Utterson

• Stevenson presents Mr Utterson as the microcosm of the moral Victorian Gentleman who represses his own desires and innate curiosity. He is the most pious and strait-laced character but is challenged by duality and power of innate evil.
• He was austere with himself; drank gin when he was alone


  He is the epitome of quintessential Victorian Gentleman but showing a lack of autonomy as he is conforming so closely to societal expectations.

  • Austere connotes to self-imposed strictness makes him a reliable narrator to show the repressive nature of Victorian society.
  • He is the personified blueprint for a respectable man.
• • Drinking gin in order to restrict himself from indulging into more expensive wines showing how he’s repressing his true desires.
  • But gin is a symbol of lower class so he drinks it alone to protect his upper class wealthy reputation
  • Alternatively, he wants to withdraw his inhibitions &stop constraining himself by the social norm. This shows the hypocrisy of society and the toxicity of repression
• Almost with envy, at the high pressure of spirits involved in their misdeeds.


  Utterson is constructed as imperfect despite his discipline representing duality in Victorian era.

  • He is jealous of other people’s misdeed and perhaps their freedom which is ironic as he is a lawyer(legal and moral) suggests how everyone is capable of innate evil. The fact that even us as modern readers think his actions is unorthodox regarding his job showing the stereotype making us to reflect on ourselves.
• • “spirits” established a sense of supernatural immorality to people’s sins as if it’s uncontrollable as evil is inherent within human nature.
  • ”envy” is provocative as it’s 1 of the seven deadly sins while he is a pious man which highlights the duality of man even in his own religious beliefs and his innate desires. However, he constrains himself to be moral showing the dedication to maintain reputation.
• I read Satan’s signature upon a face - Chapter 3


  However, his innate desires made him an unreliable narrator.

  • Satan is universal symbol of epitomised evil - he has taken Christian stereotypes to view Hyde as ultimate evil due to Victorians think complete morality is the only way to be a gentleman. But Hyde is just not repressing his desires so not necessarily an evil man.
  • Ironic as no one in novella can describe Hyde’s appearance creating secrecy and mystery. This shows how it’s just the impression and stereotype of Victorian Society towards unorthodox people that made him evil.
• • Sibilance of “s” mimics the hissing sound of a snake which is a symbol of evil alluding to Hyde. It could allude to Adam and Eve showing the original sin. How even our ancestors are not completely moral and pure, questioning the harsh societal expectations.
  • shows his fear towards scientific improvement as it is taking away Hyde from Christianity and lead to evil as Hyde is a construct of science.
  • Ironic as Hyde is constructed by Jekyll while Utterson has no idea of until the very end of novella hinting how he trusted his friends too much leading to a biased viewpoint.
• Mr Utterson beheld a marvellous number of degrees and hues of twilight.


  The fanciful descriptions in his dream has now invaded into his real life acts as a metaphor for the power of evil to influence the most strait-laced Utterson’s mind amplifying mystery.

  • Mimics Jekyll’s inability to maintain their perfect idealism showing how everyone is susceptible to the influence of evil and the hardship of repressing own evil desires.
• “degrees and hues” shows how reality is only partially visible.

  • Mimics his puzzled and frustrated mind due to lack of knowledge of duality is natural from the society and religious studies. Thus making him feel guilty and ashamed about these innate evil.
  • The vision within his dreams is alluding to Freudian Psychoanalysis which dreams = wish fulfilment hinting Utterson aren’t living a life that he truly wants.
• The packet slept in the inmost corner of his private safe.


  He is the complete foil to Jekyll who can’t suppress his desires as he didn’t’t read the letter which could reveal more useful info about the case.

  • Shows how he follows Lanyon’s words and treated friendship beyond his innate curiosity which is within everyone like Jekyll and Utterson
• It’s one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it.

  Rhetoric of him being in a battle with his own human nature.

  • ”conquer“ shows how he views overcoming his innate curiosity as an accomplishment. Readers feel pity for how overtly repressive he is.
  • Stevenson is critical of the excessively stringent restrictions.
  • “mortify“ is unorthodox and echos “mortify a taste for vintages” showing consistency in his disciplines. It also connotes to death showing how repressing innate desires is like killing aspects of human life.
• Wish to see and touch his fellow creatures.


  The deserted London isolates Utterson building up tension and vulnerability. This fore shows the danger of revealing truth to him as well as the readers.

  • ”creatures“ shows his detachment with humanity and civilisation as he animalises Victorian society that he lives in after being shocked by metaphysical science.
  • This links to Darwinism of evolution suggesting the primitive nature of human. This shows how he is disillusioned with God as it juxtaposes with God created everything.
• • Stevenson uses Utterson’s full name John Gabriel Utterson which is a religious reference to Angel Gabriel who represents inherent goodness and morality.
  • But he starts questioning about God after realising the success of metaphysical science which shakes his entire life belief. As he is an Evangelicals
  • However alike Utterson, they are quick to make incorrect religious assumptions showing the flaws in religion and how it blinds people’s minds. In order to reduce the strong influence of religion over Victorians and rely more on science.