Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Chapter 1 Summary

In the letter that Jekyll writes to Utterson, Jekyll writes, “My devil had been caged, and he came out roaring,” (49). At the beginnings of his transformation Jekyll does not regret it. Jekyll believes that his evil is great and allows him to do anything he wants. Similar to Jekyll’s response, Lanyon observes that Hyde, “as there was something abnormal and misbegotten in the very essence of the creature that now faced me- something seizing, surprising and revolting- this fresh disparity seemed but to fit in with and to reinforce it; so that to my interest in the man’s nature and character, there was added a curiosity as to his origin, his life, his fortune and status in the world,” (39). Lanyon is intrigued by Hyde’s supposed evil, but yet believes something is wrong in Hyde’s character that will lead Hyde to his demise in the world. Furthermore Jekyll believes that he (Hyde) will demise soon which is proven when Jekyll states in his letter that, “The powers of Hyde seemed to have grown with the sickliness of Jekyll,” (54). This common belief they both share is significant to The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde because Lanyon’s belief is correct, Hyde and Jekyll both die due to the imbalance that is created when one dies before the other. Lanyon and Jekyll are both extremely similar in the fact that they are both interested in the findings and acting of evil, but in the end it is

Now this story does not follow Dr. Jekyll through his journey of creating his evil alter ego. Moreover he is not even the first initial character that we are introduced to in the novella; we are first introduced to a man named Mr. Utterson. He is actually the lawyer of Dr. Jekyll and he takes an interest in his newfound protégé who is referred to as Mr. Hyde. His negative feelings towards Mr. Hyde, beget a personal investigation into his life and his connection to Dr. Jekyll. Sadly he does not realize the truth behind the mystery of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde till the end of the novella, where he finally discovers the secret from reading Dr. Jekyll’s last words written in a letter addressed to him after Dr. Jekyll’s untimely death.

Mr. Utterson observes a close relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, because Dr. Jekyll favors Mr. Hyde by helping him throughout the novel. Dr. Jekyll cares for Mr. Hyde by helping him avoid trouble. For example, Dr. Jekyll pays 90 pounds to prevent the blackmail of Mr. Hyde when he steps on the little girl (3). Dr. Jekyll acts like a parent to Mr. Hyde, “If I die or disappear for more than three months...I wish to leave everything I own to my dear

On their weekly walk, a particularly practical lawyer with the name Mr. Utterson listens as his friend Mr. Enfield tells an awful story of violence. The tale describes a dark figure called Mr. Hyde who treads over a young girl, disappears into a random door on the street, then intently pays off her relatives with a check signed by a respectable gentleman. Because Utterson and Enfield dislike gossip, the agree to drop the subject. However, one of Utterson’s clients and close friend, Dr. Jekyll has will documents written to Mr. Hyde. Soon, Utterson starts having nightmares of a faceless figure who courses through the streets of London at night. Confused, the lawyer visits Jekyll and friend Mr. Lanyon to try and learn more about Hyde. Lanyon confesses he doesn’t really see much of Jekyll anymore, because of a dispute they’ve had over the course of Jekyll’s research, which Lanyon states as “unscientific balderdash.” Interested, Mr. Utterson watches over a building Hyde visits, which is actually a laboratory attached to Jekyll’s

The key ideas in chapter 1 of ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr

Utterson saw Jekyll since they were good friends he saw that this person in front of him was not his good friend. Dr.jekyll the good the kind and Hyde is turning him into a dark, and evil person. All these things that are happening to Jekyll is making his body sick, deadly looking. “This master Hyde, if he were studied though he , must have secrets of his own:black secrets, by the look of him; secrets compared to which poor Jekylls worst would be like sunshine.” (18 Stevenson) This quote shows that Dr.jekyll is good,compared to Hyde he is good. Even Dr.Jekyll’s Darkest deepest secrets compared to Hyde’s secrets Jekyll’s look like sunshine, and cant even compare to Hyde’s secrets. “Now that that evil influence had been withdrawn, a new life began for Dr.Jekyll.”(31 Stevenson)This Quote shows that Mr. Hyde is evil. Hyde’s evil influence on Dr.jekyll who was a good man and Mr.Hyde was turning him into something evil. With his evil influence gone Dr.Jekyll can be himself; a good man.”It turns me to think of this creature stealing like a thief to harry’s bedside; poor harry what a wakening!” (18 Stevenson)This quote shows that everyone had a bad feeling about Mr.Hyde, Utterson knew that Hyde was bad, and evil. Utterson hated to see his oldest friend Dr.jekyll get his life ruined by a a thief and and

Even though he knew it could lead to his arrest, Hyde brutally murdered a highly regarded man. He could not look past the evil temptation, and so it overtook his better judgment. Jekyll acknowledges these horrible acts committed by Hyde, but they do not seem to impact him. Because Jekyll has not performed the actions, he does not feel guilty; however, he eventually realizes Hyde’s true malevolence. By this time, it is already too late. Hyde already has too much control over Jekyll, and he understands he must give up: “And indeed the doom that is closing on us both, has already changed and crushed him. Half an hour from now, […] I shall again and forever reindue that hated personality […] I am careless; this is my true hour of death, and what is to follow concerns another than myself. Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to and end” (Stevenson 70). He realizes that Hyde has become dominant, and that his inner evil cannot be suppressed. Accepting this as fact finally ends Jekyll’s struggle with suppression and

