Dr Lanyon

• 'Cavendish square, that citadel of medicine'

  • Metaphor – A fortress, suggesting security, respect, and established order thus Stevenson presents mainstream science and medicine as powerful and respected institutions in Victorian society.
  • A real location in London, known for being home to wealthy doctors and surgeons. - Symbolises the conservative, rational side of science, associated with figures like Dr. Lanyon.
  • Highlights Lanyon's position within the medical establishment, suggesting he is a credible and trustworthy source of information. 
  • Contrasts with the more rundown, less reputable areas where Jekyll and Mr. Hyde live and work, further solidifying the idea that Lanyon is a figure of authority and respect. 
  • The respectable medical world is a “fortress” of logic and tradition — a sharp contrast to Jekyll’s dangerous and mystical scientific endeavours.
  • It highlights the tension between orthodox science and experimental science
• 'this was a heart,healthy dapper, red faced gentleman' 'a boisterous and decided manner' 'At the sight of Mr Utterson he sprang up from his chair and welcomed him with both hands'


  •  He is portrayed as a cheerful, robust, and stylish man with a confident demeanor. 
  • This description is a stark contrast to his later, terrified state after witnessing Jekyll's transformation. 
  • contrasts heavily with Jekyll’s mysterious and secretive nature. This foreshadows the ideological clash between the two men—Lanyon believes in rational, traditional science, while Jekyll explores dangerous, supernatural experiments.
• "He began to go wrong, wrong in the mind" 'Such unscientific balderdash.....would have estranged Damon and Pythias'"


  • Repetition - Emphasizes the severity of Dr. Jekyll's descent into madness as he counfounds and transgresses the laws of science. It suggests that his actions are not merely incorrect but are a profound mental corruption.
  • Conveys Lanyon's growing horror at Jekyll’s behavior, indicating that Jekyll’s actions are not just scientifically questionable, but morally and mentally harmful. Lanyon underlines the deep concern he feels for his friend’s well-being.
  • Mythological allusion - By invoking Damon and Pythias, Lanyon is suggesting that even the closest of friendships—such as the one between these two legendary figures—would have been torn apart by the kind of ideas Jekyll is proposing. This shows the extreme nature of Jekyll’s experiments and their potential to alienate even the most loyal of companions.
• "Henry Jekyll became too fanciful for me. He began to go wrong, wrong in the mind.' 'I have seen devilish little of the man."

  • “Too fanciful” suggests that Jekyll’s scientific ideas stray from logical, evidence-based thinking.
  • Repetition emphasizes Lanyon’s emotional rejection of Jekyll’s ideas and his fear of madness or moral corruption.
  • Also be seen as a subtle mental health reference, showing that Jekyll’s obsession may have made him lose his grip on reality.
  • The adjective “devilish” carries connotations of evil and corruption, foreshadowing Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde.
  • It implies that Jekyll’s moral decay has already begun, in Lanyon’s eyes, and that he’s become something inhuman or unnatural.
  • Victorian society feared the unknown, especially new scientific advancements that challenged religion and morality.
  • Lanyon embodies that rational fear—while Jekyll represents the dangerous temptation to overstep boundaries
• “Such unscientific balderdash,” added the doctor, flushing suddenly purple, “could have estranged Damon and Pythias.”

  • Dismissive tone: Lanyon mocks Jekyll’s work, showing deep disapproval of his experiments.
  • “balderdash” is strong and scornful—it undermines Jekyll’s work as nonsense or even dangerous.
  • This shows a visceral, emotional reaction—Lanyon isn’t just intellectually opposed to Jekyll; he’s angry/frightened.
  • Suggests how seriously he takes the breach of scientific and moral boundaries.
  • Classical allusion: Damon and Pythias symbolise perfect friendship and loyalty in Greek legend.
  • Lanyon implies Jekyll’s actions are so offensive they could break even the closest of bonds—suggesting how betrayed and alienated he feels.
  • Lanyon represents the Victorian scientific establishment, grounded in logic and reason. - sees Jekyll’s experiments as not just wrong, but a dangerous threat to reason and order.
• “He had his death-warrant written legibly upon his face.” “The rosy man had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away; he was visibly balder and older.”

  • Juxtaposition - Stevenson contrasts Lanyon’s past vitality with his present weakness, highlighting the dramatic transformation in his health and spirit.
  • Asyndetic listing - The lack of conjunctions in the list makes it feel relentless and overwhelming, mirroring Lanyon’s rapid decline.
  • It creates a sense of accumulating damage, both physically and mentally.
  • Semantic field of decay - Lanyon is not dead yet, but Stevenson presents him almost like a walking corpse — drained of life and spirit, reflecting the corrupting influence of Jekyll’s scientific meddling.
  • Metaphor - comparing Dr Lanyon’s appearance to a legal death sentence, reinforces the finality of Lanyon’s fate — he has seen something so terrible that it has physically and emotionally destroyed him.
• “A look in the eye and quality of manner that seemed to testify to some deep-seated terror of the mind.” "I have had a shock and I shall never recover." "With an air of greatness, Lanyon declared himself a doomed man."

