THE STRANGE CASE OF DRJEKYLL AND HYDE

1. THE STRANGE CASE OF DRJEKYLL AND HYDE THE INCIDENT OF THE LETTER By Eilidh and Campbell

2. Brief Chapter Summary The chapter begins following the murder of the MP, Sir Danvers Carew. Mr Utterson goes to Jekyll’s house where Dr Jekyll assures Mr Utterson that there is no need to fear Mr Hyde anymore and gives him a letter supposedly from Mr Hyde stating that he has fled. Later when Mr Utterson is at home with his clerk Mr Guest, they notice that the writing of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are very similar, raising suspicion in Mr Utterson’s mind for the first time.

3. The Locations Dr Jekyll’s laboratory Stevenson sets the scene of what a strange place this part of Dr Jekyll’s house is. It is compounded by the fact that it used to be some sort of operating theatre that was previously known as the “dissecting rooms” The description of a “dingy windowless structure” adds to the readers unease and sense of foreboding. Dr Jekyll is sitting in this room that nobody visits and therefore nobody knows what happens in Dr Jekyll’s laboratory. Mr Utterson’s house In contrast, Mr Utterson’s house is described as warm and comfortable,“the room was gay with firelight”. There is a nice bottle of wine and he is comfortably chatting to his clerk, Mr Guest. There is none of the feeling of strangeness that was evident in the laboratory.

4. Analysis of Characters Mr Utterson He is a concerned and loyal friend to Dr Jekyll and he goes his house worried that he will be implicated in the murder of Carew because of his association with Mr Hyde. “You have not been mad enough to hide this fellow?” As he is a loyal friend to Dr Jekyll, he is slow to realise his suspicions. At first he totally believes that Mr Hyde has written this confession and that Dr Jekyll has had no dealings with him since the murder. His further questioning of the missing envelope and asking Poole if Dr Jekyll had received any deliveries that day show that he has a investigative mind that is expected in a lawyer.

5. Dr Jekyll In this chapter, Dr Jekyll’s behaviour is odd, “He did not rise to meet his visitors, but held out a cold hand and bade him welcome in a changed voice”. He is disturbed by the murder, “The doctor shuddered ‘they were crying it in the square’ he said” He is sitting and is described as “looking deadly sick” and speaking in a “feverish manner”. He is clearly a worried or a guilty man? He tells Mr Utterson that he has been taught a lesson by the events of the murder but does not explain what he means by this, “ ‘O God, Utterson, what a lesson I have had!’ And he covered his face for a moment with his hands” Dr Jekyll turns his back on Mr Hyde and wants to blame him for everything, “I cannot say I care what becomes of Hyde, I am quite done with him” He wants to protect his own reputation, “I was thinking of my own character which this hateful business has rather exposed”

6. Poole (Dr Jekyll’s butler) Although Poole works in Dr Jekyll’s household, he does not enter the laboratory. It is clear that he is not close to his employer and he is willing to speak about Dr Jekyll to Mr Utterson when he is on his way out. He tells Mr Utterson, “nothing had come except by post, ‘and only circulars by that’ “ Mr Guest (Mr Utterson’s clerk) In contrast to Poole, Mr Guest is close to his employer. Mr Utterson talks to him in confidence and shows him Hyde’s letter and says it is an “interesting autograph” not wishing to be disrespectful by saying outright that it is Dr Jekyll’s writing, waiting for Mr Utterson to ask him what he thinks. It can be seen that they have trust in each other when Mr Utterson asks Mr Guest not to mention their findings to anyone and Mr Guest agrees.

7. Themes There are two main themes in this chapter; Secrecy Dr Jekyll is clearly keeping a terrible secret from everybody. He needs help but he cannot tell the truth of what has happened to anybody, “I have grounds for certainty that I cannot share with anybody” Suspicion Mr Utterson is suspicious of Dr Jekyll’s involvement with Mr Hyde and the murder. Although he has no idea what the truth is, he clearly knows that there is something not right. His suspicion builds by the end of the chapter as he realises that the letter has been written by Dr Jekyll and he himself engages in secrecy when he asks Mr Guest not to tell anyone of their findings.

8. Narrative Structure This chapter describes an important development in the relationship between Dr Jekyll and Mr Utterson. At the start, Mr Utterson regards Dr Jekyll as a friend who needs his legal advice but through the events of the chapter, Mr Utterson realises that Dr Jekyll has lied to him on at least two occasions. Lie number one- When Mr Utterson asks about the postmark on the envelope, Dr Jekyll says that he burnt it and that it had no postmark meaning that it must of come by messenger. However when Mr Utterson asks Poole if there had been any deliveries he tells him that only mail had come by post. Lie number two- Dr Jekyll tells Mr Utterson that the letter was written by Hyde, however, when Mr Guest compares the handwriting with a letter written by Dr Jekyll, he sees they are the same. When Mr Utterson realises that Dr Jekyll has forged a letter from Mr Hyde – a man wanted for the murder of Carew, we are told that his “blood ran cold in his veins” marking a change in his relationship with Dr Jekyll.