'Jekyll and Hyde': moral decay and respectability
I can analyse how Stevenson's depictions of Hyde convey the impact of Industrial Revolution on Victorian behaviour.
'Jekyll and Hyde': moral decay and respectability
I can analyse how Stevenson's depictions of Hyde convey the impact of Industrial Revolution on Victorian behaviour.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Vice was common in Victorian society; the wealthy could hide it, while the poor faced harsher judgement.
- Poorer people often turned to drinking, violence or crime, while the rich indulged in debauchery and illicit affairs.
- The philanthropic Victorian gentleman often served as a façade to cover up the wealthy’s moral corruption.
- Hyde symbolises Victorian moral decay, embodying Jekyll's darker impulses; he is cruel, wild and aggressive.
- Utterson's refusal to confront Jekyll about Hyde can also be seen as an example of moral decay.
Keywords
Façade - deceptive outward appearance that hides the true nature of someone or something
Debauchery - excessive indulgence in sensory pleasures, often associated with immoral or corrupt behaviour
Vice - a moral fault or weakness leading to immoral or unethical behaviour and choices
Impulses - sudden urges or desires to act, often without forethought or consideration of consequences
Moral decay - the decline of ethical standards and values within a society or individual
Common misconception
Immoral behaviour was something only the lower classes engaged in.
Immoral behaviour was something that crossed class boundaries but it manifested differently; for the lower classes, vice was survival-based with many turning to crime to survive whereas the wealthy engaged in debauchery and illicit affairs.
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: 'Jekyll and Hyde': moral decay and respectability, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: 'Jekyll and Hyde': moral decay and respectability, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the Jekyll & Hyde third deep dive unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to specific extracts from 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson. You can find the extracts in the additional materials.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
- Depiction or discussion of sexual violence
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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