Secrecy and Hypocrisy

The theme of the double life, exploring the hypocrisy of Victorian society and the cost of keeping secrets.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Double Life Begins

The Double Life Begins A Public Façade Jekyll maintains a public image of respectability while secretly indulging in pleasures. He is a double-dealer, but not a hypocrite, as both sides are earnest. The secrecy is a burden. The Use of Hyde He uses the transformation to separate his double life. Hyde becomes the outlet for his secret desires. The secrecy is now a physical reality. The First Crack The first time he wakes as Hyde without the drug, the secrecy is threatened. He must hide the truth from his servants. The cost of secrecy is increasing.

The Web of Lies

The Web of Lies Deceiving Friends Jekyll lies to Utterson and Lanyon. He forges a letter to protect Hyde. The secrecy forces him to deceive those he loves. The Public Pretense He continues to appear in public as a charitable and religious man. The hypocrisy is deepened. He is living a lie. The Collapse of the Façade As the pressure mounts, the secrecy becomes unsustainable. The window incident and the last night reveal the truth. The cost of hypocrisy is exposure.

The Truth Revealed

The Truth Revealed The Documents Exposed The confessions reveal the full truth. The secrecy is over. The hypocrisy is exposed, but only to a few. The Cost of Secrecy Jekyll's secrecy has cost him his friends, his reputation, and his life. The novel suggests that secrets are destructive. The Critique of Society The novel critiques Victorian society's insistence on public respectability. The pressure to maintain a façade leads to hypocrisy and tragedy. The theme is that secrecy and hypocrisy are dangerous.

early in Jekyll's life

after the murder of Carew

the end of the novel