Chapter 4- The Carew Murder Case

What is revealed about the levels of Victorian society in the first page of this chapter?

• The maid described in the first page of chapter four hint at the levels of stratification between social classes based on both wealth and gender that were prevalent in that society.

How is Hyde described as he kills Sir Danvers Carew? How does this image fit with the other physical descriptions Stevenson has given of Hyde?

• Mr. Hyde was portrayed as a monster when he "violently" killed Sir Danvers Carew. Throughout the book, Hyde's physical  appearance is highly scrutinized and described as being hideous, vulgar, and offensive. Similar to how the death of Sir Danvers Carew's murder was described.

As Utterson takes the police officer to arrest Hyde, Stevenson gives a vivid description of "the dismal quarter of Soho" where Hyde lives. What is the effect of this description on our mood? What is the effect of this description on our understanding of Hyde?

• Through his word choice, he adds connotation to derive a very grim and bleak living style. This helps the reader to understand that Hyde is not the sort of man that is clean or in any way, very respectable.

Why do you think that Utterson feels "a terror of the law and the law's officers?"

• Mr. Utterson doesn't feel a terror toward the law and officers. It is Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll's evil second personality.

Is there any significance in the fact that although Hyde's specific facial features cannot be recognize everyone remembers the sense of deformity he conveyed?

• Yes, this is a major component to the progressing cruelness of Hyde's character, although his facial features are nearly invisible, Stevenson foreshadows Hyde's murder by having other characters see his other deformity- the deformity of his morals and soul.