Utterson–Carew relationship

The Utterson–Carew relationship is defined by its professional character: Sir Danvers Carew was a client of Mr. Utterson, the lawyer. This connection is established only after Carew's death, when Utterson identifies the victim's body at the police station and solemnly states, "I recognise him. I am sorry to say that this is Sir Danvers Carew." The murder, committed by Edward Hyde with a heavy cane, shocks London and places Utterson in a uniquely conflicted position, as he is simultaneously the legal representative of both the murdered man and the man suspected of harboring the murderer, Dr. Henry Jekyll.

The Murder and Its Immediate Aftermath

The murder of Sir Danvers Carew occurs in October, 18—, in a moonlit lane near the river. A maid servant witnesses Hyde, described as "particularly small and particularly wicked-looking," club the elderly gentleman to the ground with "ape-like fury," shattering his bones. The victim's body is found with a purse and gold watch, but no identification except a sealed envelope bearing Utterson's name and address. When the broken cane is presented to Utterson, he recognizes it as one he himself had given to Henry Jekyll many years earlier, instantly confirming Hyde's guilt and deepening the lawyer's dread.

Utterson's Dual Loyalty

Utterson's professional relationship with Carew is immediately overshadowed by his deeper concern for Jekyll. When he visits Jekyll after the murder, he states bluntly, "Carew was my client, but so are you, and I want to know what I am doing." This declaration reveals the lawyer's divided duty: he must balance his obligation to the murdered man with his loyalty to his friend, who is now implicated in the crime. Utterson's primary fear is not merely that justice will be served, but that Jekyll's good name will be "sucked down in the eddy of the scandal." The murder thus transforms Utterson from a passive observer into an active investigator, driven by the need to protect Jekyll while also confronting the horrifying truth about Hyde.

Thematic Significance

The Utterson–Carew relationship, though minimally developed in terms of personal interaction, serves a crucial narrative function. Carew's murder is the event that makes Hyde's evil undeniable and public, forcing Utterson—and the reader—to recognize that the mystery surrounding Jekyll and Hyde is not merely a matter of eccentricity or blackmail, but of life and death. The lawyer's professional bond with the victim underscores the social stakes of the crime: Carew is a respected public figure, and his death represents a breach of the civilized order that Utterson, as a man of law and propriety, is sworn to uphold. The relationship thus highlights the tension between Utterson's personal affection for Jekyll and his professional duty to the murdered man, a conflict that drives the narrative toward its catastrophic conclusion.