Dr Jekyll and Hyde - Nightmare City

    For example, after Utterson heard the recount of Mr. Hyde, he suffers from nightmares in which the “Juggernaut” is stalking through the “Labyrinth of lamp-lighted city”, trampling over children and whispering evil into Jekyll’s ears. In this dream Hyde can stalk through London without fear of being caught, causing crime and disaster when he wants. Another “nightmare city” returns to Utterson when he is leading the police to Hyde’s apartment. It is described as a foggy street in which Utterson looks on as the mist swirls, making the neighborhood into a “a district of some city in a nightmare,” even making the policemen feel fear.

    Another scene of dread is shown when Utterson is walking through the street at 10 o ‘clock - “When the shops were closed, the by street very solitary, and, in spite of the low growl of London from all around, very silent.” This creates a feeling of fear and cautiousness because it could almost be seen as “un-naturally” silent. Especially when it goes on to say “small sounds carried far; domestic sounds out of the houses were clearly audible on either side of the roadway...Mr. Utterson had been some minutes at his post when he was aware of an odd light footstep drawing near.” This passage brings back the thought of Hyde at night when he “longs for the sight of a policeman”, almost repeating the past events. The “light footsteps” are described as “odd” which gives a feel of the supernatural, as if the footsteps are not human which creates a link back to the “juggernaut”.

    When the novella reaches the final scene, the “nightmare city” is shown not only to cause fear but the aspect of them containing an even more horrifying danger. Poole takes Utterson to Jekyll’s house; the fear of the night and the deserted streets is described to fill the lawyer with “a crushing anticipation of calamity.” With all these descriptions Stevenson conveys the city to be a nightmare and hellish place, creating a strong sense of dread and horror throughout the novella.