With these events the reader will soon learn that Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll are linked some how. ‘The door, which was equipped with neither a bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained.’ The quote describes the door which Hyde comes and goes through, which is later revealed as the back door to Dr Jekyll’s.
Stevenson uses the setting as an important factor because it sets the mood of the scene. Whenever Hyde is present in the scene the atmosphere changes. The language Stevenson use creates an uneasy atmosphere. ‘….the early part of the night was cloudless, and the lane, which the maid’s window overlooked, was brilliantly lit by the full moon.’ Stevenson creates a peaceful scene which is shockingly destroyed by Hyde’s actions. Stevenson builds a sense of evil towards the end of the novel when Dr Jeykll’s house is approached by Poole and Utterson. ‘….the theatre once crowed with eager students now lying gaunt and silent…’ This quote adds suspense with an unease atmosphere as it leaves the reader wondering what will happen next.
Stevenson’s character Edward Hyde leaves the reader feeling astonished at the end of the novel, because all Dr Jekyll wanted was to be able to do things he couldn’t, but instead it all
ended in disasters. When the novel describes Edward Hyde, it doesn’t give a prise description of him. ‘Particularly wicked-looking’ This quote makes the reader feel uneasy as the novel doesn’t present a clear picture of Mr Hyde ‘It wasn’t like a man; it was like some damned juggernaut.’ This quote shows the novel describes Hyde as things that could not be explained but you can picture.
The behaviour of Edward Hyde reinforces the idea of evil because everything Hyde seems to do is disastrous. ‘…the man trampled over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground.’ Hyde’s behaviour is frightful and monstrous because he’s behaviour is out of the ordinary and not common to other people. Edward Hyde’s manor is almost as if his mind is corrupted with evil. The most horrifying and shocking event was the murder of Sir Danvas Carew, ‘….all of a sudden he broke out in a great flame of anger, stamping with his foot, banishing the cane, and carrying on like a madman.’ This event shows the pure evilness in Hyde to an extreme extent. Hyde is a character made to shock the reader with his horrendous attitude.
In contrast to Hyde, Dr Jekyll is a well respected man. On the occasions when Jekyll is described, Stevenson gives the impression of a dignified and well hourable character. ‘Every mark of capacity and kindness.’ This quote shows that Dr Jekyll is full of kindness. However by the end of the novel Jekyll is overcome by Hyde because he enjoys the way being evil makes Jekyll feel. ‘..The smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of … abject terror and despair....’ The quote show Dr Jekyll being controlled by Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll’s respect was disappearing
In the novel, Dr Jekyll tries to separate evil from good. However evil seems to be stronger. Stevenson was writing at a time of double standard because he believed that the characters he was portraying were real in his own mind. Victorian life in London was very demanded and harsh. Edward Hyde shows that the evil side grips you quicker than the normal caring side of your life. Victorian readers could relate to Edward Hyde because they were angry of the deprivation of there life’s and the poor quality of the way they had to live, although this does not count for the wealthy.
