Utterson's Investigation

Mr. Utterson's methodical quest to uncover the truth behind his friend Dr. Jekyll's strange connection to the sinister Mr. Hyde.

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The Will Revealed

The Will Revealed A Lawyer's Unease Mr. Utterson, a man of austere habits and deep loyalty, returns home from his Sunday walk with Mr. Richard Enfield troubled by Enfield's tale of a door and a man named Hyde. He retrieves the will of his friend Henry Jekyll, a document that has long been an eyesore. The will leaves everything to Edward Hyde, and includes a strange clause about disappearance. Utterson, reading it by candlelight, feels a growing dread. The Weight of Knowledge He reflects that ignorance of Hyde had fueled his indignation, but now knowledge of the man's detestable attributes makes it worse. He fears disgrace rather than madness. The lawyer decides to consult Dr. Hastie Lanyon, another old friend, hoping for insight. A Night of Restlessness Utterson tosses in his bed, his imagination haunted by the figure of Hyde trampling a child, and later standing by Jekyll's bedside. He resolves to see Hyde himself, believing that a face might unravel the mystery.

Confrontation with Hyde

Confrontation with Hyde A Stakeout in the By-Street Mr. Utterson begins to haunt the by-street door, determined to encounter the mysterious Mr. Hyde. After many nights, he finally sees Hyde approach, small and plainly dressed, radiating an inexplicable repulsion. Utterson steps out and introduces himself, but Hyde is hostile and evasive. The Face of Evil When Utterson demands to see his face, Hyde complies with a defiant stare. The lawyer perceives a pale, dwarfish figure with a displeasing smile and a murderous blend of timidity and boldness. He feels a loathing beyond reason, and later struggles to articulate the deformity that seems to emanate from Hyde's soul. A Sinister Exchange Hyde gives his Soho address, and Utterson mentions Jekyll, which provokes an angry flush. Hyde snarls and disappears into the door. Utterson is left with a profound sense of evil, seeing Satan's signature on Hyde's face, and fears for his friend Harry Jekyll.

Consulting Lanyon

Consulting Lanyon A Visit to Cavendish Square Mr. Utterson goes to see Dr. Hastie Lanyon, hoping for information about Hyde. Lanyon, a hearty and boisterous man, greets him warmly but reveals that he and Jekyll have grown apart over scientific disagreements. He calls Jekyll's ideas 'unscientific balderdash'. A Dead End Lanyon has never heard of Hyde. The lawyer leaves with no new facts, but his fears are confirmed: Jekyll's strange behavior has alienated him from his oldest friend. Utterson's mind is tormented by images of Hyde controlling Jekyll. The Growing Mystery Back home, Utterson tosses through the night, his imagination constructing scenes of Hyde's power over Jekyll. He becomes obsessed with seeing Hyde, believing that the face will solve the puzzle.

The Letter and the Handwriting

The Letter and the Handwriting A Suspect Letter After the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, Mr. Utterson visits Dr. Jekyll, who is deathly ill. Jekyll gives him a letter from Hyde, claiming it shows he is safe. Utterson takes it, but his suspicions are aroused when he learns it was delivered by hand, not post. Handwriting Analysis Later, Utterson shows the letter to his head clerk, Mr. Guest, a handwriting expert. Guest compares it with a note from Jekyll and discovers that the two hands are nearly identical, only differently sloped. The implication is that Jekyll forged the letter for Hyde. A Chilling Realization Utterson locks the note in his safe, his blood running cold. He now suspects that Henry Jekyll is forging for a murderer, deepening the mystery and his fear for his friend's fate.

Lanyon's Death and the Sealed Envelope

Lanyon's Death and the Sealed Envelope A Fatal Shock Dr. Hastie Lanyon takes to his bed and dies within a fortnight. His appearance has changed dramatically, marked by terror. Before his death, he gives Mr. Utterson a sealed envelope with instructions that it is only to be opened after Jekyll's death or disappearance. The Weight of Secrecy Utterson is haunted by the envelope, which echoes the strange disappearance clause in Jekyll's will. Professional honor prevents him from opening it, but his curiosity and fear grow. He finds himself avoiding Jekyll, preferring to speak with Poole on the doorstep. A Friend's Decline The lawyer becomes used to reports of Jekyll's seclusion. He visits less often, waiting for the inevitable revelation. The mystery now has a second document that promises to explain everything, but only at the cost of his friend's life.

The Last Night and the Break-In

The Last Night and the Break-In Poole's Desperate Visit Poole, Jekyll's butler, arrives at Utterson's house in a state of terror. He reports that something is wrong in the cabinet: the voice is changed, the figure is masked, and the doctor has been ordering strange drugs. Utterson agrees to go. The Siege of the Cabinet They cross the dark, windy square to the laboratory. The servants are huddled in fear. Poole and Utterson take an axe and a poker, and after listening to the pacing footsteps, they demand entry. A voice from inside cries for mercy, but it is Hyde's voice, not Jekyll's. The Door Falls They break down the door to find the body of Edward Hyde, still twitching, dressed in Jekyll's oversized clothes, a crushed phial in his hand. The room is orderly, but Jekyll is nowhere to be found. Utterson and Poole search the building in vain.

Reading the Confessions

Reading the Confessions The Envelope of Truth Back in his office, Mr. Utterson opens the two narratives: first Lanyon's account, then Jekyll's full statement. He reads in horror how Jekyll's experiments led to the creation of Hyde, how Hyde murdered Carew, and how Jekyll's control slipped until he was trapped in Hyde's body. The Final Revelation Utterson learns that Jekyll's last act was to write this confession, using the last of the pure salt. He understands that the body in the cabinet is Hyde, who committed suicide, and that Jekyll's fate is sealed. The mystery is solved, but at a terrible cost. A Lawyer's Burden Utterson now carries the weight of this knowledge. He must decide how to protect Jekyll's reputation. The documents confirm the profound duality of man, and the tragedy of a life torn apart by the attempt to separate good from evil.

early in the story, after the Sunday walk

a few days after the will is studied

after the confrontation with Hyde

after the Carew murder case

a few weeks after the Carew murder

a night in March, after weeks of Jekyll's seclusion

immediately after the break-in, later that night