Key Themes in Jekyll and Hyde

Violence dominates Hyde's character and shocks readers through two major incidents. The trampling of the little girl in Chapter 1 foreshadows the brutal murder of Sir Danvers Carew in Chapter 4, showing how Hyde's aggression escalates throughout the story.

Stevenson deliberately chooses vulnerable victims - a child representing women and children, and an elderly gentleman worthy of respect. This makes Hyde's violence even more disturbing because he targets those Victorian society saw as needing protection. Hyde shows no remorse, suggesting violence is simply part of his evil nature.

Secrecy and mystery drive the entire plot forward, keeping you guessing until the final revelation. Stevenson uses locked doors, unopened letters, and characters who refuse to share information to build suspense. Utterson spends the whole novel trying to understand Jekyll and Hyde's relationship, theorising about blackmail but never guessing the truth.

The fog that repeatedly appears represents this theme perfectly - it's pathetic fallacy showing how characters (and readers) can't see the truth clearly. This mystery element makes the novel compelling and maintains tension throughout.

Science terrified many Victorians because it challenged religious beliefs and seemed unpredictable. Darwin's evolution theory contradicted the Bible, making people question their faith and fear what science might discover next. Jekyll's experiment would have seemed more believable to original readers than to us today.

Stevenson exploits Victorian fear of the unknown to create genuine horror. When we can't explain something logically, it unsettles us - and Jekyll's transformation was the perfect unexplainable scientific nightmare for Victorian audiences.

💡 Exam Tip: For each theme, memorise two key quotes and practise linking them to specific moments in the novel. This will give you concrete evidence for any essay question.