Throughout the book fog is used mainly when a murder is about to happen or when Jekyll transforms into Hyde. This could be seen as a traditional aspect of the horror, a writer might use this to symbolize the changing of Jekyll to Hyde
Jekyll
A respected chemist, we first meet Jekyll in the third chapter “Dr.Jekyll was quite at ease” in which he is described as “a large, well made, smooth faced man of fifty, with something of a slylish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness”. This is typical of the author’s style through which, using few words, he can reveal the many layers of a characters personality. Notice that the Doctor is smooth faced seeming to present an inscrutable exterior and therefore and air of mystery. The phrase “a slyish cast” opens a crack in the polished façade through which the reader begins to see his true nature. We are reminded here of Poole’s description later in the novel as he describes the Jekyll/Hyde double in the laboratory as having a “mask upon his face”. Once again the mask motif is used by the author to underline his theme of duality.
The symbol of the cellar door that Hyde disappears through is important to note. Could this door be meant to represent the fictional path to evil?
Throughout the novel, it is important to examine what Utterson suspects of Jekyll. While Jekyll clearly is acting strange, Mr. Utterson is blind to the fact that this is truly Dr. Jekyll¹s problem and instead blames Mr. Hyde for blackmail. The question remains, blackmail for what? Originally, Utterson merely says that his "wild youth" has haunted Jekyll. However, he expands and speculates about the "beast that has no name," implying homosexuality that Mr. Hyde is blackmailing Jekyll about.
Another interesting aspect to consider is Dr. Jekyll’s job chemistry. The person who had owned the house previous to Jekyll had been a surgeon, this explains the laboratory beneath Jekyll¹s house. While Jekyll is a chemist, we can see that there is no need for him to work he is wealthy enough he has the respect of many and therefore he is a chemist because he enjoys it and wants do it not to earn a living.
Drug addiction
Another interesting aspect involved is Jekyll’s statement, "I can be rid of Mr. Hyde at any point." While this may be true, it is an issue of control versus the lack of control. This debate is encountered throughout the novel and is central to the issues involved within the book does Jekyll have control of Hyde or is it something that is merely out of his control. Later this becomes true. It is like when drug addicts say, "I could stop whenever I want," in reality, like Dr. Jekyll, they are not in control.
Towards the end of the book Jekyll is searching for the drug he first had the pure substance much better and stronger he slips notes under the laboratory door telling his servants to find him these components but he cannot find it. He is becoming withdrawn he needs that pure substance
The Carew Murder
The maid’s description of a horrific murder but in the background, of the murder, is the description of the setting: the soft, clear night, the romantic nature of the maid, the full moon, and the sweet loveliness of the old man. This is where it is strange the old man is described as beautiful a strange way of describing a man was Stevenson trying to secretly show that Carew was meant to be a man but because of explicit laws was not allowed to. Also Danvers Carew could this be a code Dan vers meaning; in verse and Carew; a sexual explicit poet was this murder a lust murder of a women because of sexual repression?
The scene between Lanyon and Hyde what is notable is that Hyde, who has been described as animal-like as recently as four paragraphs earlier, behaves with considerable, almost courtly, courtesy. The question then becomes why would Hyde, who relishes evil, be so eager for the potion that will turn him into Jekyll, his drearier self? The answer could be that Hyde is not all-pure evil, he has some conscious.
In the final chapter Jekyll reveals everything. He states, "No one but me knows my true nature. All these years, the public has seen only a veneer of my real self." This is true due mostly to the fact that no one knew Mr. Hyde was a part of Dr. Jekyll. Jekyll constantly emphasizes the greatness of his background. He reminds us of his wealthy family, and great education. But he also states "that man is not truly one, but truly two."
Dr. Jekyll needed something, or someone to represent the evil which has built up inside of him. He created this through experiments, which lead to a potion. This potion transformed him anytime he wanted. He was transformed into Mr. Hyde. Evil is just a small portion of men, perhaps that is why Mr. Hyde had a dwarfish appearance. The main point was that the potion took over his life, and Dr. Jekyll finally realizes he is unable to transform back into his goodness. He attempts to commit suicide, as this is his only way of destroying Mr. Hyde.
