Read the following extract from Chapter 6 (Incident at the Window) of The
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde and then answer the question that
follows. In this extract, Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield are talking to Dr. Jekyll
through his window.
The court was very cool and a little damp, and full of premature
twilight, although the sky, high up overhead, was still bright with
sunset. The middle one of the three windows was half-way open; and
sitting close beside it, taking the air with an infinite sadness of mien,
like some disconsolate prisoner, Utterson saw Dr. Jekyll.
"What! Jekyll!" he cried. "I trust you are better."
"I am very low, Utterson," replied the doctor drearily, "very low. It will
not last long, thank God."
"You stay too much indoors," said the lawyer. "You should be out,
whipping up the circulation like Mr. Enfield and me. (This is my cousin
—Mr. Enfield—Dr. Jekyll.) Come now; get your hat and take a quick
turn with us."
"You are very good," sighed the other. "I should like to very much;
but no, no, no, it is quite impossible; I dare not. But indeed, Utterson,
I am very glad to see you; this is really a great pleasure; I would ask
you and Mr. Enfield up, but the place is really not fit."
"Why then," said the lawyer good-naturedly, "the best thing we can
do is to stay down here and speak with you from where we are."
"That is just what I was about to venture to propose," returned the
doctor, with a smile. But the words were hardly uttered, before the
smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of
such abject terror and despair as froze the very blood of the two
gentlemen below. They saw it but for a glimpse, for the window was
instantly thrust down; but that glimpse had been sufficient, and they
turned and left the court without a word.
‘Stevenson’s presentation of Dr. Jekyll allows the reader to feel sympathy
for him.’ Starting with this extract, explore how far you agree with this
opinion. Write about:
- how Stevenson presents Dr. Jekyll in this extract
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde and then answer the question that
follows. In this extract, Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield are talking to Dr. Jekyll
through his window.
The court was very cool and a little damp, and full of premature
twilight, although the sky, high up overhead, was still bright with
sunset. The middle one of the three windows was half-way open; and
sitting close beside it, taking the air with an infinite sadness of mien,
like some disconsolate prisoner, Utterson saw Dr. Jekyll.
"What! Jekyll!" he cried. "I trust you are better."
"I am very low, Utterson," replied the doctor drearily, "very low. It will
not last long, thank God."
"You stay too much indoors," said the lawyer. "You should be out,
whipping up the circulation like Mr. Enfield and me. (This is my cousin
—Mr. Enfield—Dr. Jekyll.) Come now; get your hat and take a quick
turn with us."
"You are very good," sighed the other. "I should like to very much;
but no, no, no, it is quite impossible; I dare not. But indeed, Utterson,
I am very glad to see you; this is really a great pleasure; I would ask
you and Mr. Enfield up, but the place is really not fit."
"Why then," said the lawyer good-naturedly, "the best thing we can
do is to stay down here and speak with you from where we are."
"That is just what I was about to venture to propose," returned the
doctor, with a smile. But the words were hardly uttered, before the
smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of
such abject terror and despair as froze the very blood of the two
gentlemen below. They saw it but for a glimpse, for the window was
instantly thrust down; but that glimpse had been sufficient, and they
turned and left the court without a word.
‘Stevenson’s presentation of Dr. Jekyll allows the reader to feel sympathy
for him.’ Starting with this extract, explore how far you agree with this
opinion. Write about:
- how Stevenson presents Dr. Jekyll in this extract
