Exam Two Study Questions

Question:

Use Carlyle and Macauly?s works to demonstrate the black vs. white views of imperialism in England during the late 1800?s. Then use the text from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?s ?The White Man?s Burden? to explain his own, more complex view, of imperialism.

Carlyle
? Moral duty to conuer, in order to save the natives from themselves
? Known as ?the gospel of work?
o Idea that work is supremely important and that work is what makes a man a man
o At this point, the allocation of worth is now based on meritocracy rather than lineage
Macauly
? Says same thing about imperialism as Carlyle, but frames it differently
? Takes it back to Shakespeare and Milton and the fact that all other cultures? (especially Indians?) literature is useless compared to English literature
o Goes even further and really means that these other cultures don?t produce intellectual goods
Doyle (?The White Man?s Burden?)
? Called a ?burden? rather than a birthright
? ?half devil, half child?
o England is being infected by contact with these people
o They need to be helped, but it?s not always doable because they?re hard to control
? Third stanza
o Even if you are a perfect person (meaning British), you?re not necessarily guaranteed success in conquering; you will undoubtedly meet resistance
? Fourth stanza
o Idea that the English are doing this for future generation
o Hard workers for colonization don?t necessarily reap big benefits
o So the imperialist dream is a good one, but not necessarily easy or realistic
? Sixth and seventh stanzas
o Evidence of judgment of imperialism
o It?s hard to make imperialism work; has not been successful thus far
o Foreigners see Britain as and embodiment of Christianity
? So what they think of the English, they think of Christianity
? Overall
o Pro-imperialism, but embedded with doubt and difficulty and fear
o At the end of the day, England is superior throughout every facet of life (morally, evolutionarily, etc.), but their imperialist conquests don?t actually demonstrate that to the world

Question:

How did Victorian authors portray supernatural elements in their works, and how does this reflect Victorian attitudes?

King Solomon’s Mines – Gagool and her Isanusis are hideous and inhuman. Together with Twala, who consorts with these witches, they persecute both the English heroes and the innocent Kukuanas. They represent savagery and animalism and offer a counterpoint to the civilized, and therefore, “good” Ignosi and Infadoos. The eventual defeat of Twala’s army by Sir Henry and company represents the defeat of superstition by reason, science, and civilization, and Gagool’s death shows how supernatural beliefs can be dangerous.

“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” – Hyde is ugly, deformed, and sub-human. He indulges his vices and engages in criminal behavior. Though ultimately supernatural, he is brought about by science. As a part of Jekyll, Hyde cannot be denied, but must instead be acknowledged and prevented from endangering society.

“A Chapter on Dreams” – Stephenson’s Brownies are intelligent, creative, and helpful, if somewhat childish. The stories they provide him with are vivid and exciting, though not necessarily well written or logical and typically must be polished during the writing process. These particular supernatural creatures are useful and important though still underdeveloped in certain capacities.

Essay #2 Question:

Select two different reading selections and compare two different viewpoints on the individual's obligation to society. ('The individual' doesn't necessarily have to refer to that specific character- it can be in general.) The point of view could be that of a character, narrator, or the author. Address the following questions: What are the duties of an individual in regards to their family, their gender, their class, and their country? In what circumstances do the needs of the individual outweigh the needs of a larger whole (such as the family, class, or country)?

Notes: (Some examples of viewpoints)

1. Rudyard Kipling's "White Man's Burden": The individual must perservere for the good of the country in spite the moral murkiness of colonialism. Sacrifice, sometimes of English lives, is necessary for the survival and advancement of the empire. The individual is nothing without the collective they are a part of.

2. H. R. (Pufnstuff!) Haggard's "King Solomon's Mines": If speaking from Quaterman's perspective, one might make the case that the individual has both an obligation to their country and to themselves, as the ability of the individual to protect or better him/herself is what makes a country great. If speaking from the perspective of one of the natives, one might say the individual has primary obligations to their community and the earth around them.

