At Dr Jekyll’s dinner party Mr Utterson tries to bring up the subject of the will. As the conversation draws nearer to Hyde and when his name is mentioned Jekyll “…grows pale to the very lips…”. Jekyll discards the topic and tells Utterson he is “…painfully situated…” and that Utterson has nothing to worry about.
Mr Utterson is very closely interlinked with the Carew murder case because the MP Sir Danves Carew has a letter in his pocket which bears the name of Mr Utterson. As the officer gives Mr Utterson detail of the murderer, Mr Utterson recognises the name Hyde but when the officer shows the murder weapon Mr Utterson is taken aback because the cane is one he had given to Henry Jekyll along time ago as a present – “…he recognised it for one…”. This arouses Mr Utterson suspicions once more as he begins to question Jekylls will and Hyde’s character even more.
Mr Utterson takes the officer to Hyde’s house, and there is clear evidence of quick departure – “…pockets inside out…”. There are clothes and thing lying all over the place including the other half the cane and remains of a burnt chequebook.
The officer says that they will wait for Hyde at the bank as “…moneys life to a man…” but because Mr Utterson thinks that Hyde is so inhuman and not normal he thinks that Hyde will not go to the bank to withdraw money because he doesn’t not care for money like any normal person would. This idea about Hyde gives us the outline that Utterson knows a lot more about Hyde’s character than we think, and that he has got a picture of Hyde. At the end of this chapter we are told that Hyde has “…numbered few familiars...” which gives us the idea that Hyde is an alien who has just dropped out of space.
Mr Utterson goes to visit Dr Jekyll and asks him “…you have not been mad enough to hide this fellow…” At this Dr Jekyll denies it. Dr Jekyll then hands a letter from Hyde saying he has left the country for good.
Whilst at home, Mr Utterson gets an invitation from Jekyll to a dinner party whilst Mr Guest (clerk) is observing Hyde’s letter – “…observed it with a passion…”. Mr Guest compares both letters and comes to the conclusion that the handwriting is the same but with a different slant – “…rather singular resemblance…”. The effect that this has on Utterson is dramatic because he cannot believe that his old friend Henry Jekyll would even dare forge for a murderer - “…what…”.
Next Poole comes to visit Utterson saying that Dr Jekyll has been acting strange and that his voice is changed – “…my masters voice…”.Poole says that he sees a masked figure coming from Jekyll’s room and that it has the “…same bigness as Hyde…”. Utterson and Poole decide to take the door down by force and before them on the floor they see the lifeless body of Edward Hyde. They think that Hyde has murdered Jekyll and killed himself – “…poor Harry is killed…”. After this point only Lanyon’s and Henry Jekyll’s narratives is left to read.
No matter how repulsive Mr Uttterson finds Hyde, is always trying to figure
him out. By means of direct contact or information from other people, he is always trying to get more knowledge about Hyde as he is always hearing bad things about him. This makes Utterson curious because he asks himself what respectable Jekyll could want to do with mysterious Hyde. Mr Utterson’s place in the story in very important as he has the same position as the reader. He doesn’t know what is going on just as the reader doesn’t. Mr Utterson having the position of the narrator increases the tension and suspension. Poole is Dr Jekyll’s faithful butler who has been serving him for the past twenty years. We know that Poole is very close to Jekyll because he is the first at Uttersons house when Jekyll is in trouble. Poole is not an important character until much later on in the story.
The first we hear of Poole is when Utterson goes to visit Jekyll. We know he is a smart man because he is described as being “…well dressed…”. We also know that he has very good manners because he addresses Utterson with “…sir…”. Mr Utterson enquires about Mr Hyde and Poole tells him that “…Hyde has a key…” and also “…we all have orders to obey him…”. Poole also tells him that Hyde pops in and out – “…never dines here…”.
After this point Poole only comes in and out of this story without no great importance until Utterson gets a surprise visit from Poole after Lanyon has passed away. We know at first sight there is something wrong because Utterson asks him “…is the doctor ill…”. He starts telling Utterson that the doctor has locked himself up – “…shuts himself away…” and he also admits bluntly that he is frightened – “…I’m afraid…”. Poole’s body language seems to be speaking for him “…eyes directed to a corner of the floor…” and it is clearly telling Utterson that he is stiff scared. Utterson asks Poole to be open and tell him everything. Poole cannot seem to be able to speak or to even get a word out but his appearance reveals all – “…bore out his words…”.
