repression

• all of the characters apart from hyde repress parts of themselves. Stevenson makes a point about the strict nature of Victorian society by showing that Dr Jekyll, a character who has repressed his desires throughout his life is no longer able to contain himself. This is manifested in the character of Hyde
• repression is indisputably cause of the troubles in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The more Dr Jekyll's forbidden appetites are repressed the more the desires to live the life of Mr Hyde and the stronger he becomes. This is clearly demonstrated after Jekyll's two months hiatus from donning the visage of Mr Hyde: Dr Jekyll finds that the pull to the evil has been magnified
• repression and homosexuality

  Stevenson had many controversial beliefs about homosexuality. this is an explicit hint towards the idea that Hyde is part in a homosexual relationship with Jekyll and that Jekyll is being blackmailed for it
• "never lighted by a smile"


  'lighted' implies fire and passion which is hard to maintain and take control of which could be linked to repression. 'smile' is a positive verb demonstrating happiness and content
• "though he enjoyed the theatre he had not crossed the door of one for twenty years"


  theatre amplifies emotions and escapism and was seen scandalous in Victorian society, Utterson chooses to conform to society rather than to follow his passions
• "my devil had been long caged he came out roaring"


  the more that Jekyll repressed Hyde the stronger he got and this resulted in him completely taking over Jeklly
• "hence it came about that i concealed my pleasures"


  he was already living a life of duplicity long before the creation of Hyde. Living in the Victorian era Jekyll was compelled to satisfy his appetites in secret and further repress them to preserve his reputation as an upright citizen
• "snarled aloud into a savage laugh"


  Hyde has no regard or understanding of a polite conversation. his behaviour shows animalistic qualities and an uncontrolled portrayal of mixed emotions such as anger
• "Jekyll became too fanciful for me"


  Lanyon disprove of Jekyll breaking free from repression and social constraints
• "i am ashamed of my long tongue"


  Enfield is ashamed of gossiping
• "tempted me until i fell into slavery"
• "hid them with a morbid sense of shame"