3. R.L. Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde": Jekyll's primary obligation would be society- but not in any truly altruistic way. It would be in terms of reputation. In essence, the individual must maintain a certain reputation to foster seemingly healthy social relationships and status, which in his case would be done by concealing his sins. Hyde's primary obligation, naturally, would be to the self.

Question:

Discuss the role of phrenology and Victorian fears of "otherness" in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

1. Hyde is described almost as an animal, hunched over, pale, hairy and alway hiding his face.

2 Noted as a troglydyte

3. Despite his wealth, he is rejected because of physical deformities which can't be identified.

4. His attempts to hide his face still causes people to recoil, believing him to be a common criminal because of how he looks.

5. He has no background, family or reputation which causes rumors and fears from people who have never interacted with him.

Question: Define what role does the use of realism play in King Solomon’s Mines and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. How does the use of realism add or detract from the central purpose of the story? Which story is more realistic?

Notes:

King Solomon’s Mines

Realistic depiction of terrain and encounters with natives.

Subtle homosexual tendencies often seen when a group of men are secluded together for long periods.

Attraction to another race.

As this is an adventure narrative, it is essential that there are some elements of truth mixed in to help the reader identify or form fantasies about being apart of such an adventure. Homosexuality between secluded groups of men, such as in military situations, is rarely unheard of and makes an appearance here as well. Attraction to another race is being admitted here between Foulata and Good. It may not have been socially acceptable to admit, during this period, but it is an attraction that is bound to occur. Of course, the most obvious form of realism that cannot be ignored is the realistic depiction of the African terrain and its’ people. Few people, during this period, could picture themselves trekking along the African terrain and discovering Martians. This makes it a little easier for the reader to put themselves into the place of one of the adventurers and live that adventure from home.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Villain is human but given no in-depth description and, from this, comes the idea that this villain can be anyone.

There is no point where the reader has complete knowledge.

There is no resolution.

Very true to life, sometimes there are not happy endings and sometimes conflicts never end. The universality of the villain creates more fear and no one can know everything there is to know. As this novella is a warning about complete repression of vices the realistic approach adds much to the argument. The novella tries to make the reader aware that it is not realistic to repress all vice, but vice, within moderation, will rid society of any and all Hydes. This realistic approach places more fear within the heart of the reader because it is not so fantastic that it cannot come true.

Question:

How did the British treat Africa itself as a commodity?
-Established trading posts (oasis for the British tourists).
-Referred to Africa as a female dominated/tamed by British males.
-Hunting trips to Africa showed off the economic wealth of the men who went on them.
-The center of Africa was uncharted by the British, so they could make it into whatever they wanted.

Question:
Compare and Contrast how characters in King Solomon's Mines and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde behave towards characters that do not strictly embody the British definitions of a strong, moral man.

King Solomon's Mines

* Demeaning attitude towards natives

* More description given of Good's appearance than of Khiva's death

* British superior – foundation of Imperialism

Jekyll and Hyde

* Hyde viewed as an abomination even before they know that he is Jekyll

* Hyde so out of touch with traditional societal values that has to appear deformed

* Lanyon refuses to associate with Jekyll after he knows the truth and dies of shock at lack of morals

Study Questions for Exam 2

Robert Louis Stevenson?s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde both conforms to and contradicts stereotypical ?Victorian? writing. By examining the themes, characters, and motifs of Jekyll and Hyde, determine if the novella is more typical of Victorian England, or a rebellion against its values.

If you wanted to write about the novella conforming to Victorian Ideals:
? Idea of the upper-class English gentlemen (Utterson and Enfield)
? Professional ambition of Dr. Jekyll
? The emerging science of psychology, and its portrayal in J and H conforming to the period?s overall tone (i.e. Appendix K)
? The black and white ideals of ?good? and ?bad? in the novella (this can be argued two ways; see the first point of the rebellion section)
? The idea that degeneracy manifests itself physically (Darwin appendix)

