Portrail of Mr Hyde

PORTRAIL OF HYDE
Stevenson makes sure the reader knows what a disturbed character Hyde is. He does this by using some horrific phrases in which to describe Hyde’s appearance and actions.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was written in the 19th century. Around this time there were a lot of scientific advances. At the time people where still thinking about the book by Darwin, ‘’Origin of Species’’. This said that humans had originally come from apes. Stevenson portrays Hyde’s character is through his appearance. He is described as ‘Some Damned Juggernaut ‘, as well as ‘not like man’. This puts across a large sense of deformity in his figure and posture. Just from the word damned we the reader will think that he is evil and malicious. The term ‘juggernaut’ makes the reader see him as overpowering and destructive.
Stevenson continues to describe Hyde like he is an ape. ‘’ In an ape like fury’’ ‘’Hairy Hands’’ are examples of this. There is also “hissing intake of breath” making him sound like a snake. From this the reader thinks that he is so different in figure and appearance than any other normal person. Stevenson also says Hyde is hardly human again relating to evolution. Stevenson can show the disturbing character by relating it to current affairs in the real world making the reader have a closer connection to the ideas of Hyde’s character.

Stevenson continues to present Hyde as a disturbing character using the surroundings. An example of this is the back door to Jekyll’s home; it is a good reflection of the personality and appearance of Hyde. ‘Shabby and dilapidated‘. This is related to Hyde’s description of ‘deformed and evil ‘. This is a very powerful effect used by Stevenson to show the disturbing character of Hyde.

In the beginning of the story when Jekyll has relative control over Hyde his windows in his home are described as ‘Always shut and clean’. This is a reflection of Jekyll and shows how organised and civilised he is in the beginning and that his hold onto reality is quite tight. However as the story progresses and Jekyll’s grip on Hyde begins to weaken the windows are described as ‘Dusty and barred with iron ‘. The dusty description shows how he is starting to lose his grip over normality. Everything which was once new in the past is starting to be covered over and gather dust suggesting he has moved on from what he once was. The iron bars suggest a secretive sort of character which is evident in the story, as he begins to lock himself in his cabinet more often and be concealed from his friends and servants. He is described as “raging and freezing” showing a bad mental state. He is described as “deformity of that creature” and “phenomena of consciousness.” This shows he is in a bad physical state as well.