Everything about Poole is the opposite of how it usually is. His impeccable manners are not present anymore and instead they have “…altered for the worst...”. Not once apart from the time he spoke to Utterson first, he had not “…looked the lawyer in the face…”. As if his taste buds no longer work his glass of wine is sitting “…untasted on his knee…”. All these add up to the fact that Poole has either heard or witnessed something awful.
Mr Utterson once again tries to pursue the conversation, and Poole replies that he suspects “…foul play…”. This scares and frightens Mr Utterson and he demands an explanation, but because Poole cannot trust his own words he asks Utterson to come see for himself – “…sees for yourself…”. Utterson feels he has no choice but to go with Poole to Dr Jekylls house.
As they come outside the house Poole makes a prayer to God, that “…nothing…” be “…wrong…”. This shows us that even though Poole he is scared he is still wishing the best for his master. As Poole knocks on the door the person from within asks who it is and Poole answers that it is him. Utterson enquires why they are all here and Poole answers they are “…all afraid...”. Poole speaks angrily to the maid when she is crying, which shows us that this usually calm and easygoing man is irritated and scared – “…own jangled nerves…”.
After this Mr Utterson follows Poole to the back garden. “…I want you to hear and I don’t want you to be heard…”. Poole says this to Mr Utterson. These harsh but true words scare Mr Utterson so much that he nearly is throw “…from the balance…”. These words give a big effect on Mr Utterson, but Poole feels that they are vital to say, that it is important to give this warning.
Poole asks Utterson to listen and “…give ear…”. Poole asks through the door whether Mr Utterson can come and see Dr Jekyll and Dr Jekyll replies that he “…cannot see anyone…”. After listening to this both Poole and Utterson walked across the yard and Poole asks Utterson “…was that my masters voice…”even though he knows the answer we know this because asking this question there is “…a note of something like triumph in his voice…”. After Poole asks this question Utterson replies that Jekylls voice is “…much changed…”. At this point Utterson is very pale, which is an indication that all is not what it seems. Poole agrees with this but also says that he is not to be “…deceived about his voice…” after having spent “…twenty years in this mans house…”. He does not believe that this voice is his masters.
After saying this Poole carries on saying – “…masters been made away with…” in which he’s basically saying his masters been killed. He then continues on to say that Jekyll was murdered “…eight days ago…”. What Poole says though is that “…who’s there instead of him…”and “…why it stays there…”. Poole is clearly depressed at what is happening. This shows that he cares for Jekyll and wants to sort this problem out.
Utterson then goes on to say why would a murderer stay after killing someone – “…that wont hold water...”. Poole then answers the new question posed by Mr Utterson. He says that whatever lives in the cabinet is crying for some sort of drug – “…crying day and night…”. Sometimes the person writes his orders on paper and throws them on the stairs. On all of the papers the thing is asking for a drug and every time they bring the drug, the creature asks them to “…return it…” because it is “…not pure…” enough. This clearly scares and confuses Poole.
Utterson begins to examine one of these notes which is asking for a certain item from the chemist “…messrs maw…”. Money or expense does not matter. Halfway through the note with a “…splutter of the pen…”, the note breaks off and starts to say”…for Gods sake find some of the old…” which makes the note even more odd than it already is.
After saying this Poole breaks off to tell Utterson he has seen the creature but it cries “…like a rat…” and “…ran from me …”. Poole then questions Utterson saying that if this was his master why did he run from him. After saying this Poole “…passes his hands over his face…” which shows that he is feeling confused and stressed.
Whilst Mr Utterson tries to make sense of the situation, Poole is adamant that the creature is not his master and that he has a reason to believe this. Poole says that his master is of a “…tall fine build…” and that this creature is more of a “…dwarf…”. Poole refuses to believe that this thing is his master, anyone but his master. After listening to this Utterson says he is going to break in and try to solve this mystery – “…break in that door…”.