If you wanted to write about J and H being a rebellion:
? Structure of the narrative itself: shorter story than the huge Victorian novels
? ?snapshots? of the story, not the whole, detailed picture. Scene-like format
? Suspense effect, the reader doesn?t have full knowledge until the very end, but even then nobody knows everything that happened
? No building up the climax, the story doesn?t have a complete arc. Instead, there is a flat line of action with a big denouement coming at the very end
? No black and white, only black and gray (Jekyll is not completely good)
? No tidy, happy ending; there is no hope at the end
? There is no hope because infection is not coming from the outside; the infection is within us all (unlike other novels we have read where the infection is due to poverty or race)

Question:Victorians were obsessed with taxonomy, and going right along with that was their disdain for anything Other intruding on their carefully policed taxa. Discuss racial purity in both King Solomon's Mines and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , taking note of how the Other was denied access to the "superior" race (assuming Hyde's depravity makes him Other in a racial way).

- Other as physically and mentally different and therefore identifiable: black, more animalistic/less refined or just more animalistic and somehow deformed. There is special horror with Hyde, though, since he is at times hidden

o (The Other without versus the Other within)

- The Other as villain: What are the similarities between Gagool and Hyde?

- Denying access to the white race…self-inflicted:

o Captain Good and Foulata realize they cannot be together based on race, and look at author's choice in ending Foulata

o Jekyll first represses his Other, and at the end he tries not to turn into Hyde anymore (note also that bad things happen when the Other is allowed access to the world with no restraint)
Clarifying point: Both Foulata and Hyde are dead by the end of each work, but Hyde's death is more of a triumph than Foulata's. Foulata's is more of a relief for the white race, since she was a good representation of the Victorian "angel." What is Haggard saying versus Stevenson? Consider the Other within and without again here, and who is ultimately responsible for controlling or keeping the Other from gaining a position within the dominant race.

Q: How does Louis Stevenson build Dr. Jekyll up as a Victorian gentleman in the novella, which contrasts sharply to the personality of his alter ego, Mr. Hyde?

Notes:
- "Dr." Jekyll and merely "Mr." Hyde; social status

- Jekyll as a respectable man in society (intelligent, sociable, light-hearted)

- Jekyll's subdued nature; pg. 89: "Where Jekyll perhaps might have succumbed, Hyde rose to the importance of the moment." Hyde is odd, pevish.

- Physical differences; Hyde is short, gives a sense of deformity

- Hyde is referred to as "it" (pg. 62)

- Jekyll's relationship with his counterparts; trusts Utterson, friendly with many colleagues. Hyde is "evil." Runs over child. Troubles citizens

Question:Class standing and the nature of a ?proper Englishman? are frequent themes in nineteen century literature. But with the onset of new scientific discoveries and the need to define characteristics unique to English society, a new form of classification arose. Choose a novel and discuss the influence of evolution and the effects of Social Darwinism on the work. Be sure to highlight characters or themes that accentuate this idea.

King Solomon?s Mines

-Quatermain?s tone and manner of speaking about native Africans
- Ex; ?well bred? and ?Kafir?
- The response to the sacrificial and violent nature of the Kukuanas
- Need for imperialism to take Africa and ?improve? their way of life
- Disbelief in the independent intelligence of uncivilized society
- Interplay of Umbopa as servant and royalty

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

-Malformation as moral degeneration
- Hyde?s physical appearance as underdeveloped in comparison to
Jekyll upright and larger physique
-The poor and the violence attributed to their living quarters? ie Scene of Carew?s murder

Question: Utilizing at least two novels, examine the way in which Victorian writers utilize nature/environment as means of conveying complex ideas to the readers. What is the role of nature in Victorian novels and what does it reveal about Victorian beliefs, attitudes and values?

Nature in King Solomon s mines:
-both a character and setting
-endowed with feminine traits( volatile, dangerous, drastic)
-mirrors the inhabitants of the land - The Africans are as quick to change and go from one extreme to another as the nature and land they
inhabit.Unable to stay in the golden medium.
-symbolic of Victorian attitudes towards women, children,colonialism, and "savages"( regard it as pristine, innocent, but also untamed and irrational)
-last great frontier and training ground for true British gentlemen( reveals Victorian ideas of bravery, manliness, courage and propriety)
-virginity/innocence vs corruption/utility. Is this progression unavoidable?

