Jekyll & Hyde Plot Summary

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Chapter 1: Story of The Door

  • Mr Utterson and his close friend Mr Enfield go out walking down a London street, where they discover a peculiar-looking door. 
  • Mr Enfield tells his story surrounding this door about Mr Hyde (who they didn't know the name of at this point).
  • He talks about how Hyde trampled a little girl. It occurred on the street corner and was confronted by the family, Enfield and a doctor.
  • Enfield asks for £100 from Hyde and he enters the door to get it.
  • He comes out with the cheque, which is signed by Dr Jekyll, another of their close friends.
  • Enfield belives this has been forged, leaving him to ask himself a million questions.
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Chapter 2: Search for Mr Hyde

  • After his conversation with Enfield, Utterson goes home and studies the will of Dr Jekyll.
    • It states that in the event of Dr Jekyll's death or disapperance, everything of his goes to Mr Hyde.
  • This troubles Utterson as he knows what Mr Hyde is like so he visits Dr Lanyon.
    • Dr Lanyon disregards Dr Jekyll, saying that his science is a waste of time.
  • During the night after, Utterson has nightmares that include a story similiar to the one that Enfield told him.
  • Later, Utterson visits the run-down house and meets Hyde, naming himself as a friend of Jekyll.
    • Utterson is disgusted by Hyde, but he is unsure what makes him feel that way.
  • After this, Utterson visits Jekyll and we discover that the run-down building is attached to Jekyll's laboratory.
  • Everythibng that happens here causes Utterson to assume that Jekyll is being blackmailed by Hyde.
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Chapter 3: Dr Jekyll Was Quite At Ease

  • Two weeks after this, Jekyll throws a dinner party, which Utterson attends.
  • Utterson stays late so he can discuss with Jekyll about the will, which he jokes about but turns pale when Utterson mentions Hyde.
  • Jekyll explains how amazing Hyde is and emphasises his desire to work with Hyde.
  • He makes Utterson promise that he will carry out the will, when necessary. 
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Chapter 4: The Carew Murder Case

  • Mr Hyde and a polite, aged gentleman meet in the street.
  • The gentleman offers a greeting but Hyde begins to beat him with a stick, eventually beating the gentleman to death.
  • On Carew's body, they find a letter addressed to Utterson.
    • Utterson is summoned by the police.
  • Utteron takes the police to Hyde's house.
    • At the house, the police are let in and they dicover the other half of the murder weapon but Hyde is not home.
  • The police decide to wait for him to withdraw some money after they dicover his burnt chequebook and that his account was used recently.
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Chapter 5: Incident of the Letter

  • Utterson visits Jekyll, who is found in his laboratory deathly ill.
  • Jekyll claims that his relationship with Hyde has ended and claims that the police will never find him.
  • Jekyll shows Utterson a letter from Hyde saying that he fells he isn't worthy of Jekyll's generosity.
  • They discuss Jekyll's will and Utterson discovers that Hyde dictated it.
  • However, Poole says he hasn't seen any letters arrive other than the usual.
  • Later that night, Utterson consults Mr Guest and he discovers that Hyde's & Jekyll's handwriting appears to be the same.
    • This causes Utterson to assume that Jekyll has forged a letter for a murderer.
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Chapter 6: Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon

  • As Hyde doesn't reappear for a long time, Jekyll becomes more healthy and back to his usual self.
  • Jekyll holds a dinner party, which Utterson & Lanyon attend.
    • However, a few days later, Poole turns Utterson away, saying that Dr Jekyll is not accepting any visitors. This occurs for a week.
  • Utterson visits Lanyon to see if he knows why. He is found in poor health (very pale and sickly-looking).
    • Lanyon explains that he has had quite the shock and expects to die in a few weeks. However, he also demands that they DO NOT talk about Jekyll.
  • After, Utterson writes to Jekyll about Lanyon.
    • Utterson recieves a written reply from Jekyll explaining that he still cares for Lanyon but he understands why he doesn't want to speak to him and explains that he will be secluded from now on.
  • Lanyon dies a few weeks later and Utterson reads the letter from Lanyon that he insisted was read after his death.
    • Inside, there is another envelope that says it should only be opened when Jekyll has also died.
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Chapter 7: Incident at the Window

