By now we know that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are actually the
same person. It’s really frustrating to read the clues given throughout the
story and yet the characters can’t seem to figure it out. There is an exchange
between Poole and Mr. Utterson that almost seems like Mr. Utterson has finally
figured out what is going on. Poole tells Mr. Utterson about his encounter with
a “stranger” that he doesn’t believe was his master. On page 854 Poole says,
“Sir, if that was my master, why had he a mask upon his face? If it was my
master, why did he cry out like a rat, and run from me?” Mr. Utterson seems to
have a reasonable explanation for why Poole mistook his master for a stranger.
On page 834 Mr. Utterson says, “Your master, Poole, is plainly seized with one
of those maladies that both torture and deform the sufferer; hence, for aught I
know, the alteration of his voice; hence the mask and avoidance of his
friends…” I think that in these lines Mr. Utterson has figured out the strange
case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I think that this passage is significant
because Mr. Utterson could have figured out what was going on if he would have
just thought about the argument he presented. This makes sense because he
believes that Dr. Jekyll suffers from some type of malady and isn’t mentally
stable. He also believes that this is changing his appearance and other
physical characteristics. Mr. Utterson should have been able to infer that Dr.
Jekyll was also Mr. Hyde at this point in the story.
What other clues hint at the fact that Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde are the same person?
How do the dual personalities strengthen the character of
Dr. Jekyll?
Which personality displays more of his true qualities, or
are they equally displayed in both characters?
Kate, I agree with your argument because I too found it to be odd that Utterson did not already know that Jekyll was Hyde. Based on the context clues given throughout the story, it could be inferred that Utterson already knew. Maybe the reason he did not say it out loud that he knew (or played dumb) was because he did not want to believe it himself, so he did not accept those connections he made in his head. The dual personality strengthens Jekyll because it shows his depth as a character and not that he is just a typical, upper class gentlemen. It shows that even the most dapper and normal of people can have a dark/evil side. Basically the moral could be don't judge a book by it's cover.
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