The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a gothic novella written by R. L. Stevenson. It was published in 1886. In this presentation you will see the main characters, themes, symbols and setting of the novel. Vipul Dabhi

1. Prepared by - Vipul Dabhi
[ Lecturer at Shamaldas Arts College, Bhavnagar. ( 2019 – 2020 ) ]

2. Table of Contents :
• Introduction –
• About the Author –
• Setting of the Novel / Novella –
• Relationship among the Characters –
• Main Characters in the Novel –
• Major Themes of the Novel –
• Symbolism -
• What is Gothic novel… ?
• Conclusion -

3. Introduction :
• R. L. Stevenson’s psychic/supernatural
story The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde became an immediate best-seller in
Great Britain and America when it was
published in 1886.
• It was well acclaimed by the academic
community for its style and penetrating
psychological themes.
• The basic idea ( Inspiration for this Novel )
occurred to him in a nightmare. What he
Called “ a fine bogey tale.”
• It is believed that this story is based on the
true story of Edinburgh’s infamous Deacon
Brodie, who was discovered to have been
living a double life.
• After that nightmare he started to write a
detective story in the style of Edgar Allan
Poe.
• The Novel has come to be synonymous
with the struggle between good and evil.
•The story is told from the point of view
of John Utterson , a lawyer and friend
to the brilliant scientist Dr Jekyll.
• The story opens with Utterson and his
kinsman, Mr. Enfield, taking a walk one
Sunday, In the street of Soho. ( London )
• After stopping in front of a “ blistered
and distained ” door in every feature,
Enfield recalls one sinister incident. He
notes that “ the man trampled calmly
over the child’s body and left her
screaming on the ground. ”
• Later, following the incident, Enfield
governed that man to pay the family
compensatory damages.
• Enfield admits that he sometimes sees
the man, whose name is Hyde-
“something wrong with his appearance”
• After parting from Enfield, Utterson
reads the ‘Will’ of Jekyll, ( who has been
disappeared from last three months. )
it says that after his death, all his
property was to pass into the hands of
Hyde.

4. • Utterson, unable to comprehend
Jekeyll’s ‘Will’, meets his oldest friend
Dr. Lanyon. Who admits that he
“began to go wrong, wrong in mind.”
and Lanyon, never heard of Hyde.
• After that Utterson spots the “ pale
and dwarfish ” man at the house of
Jekyll.
• Poole admits that Jekyll instructed all
the servants to obey Hyde.
• A year later, a Maid sees Hyde
committing murder of Danvers Carew.
Utterson recognizes the stick the
murderer used as belonging to Jekyll.
They discover the other half of the
broken stick in Hyde’s room.
• After that incident, Jekyll looks
deathly sick.
• Guest, who is a clerk of Utterson,
finds the resemblance in the hand
writing of Jekyll & Hyde.
• As a result of it Utterson thinks that
Jekyll has committed forgery to
protect Hyde.
• The police investigate Hyde’s past.
They discover the man’s cruelty.
• Here, Jekyll enjoys “ a new life.” But
suddenly he cuts himself off from his
friends.
• for the further investigation, Utterson
meets his old friend Dr. Lanyon, whom
he finds seriously ill and dies after a few
weeks.
• At the other side Utterson opens an
envelope Lanyon gave him and finds the
instructions as : “ not to be opened till
the death of Dr. Jekyll.”
• One evening Poole calls Utterson to
come at Jekyll’s home. Where person
has been begging all week for medicine.
• Utterson breaks down the door and
finds the dying Hyde. Jekyll is nowhere
to be found. Finds a note from Jekyll
asking him to read Lanyon’s letter as
well as his own confession.
• Jekyll’s confession : “profound
duplicity of life.” To rid himself of his
evil side, Jekyll created a potion that
transformed him into Mr. Hyde.

5. About the author :
R. L. Stevenson – ( 1850- 1894 )
• Stevenson was born in Edinburgh,
near Scotland.
• His father used to tell him stories of
religious value.
• He began to write at an early age, with
sensitivity towards religion and history.
• His father intended him to study
engineering, but he gave it up as he was
interested in literature.
• Most of his writing is based on his
travels in England, France and Italy.
• He was an indefatigable letter writer
throughout his life.
• The Calvinist doctrines, like good and
evil continued to influence his
imagination.
• Stevenson gained acclaim as a poet, an
essayist, a travel writer and a novelist.
• Most of his works represents the
Victorian London. ( scientific, social,
economic changes, dual nature )
• His main works :
1. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and
Hyde.
2. Treasure Island.
3. Weir of Hermiston.
4. The Beach of Falesa.
5. The Master of Ballantrae.
6. Kidnapped.
7. A Child’s Garden of Verses. (poetry
collection.)
8. Travel with a Donkey in the
Cevennes.
9. Catriona.

