Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde - Journal Annotation - Chapter 10
# Quote
(cite in proper MLA
format!)
1 “I knew myself, at the first breath
of this new life, to be more
wicked, tenfold more wicked, sold
a slave to my original evil; and
the thought, in that moment,
braced and delighted me like
wine. I stretched out my hands,
exulting in the freshness of these
sensations; and in the act, I was
suddenly aware that I had lost in
stature.”
2 "His every act and thought
centred on self; drinking pleasure
with bestial avidity from any
degree of torture to another;
relentless like a man of stone."
Explanation and Analysis
(longer than the quote!)
● Explanation of quote
● Literary elements/devices
● Victorian era
● Psychoanalytical criticism
● Personal/real-world
connections
In his first transformation, Jekyll
instantly knows that Hyde is evil
and monstrous. However, he
divulges that “braced and
delighted me like wine.” The
author uses a simile device here to
emphasize the enjoyable and
satisfying moment once he
becomes Hyde. “Lost in stature”
has two meanings here. He could
be literally shortened by physical
or he is no longer a decent,
reputable man anymore. In this
case, "sold a slave" emphasizes
the word "slave", describing the
"wicked" Jekyll, augmented by
using "braced.” "My original evil"
refers to Eve's original sin,
indicating that sin is a natural part
of man, but the "new life" has an
excited tone.
Hyde's cruelty is not simply
harming others. He is selfish,
takes pleasure in the suffering of
others, and has no compassion for
humanity. "Every action and
thought" claims that Hyde is
completely evil both physically
and mentally. "Drinking",

3 "He, I say - I cannot say, I. That
child of Hell had nothing human;
nothing lived in him but fear and
hatred.
"pleasure" and "avidity" have
associations with wild
intemperance, related with the
animalistic, "bestial" nature of his
manner. Victorian society have a
strict social codes that is the
indulgence of "pleasures" is
forbidden. If you wanted to
indulge in your "pleasures" you
had to do it in secret and keep
them hidden.
Despite Jekyll's understanding
that Hyde is a dual part of him, he
still cannot bring himself to say
"I" as Hyde is too evil to be
considered human. "The Child of
Hell" continues Hyde's
association with demons and evil
behavior - calling him a child
refers he grew up and was raised
under the guidance of Hell itself.