Mr Hyde

Outer characterization

Mr Edward Hyde is the most shocking character in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Mr Hyde is a physical manifestation of the evil side of Dr Jekyll’s personality. However, readers only discover this towards the very end of the novella and for most of the story he seems to be a separate character. 

Mr Hyde looks repulsive and frightening. According to Mr Enfield, “ ‘There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.’ ” (p. 9). Mr Utterson similarly feels “disgust, loathing and fear” when looking at him: “Mr Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile” (p. 15).

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