6. Setting :
• When we see setting of any woks, it has a
symbolic significance, which portrays the
current society of that time.
• In this novel, writer has given the
description of London, it helps to set a mood
of suspense and suggest a foreboding sense
of evil.
• In the morning fog, London becomes
“Dark with conflagration, the dismissal
quarter of Soho seen under these changing
glimpses, with its muddy ways, and slatternly
passengers and its lamps, had been kindled
afresh to combat this mournful reinvasion of
darkness, seemed like a district of some city
in a nightmare. ”
• Hyde resides is especially ominous.
• Utterson and Enfield walk through that city,
they find themselves in “ a busy quarter of
Soho,” “ certain sinister block of building ”
that “ bore in every feature, the mark of
prolonged and sordid negligence. ”
• Doors are “blistered
and distained. ”
• Tramp slouched into
the recess.
• The schoolboy had
tried his knife on the
mouldings ; and for
close on a generation,
no one appeared to
drive away these
random visitors or to
repair their ravages.

7. Relationship among the characters :
Gabriel John
Utterson
Dr. Hastie
Lanyon
Dr. Henry Jekyll
Mr.
Edward
Hyde
Oldest
Friends
Richard
Enfield
Distant Kinsman
A Maid Poole
Cook/Butler
Servant
A little
girl
Sir
Danvers
Carew
Hyde
tramples a
small girl.
She saw the murder
of him & recognizes
murderer as Hyde.
Mr.
Guest
Head
clerk

8. Main Characters :

9. Richard Enfield :
• A distant kinsman of Utterson.
• A “ well known man about town. ”
• Similar in temperament to Utterson.
• Both enjoy Sunday walks.
• Enfield first tells Utterson about the existence
of Hyde.
• He has a habit of “ coming home from some
place at the end of the world, about three
o’clock of a black winter morning. ”
• He represents the other Victorian side of
Utterson’s sobriety.

10. Gabriel John Utterson :
• A lawyer in London.
• An oldest friend of Dr. Jekyll & Dr.
Hastie Lanyon.
• A tall, thin man, with a harsh
expression on his face.
• He spoke very little and never
smiled.
• Something quite lovable about
him.
• Always strict with himself.
• He was very tolerant of his
friends.
•He used to go on a long walk
with Enfield every Sunday. But
hardly said a word to each other.
• However he is a combination of
justice and mercy.
• We can say that Stevenson
presents Utterson as the novel’s “
moral norm.”
• By a person and profession he
represents the best and worst of
Victoria’s social beings.

11. Dr. Hastie Lanyon :
• An oldest friend of Dr. Jekyll and
Utterson.
• A healthy, dapper, red-faced
gentleman with a boisterous and
decided manner.
• When Jekyll’s behaviour confounds,
Utterson seeks advice from him.
• As story moves his appearance gets
changed.
• Utterson finds him with some deep
seated terror of the mind.
• The shock of facing Hyde’s true
identity disables him and eventually
leads to his death.
• Jekyll as Hyde considers Lanyon –
bound to the most narrow and
material views. Hyde criticizes him
for not taking Jekyll’s work seriously.
• “ a new province of knowledge and
new avenues to fame and power shall
be laid open to you.”
• Hyde unveils to him, though ,
sickens his soul.
• Coward and envy of Jekyll’s works.

12. Poole :
•He is Jekyll’s butler and servant.
• Who provides information to
Utterson about his master.
• Poole exhibits loyalty and concern
about Jekyll’s welfare.

13. Mr. Guest :
• Utterson’s trustworthy head clerk.
• He was also a great student and
critic of handwriting.
• Guest solves the handwriting of
Jekyll & Hyde. Who finds the
resemblance in both’s handwriting.

14. A Maid :
• She is a servant of Jekyll
and sees the murder of Sir
Danvers Carew.
• She recognizes the
murderer as Hyde.
Because Hyde had once
visited her master.
Sir Danvers Carew :
• A kind, 70 years old
Member of Parliament.
• He was killed by Hyde,
in the street of London.
Inspector Newcomen :
• Utterson joins this Scotland
Yard Inspector after the
murder of Carew.
• They explore Hyde’s loft in
Soho and discover evidence
of his depraved life.

15. Mr. Edward Hyde :
• Jekyll transforms both his physical and moral self into
Edward Hyde.
• Enfield : Hyde- “something wrong with his
appearance; something displeasing, something down-
right detestable.” He has never saw a man so disliked
like Hyde before.
• Utterson : Hyde- “ was pale and dwarfish … gave an
impression of deformity without any nameable
information. In addition he seemed “ hardly human”
and marked with “ Satan’s signature.”
• Hyde : ( after drinking the potion ) I felt younger,
lighter, happier in body; within I was conscious of a
heady recklessness… smaller, less robust and less
developed.
• Jekyll cannot help but label him “ pure evil.”
• Hyde becomes more corrupt and cruel, ultimately his
fear of the gallows finally prompts him to commit
suicide.

