Scientific Morality and Hidden Corruption
When Dr Lanyon dismisses Jekyll's work as "such unscientific balderdash," he's not just being rude - he's highlighting the moral boundaries of Victorian science. Lanyon represents traditional, ethical scientific practice, making him a perfect foil to Jekyll's darker experiments.
The phrase hints at something supernatural lurking beneath Jekyll's respectable surface. Victorian society was obsessed with scientific progress, but many feared that scientists were "playing God" and crossing dangerous moral lines.
Jekyll appears to embody "every mark of capacity and kindness," presenting himself as the perfect Victorian gentleman. However, this carefully crafted image masks his suppressed desires and darker impulses that he desperately tries to hide from society.
Remember: The contrast between characters like Jekyll and Lanyon helps Stevenson explore the tension between scientific progress and moral responsibility in Victorian England.
