Dr Jekyll + Mr Hyde

• One of the most vital and helpful things you can do in preparation for the exam is to 'know' the plot of the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde thoroughly
• Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

  A novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson, composed of 10 chapters, set in mid-19th-century England, in the city of London
• Plot Summary


  1. Mr Utterson and Mr Enfield come across a door, which turns out to be the entrance to Dr Jekyll's laboratory

  2. Enfield recounts witnessing a man trample a young girl outside the door and using a key to unlock Jekyll's door

  3. Utterson removes a will from his safe which belongs to Jekyll and is perturbed by its instructions to leave everything to a man called Mr Hyde

  4. Utterson visits Dr Lanyon, who hasn't seen Jekyll in years

  5. Utterson witnesses Hyde entering Jekyll's house and attempts to warn him

  6. One year later, Hyde kills a politician called Sir Danvers Carew

  7. Utterson recognises the murder weapon and directs the police to Hyde's house

  8. Utterson visits Jekyll and is concerned by his appearance

  9. Lanyon hints that Jekyll is the cause of his illness

  10. Utterson and Enfield see Jekyll at his window and are horrified by his demeanour

  11. Poole appeals to Utterson to visit Jekyll, and they discover a body inside

  12. Lanyon's letter reveals that he uncovered Jekyll's secret and becomes ill as a result

  13. Jekyll's letter details his confession about taking a chemical concoction which resulted in his transformation into Hyde
• Chapter-by-chapter Plot Summary


  • Chapter I - Story of the Door
  • Chapter II - Search for Mr Hyde
  • Chapter III - Dr Jekyll Was Quite at Ease
  • Chapter IV - The Carew Murder Case
  • Chapter V - Incident of the Letter
  • Chapter VI - Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon
  • Chapter VII - Incident at the Window
  • Chapter VIII - The Last Night
  • Chapter IX - Dr Lanyon's Narrative
  • Chapter X - Henry Jekyll's Full Statement of the Case
• Themes


  • Duality
  • Good and Evil
  • Secrecy and Reputation
  • Science and Religion
• Jekyll


  Has the exterior of a gentleman, though may also have sinister secrets of his own
• Jekyll: 'By the end of the novella, Jekyll acknowledges "the thorough and primitive duality of man"'
• Stevenson's use of contrasts

  • Rich/poor
  • Light/dark
  • Honesty/secrecy
  • Night/day
  • Inside/outside
  • Respectability/notoriety
• Stevenson is concerned about the duality of human nature and society in general and considers the idea that everyone is capable of good and evil deeds
• Stevenson may also have used the dualities in the novella to reflect a society rapidly moving from the past into a new modern world
• Good and evil


  The theme of good and evil is closely linked to ideas about duality. Stevenson explores the tension which exists between good and evil and presents the temptation and allurement of evil within the novella.
• Jekyll


  A man with a reputation and a respected member of society representing good
• Hyde


  A manifestation of evil
• Jekyll: '"man is not truly one, but truly two" and while he is aware of his good side, he also acknowledges there is evil within him'
• Jekyll believes that it is the "curse of mankind" that good and evil are bound together within him and the two parts are in direct conflict with one another
• Stevenson aims to highlight this idea of an innate duality and the implications of giving in to one's own evil side
• Hyde


  • Sinister presence and actions are a constant reminder of the power of evil throughout the novella
  • Invokes terror in other characters and this may hint at the possibility of the inner evil and depraved nature that resides within each person
• Hyde


  • Depicted as an inherently violent character and he displays no remorse for his crimes
  • Both of Hyde's victims are presented as innocent and vulnerable which elicits sympathy from the reader and makes them horrified at the wickedness of Hyde's actions
• Characters encountering Hyde


  • All are repulsed by the sense of evil that he exudes
• Imagery used to describe Carew and Hyde

  Contrasting - Carew is linked to lightness and innocence, while Hyde is depicted with animalistic imagery
• Stevenson's deliberate use of animal imagery is used to suggest Hyde's separateness from human society and his unrestricted nature
• Hyde


  Stevenson associates him with Christian ideas about Hell and Satan and Jekyll repeatedly refers to him as "my devil"
• Stevenson presents evil through Hyde's manner and appearance but he deliberately chooses to make that evil to remain somewhat undefined, making it appear more pervasive and more terrifying
• Stevenson presents good and evil as a constant duality throughout the novel and portrays it as a natural facet of the individual, which results in an ongoing battle between the two
• Stevenson proposes that the inherent evil aspect of man is merely suppressed by society and he attempts to explore the consequences of attempting to separate one from the other
• Secrecy and reputation


  Stevenson's narrative explores the uncovering of Jekyll's secret and the mystery of Hyde's actions and identity. Other characters also display hints of secretive behaviour and the lengths they are determined to go to in order to preserve and protect their reputation and those of others.
• Jekyll


  Depicted as a respectable, model gentleman, but underneath this veneer of respectability, he retains his dark secret, for if exposed to society, it would result in his utter ruination
• Other characters


  • Lanyon refuses to tell Utterson as to why he had a disagreement with Jekyll
  • Enfield and Carew do not disclose why they are out walking the London streets late at night
• Utterson


  Attempts to only do good though he desperately tries to avert any form of scandal which could impair Jekyll's reputation
• Utterson keeps his suspicions about Jekyll secret in order to shield his friend from any public disgrace
• Even at the conclusion of the novella, Utterson remains steadfast in his belief that Jekyll's reputation must be upheld
• Descriptions and events in the narrative

  • Continual references to locked doors and windows, and letters with information that must not be read, which all heighten the sense of mystery of what is not being revealed to the reader
• Stevenson conveys how reputation is based merely on one's appearance to society, rather than one's actual conduct and this leads to ideas about hypocrisy
• Stevenson demonstrates the extent to which the characters place reputation and respectability above responsibility
• Science and religion


  Stevenson uses the Victorians' fear and uncertainty of science to make Jekyll's experiment appear more frightening to his readership.
• Jekyll

  Presented as a highly intelligent scientist with an inquiring mind
• Lanyon

  A respectable and conventional scientist who stands in contrast to Jekyll, as he views Jekyll's experiments as dangerous and describes them as "scientific balderdash"
• Lanyon is unable to reconcile his opposition to Jekyll's experiments and as a result, their friendship ceases to exist
• Lanyon

  • Presented as conservative and traditional in his approach to science
  • The only character to witness Jekyll's transformation, as his belief in the laws of science does not enable him to comprehend what he has witnessed
• Utterson

  A highly moral and devout Christian, depicted as a model Victorian gentleman