  • Utterson and Enfield go on their usual Sunday stroll. 
    • As they pass the run-down laboratory, Enfield discusses the murder case.
  • Utterson and Enfield are concerned for Jekyll's health so they both stop to peer in the windows.
    • They both find Jekyll in the window, complaining that he feels low. 
  • Utterson suggests he joins them for a walk but Jekyll refuses.
  • After a while of polite conversation, a look of terror appears on Jekyll's face and he shuts the windows.
  • Both men leave in shock.
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Chapter 8: The Last Night

  • Poole visits Utterson one evening, agitated.
    • He says that he believes there has been foul play so he takes Utterson to Jekyll's home.
  • When he arrives, the servants are gathered in the main hall and Poole takes Utterson to the laboratory. They call in but a voice unlike Jekyll's replies, saying he can't have any visitors.
  • Utterson considers the murder of Jekyll.
  • Poole says that the voice has consistently sent him on errands for particular chemicals.
  • Poole says that the man inside is nothing like Jekyll. 
    • Utterson suggests that Jekyll may have acquired a physically-deforming disease.
  • Utterson demands admittance, causing the voice to reply asking for mercy and isolation.
  • Poole & Utterson enter the laboratory by breaking down the door.
    • They find Hyde's body on the floor with a crushed vial, which allowed the men to assume that Hyde had poisoned himself.
  • After searching for a sign of Jekyll, they find a letter addressed to Utterson.
    •  3 Items: the will (Utterson instead of Hyde); a note (telling him to read Lanyon's letter) and a sealed packet.
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Chapter 9: Dr Lanyon's Narrative

  • After Jekyll's last dinner party, Lanyon recieved a strange letter from him.
    • The letter told Lanyon to break into a cabinet in Jekyll's home and take a specific drawer to his house. A man would come at midnight.
  • Lanyon followed the instructions and waited for this man to arrive.
  • At precisely midnight, Mr Hyde arrived at Dr Lanyon's home. 
    • Hyde was only interested in the drawer's contents.
    • Hyde mixed these ingredients to make a liquid that was purple then green.
  • Hyde asked Lanyon whether he should take home his concoction or drink it there.
    • Lanyon declared that he wished to see the end of it so Hyde drank the concoction.
  • Lanyon watched the transformation and discovered that where Hyde once stood was now Dr Henry Jekyll.
  • Jekyll told Lanyon that what he saw was too shocking to repeat and that he would soon die due to the horror.
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Chapter 10: Henry Jekyll's Full Statement of the C

  • The chapter is the letter that Jekyll leaves for Utterson.
  • He talks about his large inheritance at birth and how he had to maintain his reputation as a respectable gentleman.
  • He found himself leading a dual-life to hide his indecent side, which he later studied as a scientist.
  • After a lot of research, he discovered a chemical solution that allowed him to lead this.
  • Hyde's height represented Jekyll's evil side alone, which had been repressed.
  • Jekyll felt that he was too old to act on his desires but Hyde was not.
  • Jekyll did not feel any guilt for Hyde's wrongdoing, but he did try to correct it.
  • Two months before the murder of Carew, Jekyll became concerned as he started to involuntarily turn into Hyde.
    • He went back to being Jekyll alone for a few months but soon caved and took the potion again.
  • After the murder, Jekyll couldn't allow himself to become Hyde again, which was why he appeared to be healthier and happier.
  • His episode with Lanyon occurred a while after Carew's murder but he had to take double doses every six hours to stay as Jekyll.
  • After a while, Hyde grew too strong, forcing Jekyll to commit suicide.
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