16. Dr. Henry Jekyll :
• Dr. Jekyll with an air of mystery, suggesting that even his
friends did not have a clear picture of the man.
• At the end, in his confession he explains : - he was “inclined
nature to industry, fond of the respect of the wise and good
among my fellowmen, and thus, as might have been supposed,
with every guarantee of an honourable and distinguished
future.”
• Utterson : Jekyll- “ a large, well made, smooth –faced man of
fifty. Who enjoys with his friends and spend his time devoted
to his charities and his religion. However Jekyll admits to
recognizing in himself a certain impatient gaiety of disposition
and a failure to conquer his aversions to the dry-ness of a life
of study.”
• He committed himself to a profound duplicity of life.
• “I was no more myself when I laid aside restraint and
plunged in shame, then when I laboured, in the eye of day, at
the furtherance of knowledge or the relief of sorrow and
suffering. ”
• Becomes forever despised and friendless. “ in a moment of
moral weakness, I swallowed the transforming draught.”
M. D, D. C. I,
L. L. D, F. R. S.

17. Main Themes : Supernaturalism
• Supernatural works focuses on
metaphysical concerns , based on the need to
understand the unknown and unnameable.
• Main character goes against the law of
nature. Works revolve around good and evil,
love and hate.
• The Promethean Mythology remains the
base of supernatural work.
• In this work, Jekyll ( scientist ) , who defy
the natural law of God and the universe in an
effort to create life.
• Jekyll explains the motives behind his
experiments : If each could be housed in
separate identities, life would be relieved of
all that was unbearable; It was the curse of
mankind that these incongruous faggots
were thus bound together – that the
agonized womb of consciousness, these polar
twins should be continuously struggling.

18. Identity
• Jekyll disturbs the natural order because he struggles
to accept the dual nature of his identity.
• “With every day, and for both sides of my intelligence ,
the moral and the intellectual , I thus drew steadily
nearer to that truth, by whose partial discovery I have
been doomed … that man is not truly one, but truly
two…I hazard the guess that man will be ultimately
known for a mere polity of multifarious, incongruous
and independent denizens.”

19. Change and Transformation
• The troublesome part of his identity prompts
Jekyll to defy the natural laws of universe by
transforming into the diabolical Mr. Hyde.
• “ As the mirror of Jekyll’s inner compulsions, he
represents that shadow side of man which
civilization has striven to submerge : he is a
creature of primitive sensibilities loosed upon a
world bent on denying him.
• A reminder of the barbarism which underlies
civilization , he is a necessary component of human
psychology which most would prefer to leave
unrealized.”

20. Freedom
• Jekyll experiences freedom as Hyde.
• “ I felt younger, lighter, happier in body; but
not an innocent freedom of soul.”
• The freedom he experiences results from the
release of his inner desires, which being a
respectable Victorian gentleman, he
previously had to suppress.

21. Good and Evil
• Whole novel tries to show the struggle
between good and evil; especially good and evil
in Jekyll’s soul.
• The novel symbolically portrays the dual
nature of man; not to impress the victory of
good over evil, but to warn us of the strength
and ultimate triumph of evil over good once
sin is suffered to enter human habitation.

22. Symbolism :
Jekyll’s Laboratory :
• It was neglected, windowless, and
dusty the tables crowded with
chemicals and apparatus, and the
floor littered with crates and
packing materials.
• Jekyll’s room has became the
Hyde’s quarters, where
transformation takes place.
• Most of the story’s action
internalized behind four walls.
• Utterson’s ruminations, Lanyon’s
seduction, and Jekyll-Hyde’s death
all occur within the protective
confines of what Stevenson in an
essay termed “ The Ideal House.”
• From physical to psychological
world.

23. The Walking Stick :
• Weapons,
• Higher social class.
Clothing :
• An external
representation of one’s
self.
• Class distinction –
servants, gentleman,
judges and etc,.
Doors :
• An attempt to
control one’s reality.
• forcing access to
private inner self.
Letters :
• Reveals
subconscious guilt
and weakness.
Also the true
nature of the man.

24. What is Gothic Novel ?
• The Gothic novel is a literary genre, in which
the prominent features are mystery, doom,
decay, old buildings with ghosts in it, dark
alleys, madness, hereditary curses and so on.
It includes also romantic elements, such as
nature, individuality, and very high emotion,
which represents fear and suspense.
• European Romantic pseudomedieval fiction.
• The vogue was initiated in England by Horace Walpole’s Castle of
Otranto (1765).
• There were some other writers who carried this tradition further.
• They were Ann Radcliffe, Matthew Gregory Lewis,
• William Beckford, Mary Shelly,
• Bronte sisters, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Dickens.

25. Conclusion :
In conclusion we can say that, two
ideologies, utilitarianism and Evangelicalism,
shaped the customs and mores of Victorian
society in England. At the end we see the
duality of human nature. Which many time
becomes the reason of great burden. Further it
tries to criticizes the idea of human reputation.
Which leads to the great unrest. Here we can
see the reflection of scientific development ,
and its negative as well as positive effects on
human mind. Thus, writer has tried to show
the human behaviour with the use of some
deliberate silence.

26. Works Cited :
" Dr. Jekyll ad Mr. Hyde, ". Ecyclopedia. 14 September 2019. 11
October 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-
magazines/dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde>.
Stevenson, R. L. ""The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde "."
Ramesh, Brinda. "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde ".
Hyderabad: Orient Blackswan Private Limited, 2007. 66.
( The images are taken from Google sources. )