Nature in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:
-utilized as setting
-Hyde's character seems to go hand in hand with the dark night
-the dichotomy of Jekyll/Hyde and day/night reveals the difficulty of pure categories( which was a characteristic Victorian endeavour)
-nature mirrors character - Jekyll' s house structure symbolizes his inner struggle to keep the separate entities from invading and, as a result, infecting each other.
-Idea of outside role/inside role, with Jekyll and Hyde periodically switching between these two roles. Whenever one is the background( environment) the other becomes the foreground(the character). One cannot exist without the other, or can he?

Question:Explain how the Victorian ideals of Imperialism shifted in the 1800s
and how the literature of the time reflects this change.

Notes:

- "The White Man's Burden" by Kipling
- King Solomon's Mines as the height of Victorian Imperialist pride
- the Victorian view of Natives and the "Noble Savage"
- the connection between the "Noble Savage" and the inner city poor in
the Victorian mind
- Racial "science" and how it colored the Victorian view of Imperialism
- explain the importance of the Empire to the Victorian mind
- the use of games and other toys to raise young Victorians with an
Imperialist mindset
- the basis for Imperialism and how it changed throughout the era

Exam 2 Study Question

Author H. Rider Haggard wrote his novel, King Solomon?s Mines, for young boys because they were the future British imperialists. The novel is obviously a commentary on British imperialism and how the Victorians viewed the ?native.? By using Africa as his setting, how does Haggard show Victorian attitudes toward British imperialism and the native people?

Notes:

Imperialist attitudes from African setting
? Idea that Africa is the ?woman? and England is the ?man?
o Mountains called Sheba?s breasts
o The map looks like a woman?s body
o Gives the image of ?raping? the landscape (British conquering Africa)

? Map of Africa (viewed in class)
o Blank area in the middle; literally a dark place
o British saw Africa as a blank slate, a place they can project things onto (?penetrate? the area - goes back to idea of raping the landscape)

? Images of landscape (by end of novel, we have a whole picture of Africa)
o Diverse landscape (on one side of the mountain, the landscape is harsh but on the other side it is fertile, green and gentle)
o Map to King Solomon?s Mines (Looks like a woman?s body; fertile landscape; idea that it is a place for imperialist opportunities)

? What is Africa to the British public?
o Seen through an imperial lens
o Haggard more aware of tensions going on in British imperial project
o Sexual metaphor - British ?raping? the continent

Africa?s representations
? Represented as both the Mary and Eve figures in the form of two female characters in the novel
o Foulata - represents Mary because of her innocence
o Gagool - represents Eve because of her knowledge and determination to control men

? Africa as a commodity
o Africa is like a ?store? ? symbol of England?s economic status
o Africa holds all the other commodities (i.e. diamonds, gold, ivory, etc.) that England wants to get possession of for imperialist motives
o Possessing land is seen as more masculine - British imperialist mindset

Native characters in the novel
? African setting gives way for the use of native characters to show British attitudes toward natives
o Umbopa - manly man; Zulu; lighter skin than the other natives (Victorians privileged lighter-skinned natives over dark-skinned ones ? perhaps this is why Umbopa is the main native character in the novel)
o Khiva - Zulu
o Ventuogel - Hottentot

? Africa serves to tell the British about what it means to be British and what it takes to make England better
o In the same way, the native characters serve this same function to the white characters

Question: Discuss the theme of the good/evil within as found throughout Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

-Pure evil vs. Pure good
-If Jekyll is not pure good, then how can Hyde be pure evil
-We dont actually SEE Hyde - we hear about some of his actions but have no basis to form definitive answer of if there is good within Hyde or not
-We didnt see the end - would likely have provided evidence toward this one way or the other
-They arent two separate people, they are more of a split personality where they are repressing certain qualities of self - the good and evil are always there in both forms just stronger/weaker depending on time.