Using the central characters and the key theme of the duplicity of mankind Robert Louis Stevenson strategically uncovers the broad theme of good and evil in the book. By the use of the character Dr. Jekyll, the author is able to symbolize “good”. Mr. Utterson who is a lawyer based in London, also an old friend of Dr. Jekyll, has the quality of being loyal to his friends and also concerned about Dr. Jekyll. With this loyalty, he asks him about his pal Mr. Hyde whom he had left his luggage in his will (Cresser N.P). "You know I never approved of it," said the doctor. Mr. Utterson believes that the doctor bed them by lies possession to a man whom he meet but rather than being annoyed. Dr. Jekyll he shows concern like a true loyal friend would have, from Mr.

In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jekyll is battling good and evil throughout the entire novel. The author takes us on a journey to discover the conflict and work through the resolution. In the Cherokee story, the grandpa is similarly explaining good and evil to his grandson. Everyone has a constant battle of good and evil inside of them, and the only way for good to win is for it to be pursued. For example, in chapter 10, Jekyll talks about his dual sides and says “I was in no sense a hypocrite; both sides of me were in dead earnest; I was no more myself when I laid aside restraint and plunged in shame, than when I laboured, in the eye of day, at the furtherance of knowledge or the relief of sorrow

Being a purveyor of the law, he is in the position to oversee many "downgoing men" (Stevenson 1) and functions as an inspirational example of the refinement attributed to the upper class of which he is a member.  However, Mr. Utterson is troubled when Dr. Jekyll, also a member of the upper class, wills his property to a then-unknown Mr. Hyde.  He is "offended ...both as a lawyer and as a lover of the sane and customary sides of life, to whom the fanciful is immodest" (6).  Utterson does not, however, pry into the affair until the inheritor is described as monstrous.  This further demonstrates his sense of social obligation.  Before hearing the story that Mr. Hyde trampled a young girl, Utterson is able to restrain his first impression of Dr. Jekyll's decree; but upon hearing the reputable account, he can no longer ignore his sense of social and moral obligation to make things right.  Utterson suspects that blackmail is the reason for the atypical will, and whether for the purpose of legitimizing the monstrous story or having a primary account of Mr. Hyde, he seeks out this character before confronting his client, Dr. Jekyll.

Lanyon’s description of Hyde is that he is something abnormal. Everyone gets a sense of unease upon seeing him. He seems so unnatural and like the creature in Frankenstein, he cannot fit into the society. By this creation of a counterpart, the unacceptable Hyde, he allows him be a part of the society. Hyde cannot be accepted as a human being, so Jekyll betrays his community. The consequences are devastating. Jekyll becomes isolated with his counterpart and he is unable to rid himself of Hyde. Much like Victor Frankenstein, Jekyll pays with his

a wooden door on a wall with no windows, and is revealed to lead to

Utterson and although he did not undergo much of an alteration in traits and qualities, he still played a noticeable role in the story so he is worth to be analyzed a bit. In the first paragraph of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Mr. Utterson was described as an introvert and very unsocial character, quite ironic considering the fact that he is a lawyer. The only time his attorney-like qualities showed through was when he was amazed by the peculiarity of the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (This may have just been a mandatory case he had to take, though, because Dr. Jekyll was his client.) Nonetheless, there were a multitude of occurrences of when Mr. Utterson just would not let go of the subject, even when told repeatedly by his one, and only, friend Mr. Enfield to get rid of the subject matter. He kept this detective-like investigation and trait throughout the novel, though, so it is worth being noted. Overall, Mr. Utterson kept a consistent and clear approach to the plot and helped, in a sense, guide the reader through the turn of events that took

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story about a scientist, Dr. Jekyll, and a low-life, Mr. Hyde. The story starts with the lawyer, Mr. Utterson, talking with Mr. Enfield, who describes seeing a mean figure trampling a child. This figure, to avoid conflict signs a cheque, but signs it in the name of Dr. Jekyll. Mr. Utterson, than searches for Mr. Hyde after reading Dr. Jekyll’s will, which he is in charge of. The will gives Mr. Hyde all of Jekyll’s possessions, upon the death or disappearance of Dr. Jekyll. After a brief conversation with Hyde, Mr. Utterson attempts to speak with Dr. Jekyll, which takes a while, as he is not home. Mr. Utterson tries to convince Dr. Jekyll to give up this Hyde character. Later, Mr. Hyde murders Mr. Carew. Mr. Utterson receives a note from Jekyll, and his signature matches Hydes. Dr. Lanyon dies and gives a letter describing how he discovered Dr. Jekyll is Mr. Hyde, then after Jekyll’s disappearance he finds a letter from Jekyll describing how and why he became Hyde, which ends the story.

Hyde’s evil plainly on his face. The girl could have screamed for the mere sight of him. To resolve this issue, he brings a check on Jekyll’s name which arises suspicion about his character among the villagers. Mr. Utterson, Jekyll’s lawyer, knows that all of his wealth is to be inherited by Hyde, which makes Utterson more curious about Hyde. Hyde’s crime does not bother Jekyll at first but his continuous misdeeds slowly gets Jekyll worried.