HENRY JEKYLL’S
FULL STATEMENT
OF THE CASE
By Vivienne, Eilidh & Samantha
CHAPTER SUMMARY
In this chapter, Mr Utterson reads a confessional style letter left in the
laboratory by Dr Jekyll. Within the letter, Dr Jekyll explains how Mr
Hyde came about and fills in most of the blanks left by the other people
telling the story. He explains about the duality of his character, the
pleasure he got from being Mr Hyde, and how he went about keeping his
two characters secret from everyone. Jekyll then describes his reason for
the letter, how Hyde had started to take over him and how he started to
change into Hyde involuntarily.
Although Jekyll could stay as himself if he continually took the
potion, eventually he ran out of his potion. However, when he tried
to make up another draft, he discovered that the new one did not have
an impurity that the previous one did. Therefore there was nothing he
could now do to stop himself from being Hyde permanently. Because
of this he decided that the only thing he could do was to end his own
life before Hyde took over forever, hoping it would end Hyde’s life as
well. The chapter and the book ends with the end of Dr Jekyll’s letter.
You can only assume that Dr Jekyll killed himself before Hyde took
over, but you don’t know whether Mr Hyde lives on or if he died
along with Dr Jekyll.
ANALYSIS OF NARRATIVE
STRUCTURE
 In the form of a letter, from Dr
Jekyll to Mr Utterson.
 Like a suicide note for Dr Jekyll, and
he hopes for Mr Hyde too.
 This is probably the most reliable of
the chapters in the book, as it is told
from the point of view of Dr Jekyll
himself.
 His letter is very unsure as well, like
 There is a lot of fact and explanation even he doesn’t know about what was
to the letter, almost like it summarises
the whole novella into one chapter.
going, “I think I was glad to know it; I
think I was glad to have my better
impulses”.
ANALYSIS OF
CHARACTERISATION
 It starts off describing how his early
 The temptation of his discovery
life style choices would lead to him
overcame any scruples about how
leading a double life – He acted in a grave
dangerous it was.
way but had “an impatient gaiety’’ which
 The potion actually altered his
he hid. He was almost ashamed of some
appearance– His bad side “Much less
of his characteristics.
exercised and much less exhausted.”.
 He was aware he led a double life –
Hyde is smaller, slighter and younger.
had aspirations to do well but also enjoyed  All people are both good and evil,
the racy side of life. He recognised both
only Hyde is pure evil and represents the
as being equally him.
suppressed part of Jekyll’s nature.
 He gave up for two months but he
 Developing different characters :didn’t get rid of the house in Soho
or the clothes of Hyde, he kept it
• Old Henry Jekyll –Both good & evil
in reserve, and he gave into
temptation.
•
New Edward Hyde – Pure evil
 Hyde starts to take over Jekyll as time
goes on, thus becoming more and
more powerful.
 BUT the evil side of Jekyll rose
again, unbidden. Stevenson was
trying to show how hard it is to
repress the evil in us. Temptation
is always there.
 As Hyde is exercised more, Jekyll
becomes worried that the balance of
 Two characters end up hating each
his nature might also be affected
other. Jekyll hated Hyde and saw
permanently.
him as a bad thing - resents his
love of life. Hyde hated Jekyll’s
weakness.
ANALYSIS OF THEME
 At the start of this chapter the theme of enlightenment is slightly unclear to
the reader as the introduction is vague and does not give clear indication to
the topic of the mixture or the transformation that takes place. This vague
opening also creates a theme of mystery as you are reading it wondering how
it will describe, and fill in the missing links within, the experience Dr Jekyll
goes through when he changes to Mr Hyde.
 This chapter is presented in the form of Dr Jekyll writing to Mr Utterson
in a letter. The content of the letter creates a theme of enlightenment as it
tells Mr Utterson the real story of the relationship between Dr Jekyll and
his second personality, Mr Hyde.
 The content of this letter also helps explain the actions of Mr Hyde as it
tells how he is the pure evil side from Dr Jekyll’s personality, and that the
original, admired attributes from Dr Jekyll’s personality were void from
that of Edward Hyde, which meant that Dr Jekyll could not control what
acts Hyde committed.