Some time later another incident took place, the murder of sir Danvers Carew an MP. The murder was witnessed by a maid, she described the murderer as ”ape-like fury” this goes on to show us that Hyde was like an animal also indicating the point that Hyde was not fully human and ordinary like any other being. Utterson had to investigate.
Utterson became more interested than ever had to get to Jekyll and speak to him. When Utterson mentioned Hyde to Jekyll seemed to want nothing to do with Hyde, as if he was afraid of something.
Lanyon, (Jekyll’s scientific friend) became very ill. He handed Utterson a letter which he insists that he shouldn’t open until the disappearance of Dr Jekyll.
One day Utterson was confronted by Poole (Jekyll’s butler) he was surprised to see him. He knew that something was wrong. Poole is worried about Jekyll who had hidden himself in the cabinet.
All this so far has created an atmosphere of tension, the mysterious nature of Dr Jekyll, the evilness of Hyde and the obsession of Utterson to do what ever he can out about the relationship of Jekyll and Hyde.
Utterson and Poole decided to break the door leading to the cabinet where Jekyll refused to come out. The door was hiding something as they finally opened the door they found the body of Hyde “sorely contorted and still twitching” on the floor. There was no sign of Jekyll.
Now I will describe Hyde. Hyde as I said before is like an animal. He is also described as Enfield as, “something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked and yet I scare know why” also someone “who gives a strong feeling of deformity” so by this description of Hyde, we know that he isn’t like any other person. He also appeared to people as being deformed, “pale and dwarfish” Hyde spoke in short questioning sentences as seen in his conversation with Mr Utterson. “That is my name. What do want?” Hyde showed aggression when he spoke. Hyde is also described as “so ugly that it brought out the sweat on me like running”.
In front of the world, Jekyll was a respected, honourable gentleman but was he really? Jekyll is described as a, “large, well-made, smooth faced man of fifty and with every mark of capacity and kindness.” On outside he looked like a well respected gentleman but inside him he had a Hyde hidden away. Henry Jekyll was a well-respected citizen, who was a ‘good’ doctor with a high reputation. Even though Jekyll was described in such a way, there is a point where Dr Lanyon says, “he began to go wrong, wrong in the mind;” which hints at the discoveries yet to come.
Jekyll was known to be an honest man who had a place high in society. Jekyll was honourable, Hyde was dishonourable, and this was the contrast between them.
Dr Jekyll’s house was in a posh and respected place of Soho, for as where Hyde was, it was dingy, dark and dull neighbourhood, “a district of some city in a nightmare” “In a dingy street” in Cavendish Square.
It is not later that Jekyll considered killing, as this was the only way to get rid of his evil side, Hyde, as Hyde was his own soul and he had to get rid of himself, to get rid of Hyde. Jekyll’s name means suicide, in French it means ‘I kill’.
Maybe Stevenson did this to show us that the only way Jekyll could get rid of Hyde, was to kill him. Jekyll didn’t care whether or not Hyde survives: “I cannot say that I care what becomes of Hyde; I am quite done with him”
Jekyll started to hate Hyde; Jekyll became to hate his life and wanted to end it yet Hyde wanted to continue the life he was living. Hyde gets stronger as Jekyll struggles more and more to fight this character off. Jekyll became even weaker than ever. Visible in his appearance “had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away; he was visibly balder, appeared scared and worried”. Stevenson beautifully portrays the difference between Jekyll and Hyde and links it to two Jekyll and Hyde within each of us. Jekyll feared exposure more than death Hyde had to be hidden even if it meant he had to hide him. Jekyll had to be his own murderer to avoid full disclosure of the duality. Here Stevenson is not only revealing human natures deeply intertwined double nature; he is also castigating Victorian hypocrisy. Stevenson has clearly stated his point and made it understood that in all of us thee are two sides, the Jekyll side and the Hyde side.
Stevenson is very careful to portray the evil Mr Hyde as being very deadly. As I mentioned before, this can be see, in particular, after the trampling of the little girl and the brutal murder of Sir Danvers Carew the MP. Throughout the novel Stevenson uses various contrasts to display the continual conflict of good versus evil. Stevenson has used these various ways in order to communicate his idea to us readers.
There are also many images of darkness and light throughout the story, like the place they lived for instants. The effect of this is that it emphasizes the theme of goodness and evil and helps to construct imagery, which concentrates on Jekyll’s home Hyde, his name ‘hide’ impression of deformity, murderous mixture of timidity and boldness.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde differ in their personality and their impact on people.
Hyde’s personality of being dishonest, not a respected person he is a loner a complete opposite of Jekyll, for as Jekyll socializes with people and has many friends.
In the Victorian times, religion had a very hold on people. They believed that if you were wealthy, you were a respected person but if you were poor, you were just a sinful person. The Victorians also believed that people were “Gods creations” not formed from apes; they disagreed with Darwin’s theory.
I feel that Stevenson wrote the book Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde which showed the truth about many of the people living in the time. Stevenson was able to question the duality in man. Maybe this the same reason for Jekyll creating Hyde.
Stevenson has portrayed Jekyll and Hyde as one person but with totally different personalities. This is because he wanted to show the wide chasm between good and evil.