-The idea that both aspects of personality must be allowed - impossible to fully repress ignore the evil within - it only makes its eventual expression more extreme.
-moderation vs. complete abstinence

Question: How does King Solomon’s Mines represent the British superior views of themselves and their country, over those of Africa?

-- English as the superior race
---Quatermain upset by the way Umbopa spoke so casually to them
--- Went home in the end instead of staying in Africa
--- because England is the superior country
---The Africans needed their help with their problems
--- it is their duty to fix Africa
---African customs are barbaric
--- The witch hunt
---Quatermain’s distaste over multi-racial couples
---His relief over the death of the African girl
Question: How does Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde uphold and criticize the ideas of degeneration in Victorian society?

Ideas in Victorian society:
1. Darwin: degeneration is inherent in all of us because of our evolution to humans
2. Outward manifestation of inward desires
3. Based on appearance you can tell a person?s class, mental stability, moral level, and intelligence
4. Finding scientific facts to corroborate cultural issues
5. However, this seems to apply only to foreigners and lower class. This isn?t what Jekyll is.

Dr. Jekyll:
1. Dualistic nature
2. An upstanding profession: doctor
3. Not purely good
4. Releases his inner demons upon the world
5. Experiment ultimately failed
6. Jekyll is aware of Hyde? misdeeds and finds pleasure in them
7. Difficult to place Jekyll in Victorian society

Hyde:
1. Complete manifestation of evil: definition of evil; easier for Victorian?s to spot
2. Shows what a degenerate is like
3. Invades Victorian society
4. Indescribable in his evil nature, only smaller and younger than Jekyll
5. No moral compass; no control over base desires

Question: What made Victorian London so dirty? Compare and contrast the contributions of all classes to the filth.

-Filth was not only on the outside but also portrayed by actions.
-The poor were dirty because they did not have a choice.
-The upper classes contributed to an unpure London thought their actions (i.e. Dr. Jekyll)

Question: What does the juxtaposition of science and religion in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" to relay to the readers?

Notes:
It helps to relay to struggle the Victorians had with creationism and evolutionism after Darwin's ideas were brought to the attention of the public. Since Hyde is described as being ape-like, thus suggesting evolution, he would be the symbol of evolutionism in the story. Stevenson has made Hyde a bad character, someone who kills and has no morals. This is giving evolutionism a negative connotation, suggesting that without the creation of man from God man would be flawed and evil. Stevenson also bring up religious things often in his book. On the very first page he talks about Cain and Abel. In the Search for Mr. Hyde the very first part of the chapter has the church bells ringing in the background. Later in the chapter more church bells are ringing. The church is always looming in the background of the novel.The chruch bells in the background suggest the idea of creationism. In the end the symbol of evolutionism is killed and thus leaving creationism to prevail.

Study Guide Essay Question

Q: How do the perception of imperialism in “White Man’s Burden” and King Solomon’s Mines differ and how are they similar?

A:
White Man’s Burden:
o Show the English/colonizers to be noble and unselfish in that their imperialistic missions aim to improve the livelihood of the natives
o Emphasizes that imperialism is their duty and it is a burden because the costs for the British are high but because they press on with their efforts despite the drawbacks for them, it shows a high level of morality and desire to improve the natives’ lives
o At the same time, in comparison with the “great” British civilization, the natives are savage and do not know the value of hard work which is the gift the colonizers are giving them
o Because work was seen as a display of morality and goodness, the British are in fact “saving” the natives souls and giving them a purpose to live for
o Refers to natives as “half-devil and half-child” making them seem like uncontrollable children that must be instructed to live righteously
King Solomon’s Mines
o King Solomon’s Mines through Quatermain’s character, shows a much more ambivalent point of view towards imperialism
o Quatermain is part of the imperialistic system so his very actions support the efforts of the British in Africa
o At the same time, while he acts on behalf of imperialism, he is more intellectual than the other characters and does realize the consequences of his actions on the populations the British are disseminating and on the environment they are destroying
o Haggard’s graphic and violent depictions of the hunting and death of many of the African characters puts imperialism in a negative light because it forces the reader to associate imperialism with death and violence and not the noble deed many assume it is

We can interpret White Man’s Burden as being the initial positive response to imperialism while King Solomon’s Mines is a more progressive attitude toward colonization that emerged once the public began to disagree with the practices put in place by the colonizers

Question: In the novels we read, what importance do the authors put on physical appearances of their characters and what does this say about the importance of physical appearance for Victorians in general?

