Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 11 English Guides

Year 11 - English

Understanding Utterson and social class in 'Jekyll and Hyde'

Jekyll & Hyde: society as the villain

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore how the society the characters of 'Jekyll and Hyde' inhabit affects their interpretation of them. They first look at structure and the Gothic, before thinking carefully about how to use context. They then look at hypocrisy and write an essay about it in the novella.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explore how Stevenson presents attitudes to social class through Utterson in 'Jekyll and Hyde'.

Key Notes

  • Social divide is a key idea here, highlighted because the reader sees Soho through the middle class eyes of Utterson.
  • Utterson is portrayed as judgemental towards the poor, mirroring commonplace Victorian beliefs.
  • Stevenson criticises the idea that only the poor are prone to sin and vice: the middle class characters harbour secrets.
  • The description of Soho links to the theme of duality, showing that the city is as divided as Jekyll is.
  • Concealment is an important theme here as Utterson confronts a side of London that middle class men don't usually see.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Concealment: The action of hiding something or preventing it being known is known as concealment.
  • Duality: Duality refers to the contrast between two opposite or opposing things.
  • Morality: Morality concerns the distinction between what is right and what is wrong.
  • Critique: If you criticise something in a thoughtful and detailed way this is known as a critique.
  • Social divide: The differences between classes is known as the social divide. In 'Jekyll and Hyde' Utterson is a member of the midde class.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Mr. Utterson is judgemental of all immoral behaviour.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Social divide is a key idea here, highlighted because the reader sees Soho through the middle class eyes of Utterson. Utterson is portrayed as judgemental towards the poor, mirroring commonplace Victorian beliefs.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Concealment'

The action of hiding something or preventing it being known is known as concealment.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Mr. Utterson is judgemental of all immoral behaviour. Correction: Mr. Utterson seems incredibly judgemental of the Victorian poor and their behaviour but he is willing to turn a 'blind eye' to his friends.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 English guide library.