Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Chapter 5: Annotated Analysis of 'The Incident of the Letter'

Evangeline

10/18/2025

English Literature

The Incident of the Letter - Annotation

541

•

Oct 18, 2025

•

2 pages

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Chapter 5: Annotated Analysis of 'The Incident of the Letter'

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Evangeline

@evaoladimeji

Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and... Show more

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Incident of the Letter: Part 1

Chapter 5 opens with Mr Utterson visiting Dr Jekyll after the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. This scene reveals crucial insights into the Jekyll-Hyde relationship through carefully crafted dialogue and setting details.

Jekyll's cabinet (private room) establishes an atmosphere of secrecy and containment:

A large room with "dusty windows barred with iron"
Glass cabinets and a business table suggesting Jekyll's professional status
The fog creating a sense of isolation and concealment

When Utterson enters, Jekyll appears "deathly sick" and greets his visitor with a "cold hand," showing his distress following Hyde's violent actions. Their conversation reveals Jekyll's complicated relationship with Hyde:

Jekyll swears he is "done with him in this world"
He claims Hyde is "safe" and "will never more be heard of"
Jekyll displays a "feverish manner" that concerns Utterson

The most significant plot development comes when Jekyll reveals he has received a letter from Hyde. This letter:

Is written in an "odd, upright hand"
Claims Hyde has "means of escape"
Reassures Jekyll he need not fear for Hyde's safety

Key Concept: The duality theme is powerfully presented through Jekyll's contradictory behaviour. While claiming to reject Hyde completely, his "feverish manner" suggests a deeper connection, highlighting the struggle between good and evil within one person.

The letter itself becomes evidence that Utterson evaluates carefully. When Jekyll admits Hyde dictated the terms of his will regarding disappearance, Utterson concludes: "He meant to murder you. You had a fine escape."

Jekyll's response is telling: "I have had what is far more to the purpose... I have had a lesson—O God, Utterson, what a lesson I have had!" This emotional outburst suggests genuine remorse and hints that Jekyll bears more responsibility for Hyde's actions than he admits.

Incident of the Letter: Part 2

As Utterson prepares to leave Jekyll's home, a crucial contradiction emerges that deepens the mystery. When questioning Poole about the letter's delivery, Poole insists that no letter had arrived that day. This discrepancy immediately renews Utterson's suspicions:

The letter must have come through the laboratory door
It may have been written in Jekyll's cabinet
This suggests an even closer connection between Jekyll and Hyde

The gothic atmosphere intensifies as Utterson exits into the fog-filled London streets, where newsboys shout about the "shocking murder of an M.P." This creates a sense of public scandal that threatens Jekyll's reputation.

Seeking advice, Utterson consults his head clerk, Mr Guest, who is an expert in handwriting. Stevenson uses rich imagery to describe their meeting:

They sit by a warm firelight that contrasts with the foggy city outside
London is described as a "drowned city" with lamps like "carbuncles"
The "procession of the town's life" rolls through "great arteries" like a "mighty wind"

This atmospheric description uses pathetic fallacy (where the environment reflects the characters' emotions) to enhance the sense of concealment and moral ambiguity.

The chapter reaches its climax when Guest compares Hyde's letter with Jekyll's handwriting:

Guest notes "a rather singular resemblance" between the hands
They are "in many points identical: only differently sloped"
This revelation shocks Utterson deeply

Key Example: The handwriting comparison is a masterful plot device that provides physical evidence of Jekyll and Hyde's connection. Stevenson uses this subtle clue to hint at their shared identity while maintaining mystery for the reader.

The chapter ends with Utterson's disturbing realization: "Henry Jekyll forge for a murderer!" The final line—"his blood ran cold in his veins"—leaves readers with a sense of dread and foreboding, perfectly capturing the gothic horror element of the novel.

This chapter significantly advances the theme of good versus evil by showing how Jekyll's respectable facade is beginning to crack, revealing the darkness beneath his gentlemanly exterior.

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English Literature

Oct 18, 2025

541

2 pages

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Chapter 5: Annotated Analysis of 'The Incident of the Letter'

Evangeline @evaoladimeji

Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" explores the duality of human nature through a compelling Victorian mystery. Chapter 5, "Incident of the Letter," serves... Show more

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Incident of the Letter Part 1

Jekyll's cabinet (private room) establishes an atmosphere of secrecy and containment

A large room with "dusty windows barred with iron"
Glass cabinets and a business table suggesting Jekyll's professional status
The fog creating a sense of isolation and concealment

Jekyll swears he is "done with him in this world"
He claims Hyde is "safe" and "will never more be heard of"
Jekyll displays a "feverish manner" that concerns Utterson

The most significant plot development comes when Jekyll reveals he has received a letter from Hyde. This letter

Is written in an "odd, upright hand"
Claims Hyde has "means of escape"
Reassures Jekyll he need not fear for Hyde's safety

Key Concept The duality theme is powerfully presented through Jekyll's contradictory behaviour. While claiming to reject Hyde completely, his "feverish manner" suggests a deeper connection, highlighting the struggle between good and evil within one person.

The letter itself becomes evidence that Utterson evaluates carefully. When Jekyll admits Hyde dictated the terms of his will regarding disappearance, Utterson concludes "He meant to murder you. You had a fine escape."

Jekyll's response is telling "I have had what is far more to the purpose... I have had a lesson—O God, Utterson, what a lesson I have had!" This emotional outburst suggests genuine remorse and hints that Jekyll bears more responsibility for Hyde's actions than he admits.

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Incident of the Letter Part 2

The letter must have come through the laboratory door
It may have been written in Jekyll's cabinet
This suggests an even closer connection between Jekyll and Hyde

Seeking advice, Utterson consults his head clerk, Mr Guest, who is an expert in handwriting. Stevenson uses rich imagery to describe their meeting

They sit by a warm firelight that contrasts with the foggy city outside
London is described as a "drowned city" with lamps like "carbuncles"
The "procession of the town's life" rolls through "great arteries" like a "mighty wind"

This atmospheric description uses pathetic fallacy (where the environment reflects the characters' emotions) to enhance the sense of concealment and moral ambiguity.

The chapter reaches its climax when Guest compares Hyde's letter with Jekyll's handwriting

Guest notes "a rather singular resemblance" between the hands
They are "in many points identical only differently sloped"
This revelation shocks Utterson deeply

Key Example The handwriting comparison is a masterful plot device that provides physical evidence of Jekyll and Hyde's connection. Stevenson uses this subtle clue to hint at their shared identity while maintaining mystery for the reader.

The chapter ends with Utterson's disturbing realization "Henry Jekyll forge for a murderer!" The final line—"his blood ran cold in his veins"—leaves readers with a sense of dread and foreboding, perfectly capturing the gothic horror element of the novel.

This chapter significantly advances the theme of good versus evil by showing how Jekyll's respectable facade is beginning to crack, revealing the darkness beneath his gentlemanly exterior.