Dr Lanyon

• Stevenson, through Lanyon's hyperbolic death, doesn't just ridicule the fragility of Victorian ideals; he exposes a deeper existential crisis, one caused by a disruption to rigid worldwide views. Death becomes preferable to the complete dismantling of this meticulously constructed worldview
• "unscientific balderdash... would have estranged Damon and Pythias" - Chapter 2 - friendship, loyalty, science vs religion

  • the dichotomy between Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Lanyon Stevenson explores scientific rationalism vs the allure of the unknown. Lanyon embodies rationalism dismissing Jekyll's experiments as "unscientific balderdash," a criticism that exposes their polar perspectives on science and worldviews
  • Lanyon's allusion to mythology with "Damon and Pythias" serves to ridicule him as a scientist, revealing that his beliefs extend beyond the scientific realm
• "unscientific balderdash... would have estranged Damon and Pythias" - Chapter 2 - friendship, loyalty, science vs religion 


  • Lanyon's unwavering adherence to the verifiable separates him from Jekylls curiosity and exploration into the territories of repressed desires. The pursuit of knowledge transcends the bonds of kinship, showing how the battle for scientific truth can supersede personal loyalties
  • Stevenson offers a critique of how science heavily influenced by religion can become distorted and flawed,prompting a reassessment of the relationship between science and religion within society
• "My life is shaken to its roots" - Chapter 9 - science vs religion, duality, good vs evil, repression, appearance, friendship

  • metaphor of Lanyon's life - represents how physically and symbolically, these unorthodox and unnatural experiments have uprooted every aspect of Lanyon's existence - destabilising and violating his worldview to its core, its foundations
  • Lanyon's natural imagery serves as another attempt to emphasise the unnatural essence of science
• "My life is shaken to its roots" - Chapter 9

  • "shaken" connotes disruption, Stevenson, through Lanyon's reaction, doesn't just ridicule the fragility of Victorian ideals; he exposes a deeper existential crisis
  • Death becomes preferable to the dismantling of this meticulously constructed worldview. Lanyon's demise symbolises the struggle of individuals trying to make scientific advancement with their religious frameworks, exposing the rigidity of Victorian thought, where clinging to an outdated worldview is preferable, even at the expense of the individual
• "hide bound pedant...an ignorant, blatant pedant" - Chapter 3

  • Portrays effects that their professional disagreements have had on their personal relationships
  • Repetition of "pedant", portrays his resentment, his words seem to be imbued with a sense of bitterness, also reinforced by the harsh consonance of the "t" sound which sounds riddled with anger and aggressive
  • ultimately, Jekyll's views on Lanyon are wildly contradictory, reinforcing the idea that there is a dual nature to every aspect of life
• Damon and Pythias - a reference to Greek mythology used in 18th and 19th centuries to symbolise strong friendship
• "I shall die incredulous" - Chapter 9

  • Even when he is presented with unquestionable evidence of this science yet he still refuses to concede. He almost dies a martyr to escape the conflict between science and religion