Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde summary

inner desires that Dr. Jekyll wanted to suppress came from the ‘id’ - Stevenson was a good 25 years before his time!‘The beast in man’ – could this have been inspired by Darwin’s (1859) Origin of the Species which established that humans are descended from animals.  Do we all keep our ‘inner beast’ caged up inside?Good versus evil – but how ‘good’ or innocent is Dr. Jekyll, really?He was eager to bring his ‘alter ego’ to life The limits (and dangers) of science – science goes too far and unleashes forces we can’t control.  The same is true today – nuclear power, cloning, nuclear arms.  Science doesn’t have all the answers; a moral tale about the dangers of the excesses of science.   The weakness of human nature – greed, addictionVictorian social norms – public behaviour was closely scrutinised and very restricted by codes of ‘acceptable behaviour’.  A very rigid society, bound by strict codes of behaviour, social etiquette.  Prudish attitude to sex – only acceptable within marriageLed to double standards in behaviour, with many men (including noblemen and Royalty) having several mistresses.  – although this wasn’t acknowledged/spoken about in polite society.  People were ashamed of having ‘animal’ desiresCivilized –v- savage behaviour; Conflict – as Dr. Jekyll attempts to stop Mr. Hyde from taking over permanently.  CharactersMr. UttersonDr. Jekyll’s lawyer and friendUnsmiling, not very talkative, tight-lipped, “scanty in speech”“lean, long, dusty, dreary, and yet somehow lovable”Extremely repressed, typical of ‘gentlemen’ in the Victorian era?  Denies pleasure he once enjoyed.  “Austere with himself”, drinks gin although he enjoys vintage wine, no longer goes to the theatreCurious, in a scientific wayNon-judgemental, helpful, tendency to “help rather than reprove”“… it was frequently his fortune to be te last reputable acquaintance and the last good influence of down-going men”.A man of reason, not swayed by superstition or religious concerns, not drawn into gossipIs it duty, or curiosity that prompts him to get involved in this mystery?For most of the novel, he goes about gathering evidence, informally.  The reader can see a connection between Jekyll and Hyde that Utterson seems not to see – he carries on thinking that his friend Jekyll is in the grips of a criminal.  He is so rational and sensible (and Victorian!) that he is unable to acknowledge the possible existence of the ‘impossible’ – that Jekyll and Hyde are one and the same person.  Dr. JekyllAn older gentlemanA respected figure in societyHe aspires to be a great and good manRational, controlled, civilizedHe was ‘wild’ when younger, and is nostalgic for his ‘miss-spent youth’His beliefs about human nature we find out in his final  letter – that humans are half virtuous, half criminal/half moral, half immoral; he experiments with chemicals to separate the two so that he can allow his darker side to indulge his passions without ruining his own good reputation/standing in the community.  Thinks – maybe he wasn’t as equally balanced as he had first thought.  Eventually, only a single ‘inappropriate’ thought is enough to bring Hyde back again.  [He was proudly comparing himself with other, less generous men] Dr. Lanyon  is no longer a friend of Dr. Jekyll; has a different, conflicting view of science See’s Dr. Jekyll’s experiments as “unscientific balderdash”Mr. HydePhysically smaller, younger, more body hair, virile/masculine?Repulsive, although there are very few clues as to his physical description in the text.  – projects an air of menace and evil.  The reader gets the ‘impression’ that Hyde is malformed.  In fact, no-one who has seen Hyde, police witnesses, bystanders, Enfield, can describe him fully.  It’s almost as if he is supernatural, and doesn’t fully exist in the real world:(Ch.8) “It was for one minute I saw him, but the hair stood upon my head like quills.  Sir, if that was my master, why had he a mask upon this face?”“he is not easy to describe.  There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.  I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I scarce know wh.  He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point.  He’s an extraordinary looking man, and yet I really can name nothing out of the way.  No, sir; I can make no hand of it; I can’t describe him.  And it’s not want of memory; for I declare I can see him this moment.”He becomes more cruel and violent as the story goes on, finally murdering a famous man Imagery, word choices, etc.  Good –v- evil – the contrasting descriptions of Dr. Jekyll’s front and back doorsMr. Hyde – the aspect of himself that Dr. Jekyll would prefer to ‘hide’Mr. Hyde is linked to night-time and darkness (good –v- evil)Mr. Hyde’s behaviour is described in animalistic terms Mystery and suspenseWhile Utterson, the narrator, has seen Mr. Hyde, we are never given his physical description.Raises questions:What is the link between Hyde and Jekyll?What hold does Hyde have over the Dr?What are the “strange scientific ideas” that Dr. Lanyon disapproves of?The intangible nature of Hyde’s ‘deformity’/appearance Clues are dropped into the text as to Mr. Hyde really is:Hyde gives the child’s family a cheque signed by Dr. JekyllHe has a key to the back door of Dr. Jekyll’s houseHe has the ‘freedom’ of Dr. Jekyll’s house and can give orders to the servantsHe is the beneficiary of Dr. Jekyll’s will should he die or disappearWe finally find out the truth at the end of the book, reading Dr. Lanyon’s letter and Dr. Jekyll’s confession