Jekyll and Hyde

Jekyll and Hyde chapters

titled “The Story of the Door,” introduces Mr Utterson, a respectable lawyer, and his friend Mr Enfield. While walking together, Enfield tells Utterson about a disturbing incident he once witnessed. He saw a small, cruel-looking man trample over a young girl in the street. When confronted, the man showed no remorse and agreed to pay compensation to avoid a scandal.

The payment was made using a cheque signed by Dr Henry Jekyll, a well-known and respectable man. This worried Enfield and Utterson because the violent man, whose name is Edward Hyde, appeared to have some control over Jekyll. Hyde used a key to enter a mysterious door connected to Jekyll’s house, which made Utterson suspect blackmail or wrongdoing.

Chapter 1

titled “Search for Mr Hyde,” focuses on Mr Utterson’s growing concern about the connection between Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. After hearing Enfield’s story, Utterson reads Dr Jekyll’s will and is disturbed to see that Hyde is named as the main beneficiary. This increases Utterson’s fear that Hyde may be blackmailing or threatening Jekyll.

Utterson begins to obsess over Hyde, imagining him as a dangerous and evil figure. He even has nightmares about Hyde harming Jekyll. Determined to uncover the truth, Utterson starts watching the mysterious door until he finally encounters Hyde. When they speak, Hyde appears physically repulsive and unsettling, though Utterson cannot explain exactly why.

Hyde shows Utterson the key to the door and confirms that he has access to Jekyll’s property. Utterson later visits Dr Jekyll, who insists that he is fine and claims he can get rid of Hyde whenever he chooses. Despite this reassurance, Utterson remains uneasy. The chapter deepens the mystery and tension, highlighting themes of fear, secrecy, and the hidden evil within individuals.

 

Chapter 2

titled “Dr Jekyll Was Quite at Ease,” takes place at a dinner party hosted by Dr Jekyll. Mr Utterson raises his concerns about Mr Hyde and mentions that people are worried about Jekyll’s association with him. Jekyll reacts calmly but firmly, reassuring Utterson that he knows Hyde very well and can choose to end their connection whenever he wishes.

Dr Jekyll asks Utterson to respect his wishes and promises that nothing harmful will come of the situation. He insists that Hyde has a legal claim in his will and that Utterson must carry out his duties if anything happens to him. Although Jekyll appears relaxed and confident, his refusal to explain his relationship with Hyde leaves Utterson uneasy.

The chapter reinforces the theme of secrecy and increases the mystery surrounding Hyde, while also suggesting that Jekyll believes he is in control—an idea that later proves to be dangerously false.

Chapter 3

titled “The Carew Murder Case,” describes the brutal murder of Sir Danvers Carew, a well-respected Member of Parliament. A maid witnesses the crime from her window and recognises the attacker as Mr Hyde. Hyde beats Carew to death with a heavy cane in an unprovoked and extremely violent attack.

The police are led to Hyde after the maid provides his description and identifies the broken cane as one previously owned by Dr Jekyll, increasing suspicion of a connection between the two men. When the police search Hyde’s lodgings in Soho, they find them abandoned, showing that Hyde has fled.

This chapter is important because it shows Hyde’s pure violence and lack of conscience, confirming him as dangerous and evil. It also increases the tension and mystery surrounding Dr Jekyll, as the evidence further links him to Hyde and suggests that Jekyll may be protecting or connected to a murderer.

Chapter 4

titled “Incident of the Letter,” takes place after the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. Mr Utterson visits Dr Jekyll, who appears relieved and claims that he has ended his relationship with Mr Hyde forever. Jekyll says Hyde has disappeared and insists that he will no longer be involved with him.

Jekyll shows Utterson a letter supposedly written by Hyde, apologising for his actions and explaining that he will not return. Utterson asks his clerk, Mr Guest, to examine the handwriting. Guest discovers that Hyde’s handwriting is almost identical to Jekyll’s, only slanted differently. This deepens Utterson’s suspicion that Jekyll and Hyde are closely connected.

The chapter reinforces the theme of duality and suggests that Jekyll may not be as innocent as he claims. It builds tension by providing evidence that links Jekyll and Hyde more directly, while still keeping the truth hidden from the reader.