Solomon's Mines
-Sir Henry- masculine strong appearance decries nobility
-Umbopa- although black, his stature foreshadows his bonility
-Gagool-shrivelled hunched deformity denotes moral deformity
- King Twala- uncivilized animalistic

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Hyde is deformed, hunched over- morally corrupt
- hairy- more primitive, animalistic

Darwin Readings-
- Associates animalistic appearance as well as other races with degenrates, not as evolved

Question: Using two of the works we have recently covered, compare and contrast the degenerate/ ?criminal type? with the upstanding citizen. Then argue whether or not these two entities are mutually dependent. Do you need a criminal to have an upstanding citizen?

Best way to handle this question is to first describe the appearance and behavior of the chosen characters. What makes them a degenerate or an upstanding citizen? Then, find instances in which they were mentioned, separate or together, and analyze those situations. Does the presence of the degenerate make the upstanding citizen appear to be even more superior?

Upstanding citizen
Sir Henry ? King Solomon?s Mines
Henry Jekyll ? The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Degenerate / ?criminal type?
Gagool ? King Solomon?s Mines
Edward Hyde ? The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Question: How does Haggard express social sensitivity throughout the different races in ?King Solomon's Mines??

The whites, British:
- Allan Quatermain- admires and respects black Africans, but he does believe that any unification of black and white society should take place.
- Imperialism - their values are extremely different from those of the Africans.
- Diamonds/ Gold/ Ivory- mean an extreme fortune to the British
- ?raping? of the fertile land. ?raping? of a woman.

The black Africans:
- Admire/Value their land- noble values
- Diamonds/Gold- they just treasure their land, because they posses a special relationship between man and the land.
- They are unaware of the gold mine which they posses.
- Express the diversification between blacks and whites as well

Study Question:
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is perhaps the most classic example of the duality of man. The two characters, Jekyll and Hyde, can be utilized to gaze into Victorian society and pull apart the Victorians? anxieties about social classes. Examine Dr. Jekyll?s repression and his reasoning for beginning his experiment. Discuss what implications his feelings make about Victorian society. Where does Hyde exist in social scale and how does his depiction add to the characterization of Victorian society?

Response:
Dr. Jekyll?s inhibition stems out of his desire to be an upright, well-known and respected man in the eyes of his society and peers. If he is to have these qualities, he must shun his past sinful tendencies and purify himself by living a focused, one-sided life of study. Victorian society had many rigid stereotypes and Stevenson uses Jekyll?s struggle to hint at the impossible standards that existed in Victorian society. Jekyll attempts and fails to live up the stereotype of the intellectual gentleman because these labels are unattainable. Stevenson gives Hyde brutish, animalistic qualities to showcase how Victorian society perceived outsiders: untrustworthy and unrefined. One could not move freely between the social classes in Victorian society. The classes were rigid boundaries that kept society segmented and separated. Jekyll attempts to break this strict quality as he descends and ascends with a sip of his potion. Jekyll and Hyde battle for control because they cannot both exist at the same time.

Question: "In Robert Louis Stevenson's novella, is Dr. Jekyll as guilty and accountable (or more) for Hyde's actions as Hyde himself? If so, why is it that Victorians appear to exonerate him from any crimes."

-Victorian perceptions towards degenerates/protection of "gentlemen"
- Potential correlation between Hyde and "outsider" or foreigner
- Physical degeneration and the criminal type
- Jekyll's apparent pleasure with Hyde's actions
- Jekyll's unaccountability