Jekyll and Hyde Character Quotes

T m i c i c b r o m h 

‘The moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr Hyde”

• Jekyll is painted as a confused character as he previously said he was ‘painfully situated’ 

• ‘Moment I choose’ emphasises his autonomy to Utterson 

• Jekyll has a binary attitude, by juxtaposing good and bad he convinces Utterson he is overstating himself

U i w t h-b p, L, a w h c m s h

“Unless it were that hide-bound pedant, Lanyon, at what he called my scientific heresies” - Dr Henry Jekyll, Chapter 3

• Stevenson contrasts the characters of Lanyon and Jekyll to highlight the contemporary scientific debates of the Victorian period

• ‘Heresy’ relates to the beliefs that new forms of sciences were going against religion

• Stevenson critiques scientific ambition that mocks moral consequences 

E b h l o t b a i o d a d

“Evil beside had left on that body an imprint of deformity and decay” - Dr Henry Jekyll, Chapter 10

• Alliterative ‘deformity and decay’ is macabre, Jekyll summarises that humanities evil side is destructive

• Stevenson still highlights society’s repression of imperfections, as Jekyll suggests that Hyde is natural

U… f g s, h m

“‘Utterson… for God’s sake, have mercy!’” - Mr Edward Hyde, Chapter 8

• Hyde is sympathetic despite his violent rage 

• He speaks blasphemously, suggesting his desperation, but also highlighting how Hyde was created out of a pseudoscience born out of challenging the limits of science and religion

A n p o k a n t f a p s b l o t y, h, i t r, u t i

“A new province of knowledge and new avenues to fame and power shall be laid open to you, here, in this room, upon the instant” - Mr Edward Hyde, Chapter 9

Lanyon says that Jekyll tells him that this new knowledge will bring him power and status

• Stevenson highlights the extreme nature of scientific experiments within society through Jekyll’s obsessiveness 

• Jekyll’s experiments are revolutionary but he hints to how he is motivated by fame and gaining respect within society 

T a g r o y

“That’s a good rule of yours” - Mr Gabriel John Utterson, Chapter 1

• Utterson agrees with Enfield that asking questions of someone is impolite 

• Immediately presents Utterson potential flaws given his curiosity leads him to the case of Jekyll but he may be hindered by his avoidance of questions 

D i e t y t i o s h, a s y f o r

“Did I ever tell you that I once saw him, and shared your feeling of repulsion?” - Mr Gabriel John Utterson, Chapter 7

• Stevenson brings attention to conflicts caused by science and how they have split friendships

• Lanyon sees Jekyll as ‘fanciful’, and he serves as a foil for Jekyll

S d, U, a i a d, y m p c t l t r a w o t

“Some day, Utterson, after I am dead, you may perhaps come to learn the right and wrong of this” - Dr Hastie Lanyon, Chapter 6

• Lanyon conveys doubt over who is right - him or Jekyll?

• His phrasing (‘may’, ‘perhaps’) hints to unresolved tension and a lack of clarity

• His uncertainty of the morality of the new era of sciences mirrors Stevenson’s concerns