Chapter 5

titled “Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon,” describes the worsening consequences of Hyde’s actions. After the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, Dr Jekyll becomes ill and deeply depressed. He isolates himself from friends, refusing visitors and letters, which worries Mr Utterson.

Dr Lanyon, one of Jekyll’s closest friends, also becomes seriously ill after experiencing a shocking event connected to Jekyll. Before his death, Lanyon writes a letter to Utterson, instructing him not to open it until after Jekyll’s death or disappearance. This increases the mystery surrounding Jekyll.

Utterson visits Jekyll, who appears physically altered, nervous, and fearful. Jekyll insists that he has ended his relationship with Hyde forever, but his behaviour suggests otherwise. The chapter builds tension by showing the physical and mental decline of both Jekyll and Lanyon, hinting that Jekyll’s secret has had devastating consequences and is close to being revealed.

Chapter 6

titled “Incident at the Window,” features Mr Utterson and Mr Enfield walking past Dr Jekyll’s house. They see Dr Jekyll sitting at a window, looking pale and unwell. Jekyll speaks briefly with them and appears friendly but uneasy.

Suddenly, Jekyll’s expression changes to one of terror and despair, and he abruptly shuts the window, cutting off the conversation. Utterson and Enfield are shocked by what they have witnessed and leave in silence, deeply disturbed.

This chapter highlights Jekyll’s loss of control, his isolation, and the growing dominance of Hyde. It reinforces the theme of duality, showing the frightening transformation beginning to take hold, and increases the sense of mystery and tension in the novel.

Chapter 7

titled “The Last Night,” is a tense and dramatic turning point in the novel. Mr Utterson and Dr Lanyon are urgently summoned to Dr Jekyll’s house by the butler, Poole, who fears something is seriously wrong. Jekyll has locked himself in his laboratory for days, refusing to come out, and his voice now sounds strange and unlike Jekyll’s.

Utterson and Poole break down the laboratory door and discover Mr Hyde inside, lying dead with poison beside him. Dr Jekyll has disappeared. Hyde is still wearing Jekyll’s clothes, suggesting a disturbing connection between the two men. The laboratory is in chaos, showing signs of frantic experiments.

They find a letter from Dr Jekyll addressed to Utterson, promising an explanation of recent events. The chapter builds suspense and horror, confirming that Hyde and Jekyll are closely linked and preparing the reader for the final revelations about their true relationship.

Chapter 8

titled “Dr Lanyon’s Narrative,” reveals crucial information about the mystery of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. After Dr Lanyon’s death, Mr Utterson reads a letter written by Lanyon, which explains the shocking events that destroyed his health.

In the letter, Lanyon describes how he received a strange request from Dr Jekyll, asking him to retrieve a drawer of chemicals and a notebook from Jekyll’s laboratory and give them to a man who would come to collect them. That man turned out to be Mr Hyde. Lanyon is deeply disturbed by Hyde’s appearance and behaviour.

Hyde mixes the chemicals, drinks the potion, and transforms into Dr Jekyll in front of Lanyon’s eyes. This supernatural transformation completely shatters Lanyon’s scientific beliefs and explains his sudden decline and death. The chapter confirms that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person, providing a turning point in the novel by revealing the truth behind Jekyll’s secret experiments.

 

Chapter 9

titled “Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case,” reveals the truth behind the mystery of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In this final chapter, Dr Jekyll explains in a written confession how he created Mr Hyde.

Jekyll describes his lifelong belief that every human being has a dual nature, made up of good and evil. Wanting to separate these two sides, he developed a scientific potion that transformed him into Mr Hyde, a person who embodied his darker impulses. As Hyde, Jekyll felt free to act without guilt or concern for social reputation.

Over time, Hyde became stronger and more violent, eventually committing the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. Jekyll tried to abandon Hyde and live morally, but he began to transform into Hyde without the potion, showing he was losing control. When the supply of a crucial ingredient ran out and could not be replaced, Jekyll realised he was trapped.

The chapter ends with Jekyll accepting responsibility for Hyde’s actions and acknowledging that his experiment led to his destruction. This confession reinforces the novel’s central themes of dual identity, science versus morality, and the dangers of trying to control human nature.

Chapter 10