On page 11 the reader is recounted the story of how Mr. Hyde trampled over the child. This is most probably the best example of the Robert Lewis Stevenson using specific techniques to create an innate sense of horror. He uses a common technique of the era, using descriptive, detailed language to intensify the sense of horror. For instance he says “some place at the end of the world about three o’clock of a black winter morning”, he also goes on to say about how empty and lifeless the streets were. The reader is also made to feel fearful, wary and loathsome towards this beast whom is said to have felt no remorse for the heinous act he had just committed. The writer instills these feelings within us by saying thing like “the man trampled calmly over the child’s body” this not only makes the reader horrified that someone could do such a thing, is also exceedingly curious as to who this man could be and why is he so remorseless for what he has done.
Mr. Enfield makes several accounts of Mr. Hyde’s persona. The way in which Mr. Enfield reacts to the sight of Mr. Hyde makes the reader believe he must be a truly terrible man to provoke such a reaction from a well respected man such as Mr. Enfield. Mr. Enfield Says that Hyde “gave me one look, so ugly that it brought the sweat on me like running”, The reader will immediately relate someone being hideously ugly to them being morally objectionable. He also says “I had taken a loathing to the man at first sight” the reader questions what could it be that causes him to beacon this loathsome aura. It is said by Enfield that it was not only him to feel this way towards Hyde “I saw that sawbones turn sick and white with the desire to kill him” the reader wonders what could possible cause a man you whom had previously been described as emotionless to feel this way to a man he does not even know. The final account of Hyde is short but is nonetheless important it is when Hyde is described as being “really like Satan”. This is a grave accusation to make, saying that a man is like Satan the epitome of all that is evil. It is not false though Hyde is all that is evil within Dr. Jekyll.
Mr. Enfield says that the man he saw was “of the name Hyde”. This name has a eerie ring to it, it carries a certain mystique. When people hear the name Hyde they immediately think of secrecy and what is the secrecy for. Later in the novel Utterson makes reference to Hyde’s name saying “If he is Mr. Hyde then I shall be Mr. Seek”. This immediately makes the reader think of the childhood game hide and seek. If this mans name is Hyde then why must he be found, what will he do?
One technique that Stevenson uses to great effect is withholding information about the character Mr. Hyde. Mr. Enfield says “no sir I had a delicacy, I feel very strongly about putting questions”. This is Enfield saying that he did not inquire too deeply about Hyde. This creates mystery and suspense. Hyde is a mysterious character who the reader knows very little about but is intrigued by. Suspense is created by the fear of what this man is going to do. Enfield and Utterson also agree not to talk about this man again. This makes the reader incredibly suspicious of why it is that these two men do not wish to speak about this incident.
Mr. Utterson states on page fifteen that already knows of Mr. Hyde saying “The fact is, if I do not ask you the name of the other party, it is because I know it already”. This shows to the reader that Mr. Utterson knows more than he is letting on. This makes the audience suspicious as to why a good man like Utterson would feel the need to keep this information to himself.
Chapter two
Dr. Jekyll’s will is very bizarre it says that “in the case of Dr. Jekyll’s disappearance or unexplained absence for any period exceeding three calendar months, the said Edward Hyde should step into the said Henry Jekyll’s shoes without further delay”. This engages the readers interest as to what the connection is between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It’s irrationality is said to have “offended Mr. Utterson both as a lawyer and a lover of the sane”. It is strange because it does not say that he should be dead before he steps in.
Mr. Utterson is left baffled by what has been written in Jekyll’s will and decides to go visit Dr. Lanyon. Lanyon tells Utterson that ten years ago “he began to go wrong in the mind”. This raises suspicions in the readers mind about Dr. Jekyll now that they see that one of his dearest friends now speaks of him in such a way. He sys that his “unscientific balderdash” was so delirious and immoral that is could have “estranged Damon and Pythias” who in Greek mythology are known for being inseparable friends. The reader must wonder what it is that Dr. Jekyll did to provoke such a claim from a close friend.
Lanyon says to Utterson that he knows not of Hyde. This makes the audience suspicious of how it is possible for a man who claims to have been so close to Dr. Jekyll, but does not even know the man who he wishes to leave his entire estate to.
We are told that Mr. Enfield’s “imagination also was engaged, or rather enslaved; as he lay and tossed in the gross darkness of the night”. Stevenson tells the reader that Utterson is imagining all of the terrible things that this Hyde character could have done. This automatically makes the reader imagine which builds up a sense of horror in the readers mind. We are told that Utterson did not know what Hyde looked like. Like Mr. Utterson the reader will imagine the worst of what Mr. Hyde looks like. He is described as a “human Juggernaut” the word Juggernaut instills images of an untamed beast that you must be cautious around. “It was the face of a man who was without bowels of mercy” This makes the reader tense about how terrible this man could be. “Spirit of enduring hatred” it could be because of the way Enfield reacted to this man that has caused Utterson to feel this way.
When Utterson finally meets Hyde it is a very Dramatic tense scene full of typical language from gothic writings of that era e.g. “it was a fine dry night, frost in the air, the streets as clean as a ball room” this is typical extremely descriptive scene setting. From previous descriptions of Mr. Hyde the reader can only expect the worse for Mr. Utterson.
