Chapter one is significant because it introduces us to Hyde’s first violent act. We find out what he is capable of, what people’s reactions are towards him and the disliking of him. Also the first chapter is where we hear about the first mention of ‘the door’ which follows up with the question of the key. The reader is also aware now of some of the themes.Secrecy is a big part of the chapter as well because Enfield doesn’t mention where he is coming back from in the ‘early hours of the morning’, which is probably because its some thing he wouldn’t like any one to know about. Also it show the contrasts of the two sides of the London City. One side is respectable and clean, whereas the other is dirty and abandoned. As a reader I am given extra information in this chapter. Such as the fact that there is two sides of London, one side that people would rather they didn’t know about and the other more respectable but false. Also the writer uses narrative voice. Enfield is the narrator but we are given the viewpoint of Utterson as well. Throughout the chapter our knowledge on each character is increased because Stevenson writes the story where each character becomes the narrator, therefore we get their viewpoints and feelings towards things. A lot of speech is used so we can see what their language is like and whether there is use of slang or not. We are shown that every character has something to hide when they are speaking because they hold information back noticeably. We find out that Hyde is a well-spoken man but has irrational actions and deformed features. Even when he was surrounded by “..Such hateful faces; and there was the man in the middle, with a kind of black sneering coolness-frightened too...’’An example of his good language would be “ I am naturally helpless. No gentlemen but wishes to avoid a scene,” says he. His appearance is also‘...not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something down right detestable.’
‘He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point.’Enfield is ‘the well-known man about town. Mr Enfield and Mr Utterson were as different as day and night. ‘No one could see what ‘these two could see in each other, or what subject they could find in common.’ Enfield was a man of his own views he had a simple rule that.. ‘The more it looks like queer street, the less I ask.’ So his language of words was quite slang. Where as Mr Utterson was better spoken and as his profession was a lawyer he had a good standard of knowledge on peoples personal lives and therefore he knew more than he was letting
On. ‘I know it must seem strange. The fact is, if I do not ask you the name of the other party, it is because I know it already. You see, Richard, your tale has gone home. If you have been inexact in any point, you had better correct it.’ They ‘make a bargain never to refer to this again.’ So obviously they are ashamed of there knowledge on a matter that would be better off not known. The story is basically about the struggle between good and evil. Hyde represents the dark side in which all people possess. So the story also touches upon hypocrisy as people can not recognise that they are no better than Hyde and the loathing that they had for him is there way of showing this. At that time people didn’t like to show any side of them that was improper they wanted to maintain respectability, therefore they suppressed their emotion which leads to sudden violence. The strain on men in the strict Victorian time is made very clear in the story. The characters such as Jekyll and Enfield had to subdue their animal passions because of what was considered good conduct. Men were forced to indulge upon their hidden desires at night to keep out of public eye. Secrecy and conspiracy are the main themes in the book. Many things symbolise this such as; locked doors, barred windows and windowless structures. Also the character of Hyde is described as a ‘beast’ which was simply because at that time Charles Darwin had wrote about how he thought men had developed from apes. So Hyde’s character was linked to this theory.
The chapter is both important and relevant to what happens later on in the text. As we are shown Hydes first evil act we are not surprised or puzzled by his other violent acts later on such as the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. Also we are shown the door which we immediately ask ourselves questions like, where does it lead? Later on the door is shown again so we can answer our question as well as knowing what we first found out about the door and link the two together.
In the first chapter the reader is given social and historical background of the text. The author Robert Louis Stevenson shows the reader what the period of time he wrote the story in (around 1880) was like. For instance Stevenson writes about each character as though they all have a secret and are all very careful about not letting that secret out. It was a time that every one was judged on status. I think this shows that at that time, which was the Victorian times people were very respectable and didn’t want any one to know what really went on behind closed doors. Although not all of London was like that, there were two sides to London as well as two sides to people, although Stevenson did have Edinburgh very much in mind when writing about London.
Also at the time the book was published Darwin had written ‘Origin of the species’ his idea that man had developed from apes was a big thing and influenced a lot of people to doubt that every thing was as it seems. I think the novel is still very relevant today because it shows us how there are two sides to everyone and every thing and not every thing is as it seems. It also tells us about the ere in which the book was wrote and publish and also about the author. It tells us about the author because I think he is expressing his own views through his characters. He is trying to open people’s eyes, shock them and tell them what life is really like. So authors of the future can also use his technique and learn from him.
