly to Satan. framing him not just as a criminal, but rather a supernatural embodiment of sin. Furthermore, "signature" connotes permanency implying that the distastefull- distorted image of Hyde will remain with Utterson, In this way Stevenson conforms to the Victorian idea of physiognomy as even Hyde's appearance itself is evil showing Hyde to be inherently evil as his amoral ideology is physically visible.

Hyde is also shown as inherently evil through his lack of remorse to the innocent. At the start of the novel we learn of his trampling of the girl- an unprovoked brutal attack. Hyde was described to "calmly trample her" by using an oxymoron Stevenson shows Hyde's backwards ideology as he suggests that Hyde draws pleasure- or relief- from such a violent act. This shows Hyde to be inherently evil as his violent action is juxtaposed with the epitome of innocence- a young girl. Later in the novel we learn of the Carew murder case, Hyde is described to "hail down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered" the word shattered shows the brutal nature of the murder- Carew's bones weren't just broken ; they were destroyed beyond recognition. furthermore shattered holds connotation of broken glass, reminding us of Carews innocent fragility in his old age further showing Hydes evil nature as he exerts exerts excessive violence on an innocent individual. Here Hyde yet again has his voilent acts juxtaposed by someones innocence, highlighting his acts to be fiendish. In this way Stevenson plays on Victorian fears of the lower class as Carew- a politician symbolic for high class society- is brutally murdered by Hyde- a supposed member of the lower class.

Feedback

AIStandard feedback

Mark

24/30

Mark breakdown

AO19/12
AO210/12
AO35/6

Paragraphs feedback

In the first paragraph, you effectively introduce the idea of Hyde's inherent evil and connect it to Victorian societal standards. To improve, consider providing more specific examples from the text to support your claims about Hyde's lack of remorse and his impression on others. This will enhance your argument and provide a stronger foundation for your analysis (AO1).
In the third paragraph, you provide a strong analysis of Hyde's violent actions and their implications. To improve, try to integrate more direct quotations from the text to support your points about the trampling of the girl and the Carew murder. This will help to ground your analysis in the text and demonstrate a deeper engagement with Stevenson’s language and methods (AO1).

What went well

Your essay presents a clear argument about Hyde's inherent evil, effectively linking it to Victorian societal fears and norms. This shows a good understanding of the context (AO3).
Your analysis of Hyde's character is thoughtful, particularly in how you connect his actions to broader themes of class and morality in Victorian society. This demonstrates a good level of critical thinking (AO2).

Even better if

In the first paragraph, you could enhance your argument by including specific examples of how Hyde's actions leave a lasting impression on others, perhaps by discussing the reactions of other characters to Hyde. This would provide a more comprehensive view of his character (AO1).
In the second paragraph, consider expanding on your analysis of the juxtaposition between Hyde and Utterson by discussing how this reflects broader themes of duality and repression in the novel. This would deepen your exploration of Stevenson’s methods (AO2).
In the third paragraph, try to include more direct quotations when discussing Hyde's violent acts. For example, when describing the trampling of the girl, you could quote the exact wording used by Stevenson to enhance your analysis of the language and its effects (AO1).

AO feedback

To improve AO1, focus on integrating more direct quotations from the text to support your interpretations. For example, when discussing Hyde's lack of remorse, you could quote specific lines that illustrate this point more clearly.
In terms of AO3, consider expanding your discussion of the contextual factors surrounding Hyde's character. You could explore how Victorian fears of the lower class and the concept of physiognomy influence the way Hyde is portrayed, providing a more nuanced understanding of his character.