Plot summary Flashcards
Chapter 1 - Story of the Door
While out on a stroll in London, Mr Utterson, a lawyer, and his cousin Mr Enfield come across a peculiar door, which turns out to be the entrance to Dr Jekyll’s laboratory
Enfield recounts a tale about the door: he witnessed a young girl being trampled by a man, whom Enfield then pursued
The man proposes to compensate the girl and unlocks the door and reappears with a cheque
Enfield assures Utterson that the man in question used a key to unlock Jekyll’s door
Chapter 2 - Search for Mr Hyde
Concerned by Enfield’s account, Utterson removes a will from his safe which belongs to his friend, Jekyll
The will includes a concerning directive: that all possessions pertaining to Jekyll should be given to Hyde, in the event of Jekyll’s disappearance
Utterson visits Dr Lanyon (an old acquaintance of his and Jekyll’s) who confirms he does not know Hyde and has not seen Jekyll in ten years
Utterson decides to keep watch on the entrance to Jekyll’s laboratory and witnesses Hyde opening the door
Perturbed by Hyde’s wicked presence, Utterson attempts to warn Jekyll though is informed by his servants that he is absent that they have been given orders to obey Hyde
Utterson is concerned that Hyde will murder Jekyll in order to gain access to the will
Chapter 3 - Dr Jekyll was quite at ease
Two weeks later, at a dinner gathering at Jekyll’s house, Utterson questions him about his will
Despite Utterson’s persistence, Jekyll dismisses Utterson’s concerns
Jekyll makes several cryptic allusions to a peculiar bond between himself and Hyde, though he is reluctant to provide any specifics
Jekyll insists the will must be adhered to and attempts to reassure Utterson by proclaiming: “I can get rid of Hyde whenever I choose”
Chapter 4 - The Carew Murder case
One year later, Hyde viciously bludgeons an elderly man and former politician, Sir Danvers Carew, to death in the street, which is witnessed by a maid who recognises Hyde
Utterson recognises the murder weapon (part of a walking cane that he had given previously to Jekyll) and learns that Hyde is the murderer
Utterson directs the police to Hyde’s house though they are informed he has not been there for two months
After a search of the house, the remaining part of the murder weapon is discovered
Chapter 5 - Incident of the letter
Utterson visits Jekyll and upon observing his sickly appearance, he queries Jekyll as to whether he is hiding Hyde
Jekyll insists he will never see Hyde again and shows Utterson a letter from Hyde confirming this
Utterson asks his clerk, Mr Guest, to compare the handwriting on the letter with that of Jekyll’s and uncovers a similarity between the two
Utterson presumes Jekyll forged the letter in order to protect Hyde
Chapter 6 - Remarkable incident of Dr Lanyon
The police are unable to locate Hyde and Jekyll returns to his former social pursuits
All of a sudden, Jekyll demonstrates signs of depressions and refuses to see Utterson
Concerned by Jekyll’s behaviour, Utterson visits Lanyon and discovers Lanyon is seriously ill
Lanyon declines to speak about Jekyll, whom he implies is the root of his ailment
Utterson writes to Jekyll in an effort to learn what has occurred, though receives a response which suggests Jekyll is in a troubling state
Lanyon dies and leaves a letter for Utterson which is marked: “Not to be opened until the death or disappearance of Dr Henry Jekyll”
Utterson complies and places the letter in his safe
Utterson makes several attempts to visit Jekyll but his servant, Poole, claims he is living in isolation
Chapter 7 - Incident at the window
Utterson and Enfield go for a stroll one evening and pass by Jekyll’s house
They see Jekyll at the window and are disturbed by his appearance
Utterson calls out to Jekyll though Jekyll’s expression changes and he is overcome by something
Utterson and Enfield both depart
Chapter 8 - The last night
Utterson receives a visit from Poole, appealing to him to go to Jekyll’s home
Unable to enter the locked laboratory, both men believe they can hear Hyde‘s voice inside
Poole confirms that the voice has been pleading for chemicals to be brought to him and that he had previously seen a figure in the laboratory who barely resembled a human being
Utterson and Poole force their way into the laboratory and discover a body inside, clutching a vial
Jekyll’s will is discovered on the table which leaves everything to Utterson
A package is also discovered which contains Jekyll’s confession and a letter requesting Utterson to read the letter Lanyon left for him
Utterson leaves to read through the letters and assures Poole he will return before midnight
Chapter 9 - Dr Lanyon’s narrative
The contents of Lanyon’s letter are revealed which detail how Lanyon had received instructions from Jekyll for him to collect chemicals and other items from his laboratory
The items were to be given to a visitor who would visit Lanyon at midnight
The visitor appears and offers Lanyon a choice to send him away with his chemicals or to let him stay and witness the result
Lanyon agrees for the man to stay. The man drinks the chemical concoction and transforms into Jekyll
Horrified by what he has witnessed, Lanyon becomes seriously ill
Chapter 10 - Henry Jekyll’s full statement of the case
The contents of Jekyll’s letter are revealed and he details his transformation into Hyde
He admits to having mixed chemicals in order to separate the two sides of his personality
Jekyll describes his fear when he turned into Hyde without his concoction and after the murder of Carew, he battled to keep his identity as Jekyll
Sealing his confession, Jekyll takes one last concoction and awaits his transformation into Hyde