When Utterson asks who is going to do it with him Poole immediately answers “…me…”, which shows his carelessness for himself and his loyalty to Jekyll. Utterson asks Poole whether there is anything else he wants to say. Poole confesses that he thinks it was Mr Hyde – “…was it Mr Hyde…”. Not only is it the size and structure that makes Poole think like this but also but also the cold uneasy feeling which Hyde gives off which makes Poole even more suspicious – “…kind of cold and thin…”. This shows that even though Poole is supposed to respect and treat Hyde with the same amount of respect as Jekyll he cannot help but feel the same repulsion as everyone else. This tells us that Poole gives the same effect on everybody – friend or foe.
Poole also says he hears weeping and crying from the room – “…like a woman…”. After this Utterson demands to see Jekyll once more and when Jekyll refuses to be seen once more Utterson and Poole break down the door.
There in the middle of the room they see Edward Hyde nearly dead lying on the floor. After this they begin to look for the body of Dr Jekyll but instead they come across the key which looks as if a man has stamped on it and rusting away. Even the fractures “…are rusty…”which proves that this was done a while ago. This makes Poole uneasy as he thinks about what his master has been up to and what Hyde has possibly been doing. Then they go look in the laboratory and find heaps of the salt which Poole used to bring for Jekyll – “…some white salt being laid…”. This shows that this salt must have been extremely important for Jekyll as he kept demanding it and he also keeps using it. At this point Mr Utterson declares that this is now “…beyond him…” and he tells Poole that they should both go back to the cabinet.
As they are going back to the cabinet they see Hyde’s dead body and even when Hyde is dead they are amazed by this body to which they have to which they keep giving the “…occasional awestruck glance…”. This shows that even after he has died his appearance and facial features still mesmerize everybody.
Once they get back they find two things. The first is a pious book which has been disfigured by several blasphemies. This really startles Utterson because he had heard Jekyll praise the book plenty of times. The second item is another copy of the eccentric will in which it is stated that all the things belonging to Jekyll are now to be placed in the ownership of Mr Utterson. This really makes Mr Utterson think because he says Jekyll has no reason to give him all his possessions-“…no cause to like me…”. He finally comes to the conclusion that Jekyll must have “…raged to seen himself displaced…”. Mr Utterson is sure that the problem isn’t over yet because he feels that there is a lot more to come – “…dire catastrophe…”. They also find a letter addressed to Utterson which has the date of that day on it which proves that Jekyll was in fact alive on that day and now he has fled – “…alive and here this day…”.
Poole then asks Utterson to read the letter but Utterson says he doesn’t want to – “…I fear…”, but after saying this he starts to read the letter. The letter is from Dr Jekyll telling Utterson that by the time Utterson, you read this letter “…I will have disappeared…”. Dr Jekyll finishes the letter with - “…Your unworthy and unhappy friend Henry Jekyll…”, and as soon as we read that in the letter we know that this has certainly got something to do with Hyde because it is only Hyde that brings discomfort to Jekyll in any way. After this Utterson leaves to go to his office and read the two narratives in which this mystery is going to be explained.
Hyde is a very important and probably the most influential character in the novel. His appearance and personality all seem to enthrall anybody that sees him. If anybody hears about him they want to meet him because they are so intrigued by reports about his character. He is described as being inhuman and alienated. Even Jekyll, who Hyde is a part of, starts to repulse him towards the end of the book. Nobody can agree on what to call him and how to describe him. It seems as if there are no words known to humans with which they can describe Hyde. Even after his death Utterson and Poole are still amazed by Hyde’s physical appearance, which kind of gives off the vibe that even after death Hyde can haunt you, it is as if Hyde is beyond death, beyond life, beyond anything that we know. Humans and Hyde cannot ever think alike because Hyde has not got the same thinking as us, nor has he got the same mental capacity as us and that is because he is pure evil – with no conscience and no idea of right and wrong.
People who meet him will differ as common observers will but they all agree on one point and that is “…the haunting sense of unexpressed deformity with which the fugitive impresses his beholders…”.