  • Short, declarative sentence - Creates a sense of inevitability — the damage is permanent.
  • Lanyon becomes a tragic figure. He represents the rational, scientific side of Victorian society, but even he cannot cope with Jekyll’s unnatural experiments.
  • non-verbal cues to suggest Lanyon's internal suffering. It’s shown, not told — the terror is so powerful it leaks into his appearance.
• “struck in me what I can only describe a disgustful curiosity” “whetted my curiosity” 'my interest in the man's nature'

  • Oxymoron - Combines two opposing emotions — revulsion and fascination. Suggests curiosity is not pure or noble — it can be morbid, perverse, or dangerous.
  • The tension between reason and curiosity mirrors the Faustian idea of sacrificing morality or peace of mind for knowledge.
  • “Struck in me”: Implies something sudden, violent, and uncontrollable. Lanyon is passively affected, like a victim of some inner psychological attack.
• 'will you be wise? will you be guided?.... or has the greed of curiosity too much command of you?'


  • Personification: Curiosity is described as having “command” – as if it takes control of a person, showing its powerful influence.
  • Abstract noun “greed” gives curiosity a sinful, almost gluttonous quality, aligning with religious and moral anxieties of the time.
  • Rhetorical question puts pressure on Utterson—and the reader—inviting self-reflection on the consequences of seeking forbidden knowledge.
• '“O God!" I screamed, and "O God!" again and again.'

  • Repetition: The repeated exclamation “O God!” heightens the emotional intensity and mirrors Lanyon’s uncontrollable reaction to witnessing Hyde’s transformation. It shows how language fails him in the face of the supernatural.
  • Exclamatory tone: The use of exclamation marks and fragmented speech reveals Lanyon’s distress and emotional breakdown.
  • Religious invocation: Calling on God reinforces the moral and spiritual horror of what he has witnessed. It reflects how the scientific discovery has violated not only the laws of nature, but of morality and religion as well. It’s as if Lanyon is seeking divine protection or absolution.
  • First-person narration: Since this is told directly by Lanyon, it gives us an intimate insight into his trauma. It makes the horror more personal and immediate for the reader.
• “What he told me for the next hour I cannot bring my mind to set on paper.”

  • Narrative withholding / Ellipsis: Stevenson deliberately withholds the shocking details to build suspense and keep the mystery alive.
  • As a rational man, Lanyon’s inability to describe what happened shows how Hyde defies explanation — he’s beyond science or logic.
  • It also mirrors Lanyon’s own mental collapse — he is so traumatised that language fails him. The inability to write it down reflects the realistic impact of trauma. Lanyon is mentally and emotionally shattered.
  • The gap draws the reader’s imagination into dark, unknown territory.
  • First-person immediacy: Lanyon’s voice here is intimate and confessional, making the experience more vivid and unsettling for the reader.
• 'My life is shaken to its roots; sleep has left me; the deadliest terror sits by me at all hours of the day and night'

  • Metaphor – Suggests a deep, foundational disturbance—as if everything he believed in (science, reason, morality) has been violently uprooted. It echoes how Lanyon's core beliefs are shattered.
  • Personification –Terror becomes a constant companion, almost like a haunting figure. It gives the sense that Lanyon is being followed or watched, reinforcing the Gothic atmosphere of dread.
  • Juxtaposition of “day and night” : This contrast shows there is no escape—the horror is relentless, both physically and mentally. It also removes the safety usually associated with daylight.
  • Listing – Creates a cumulative effect, showing the devastating consequences of uncovering the truth. It emphasizes the unbearable psychological burden placed on Lanyon.
• 'I feel that my days are numbered and that i must die; and yet i shall die incredulous'

  'as for moral turpitude that man unveiled to me, even with tears of penitance, i cannot, even in memory, dwell on it without a start of horror'

  • The epistolary form sheds like on the mistery of Dr Lanyon's aprupt and rapid decay.
  • The juxtaposition of certainty of death with incomprehension underscores how shocking and unnatural Hyde’s secret is. Even in death, Lanyon can't believe what he saw—suggesting it defies logic, science, and sanity.
  • Tone – The tone shows Lanyon’s complete breakdown, aligning with the novel’s warnings about tampering with the unknown.