Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Grades 9–1) York Notes

Lanyon’s encounter with Hyde is the only meeting between the two, and contains Hyde’s only long speech in the novella. It culminates in the revelation of the secret at the heart of the novella - that Hyde is Jekyll’s alter ego. As such, this encounter is a crucial scene and the relationship between the main characters, Lanyon and Jekyll/Hyde, is clarified through it.

Lanyon, like others before him, is instantly repelled by Hyde. This is compounded by the anxiety and rudeness displayed by Hyde, who grabs desperately at him. Lanyon’s language communicates his dislike; we too might wince at the idea of his teeth grating and his ‘ghastly’ face. In showing Lanyon clinically analysing his own response to Hyde, Stevenson reminds us of Lanyon’s attitude to science, which is his point of difference with Jekyll/Hyde.

Once he has his potion, Hyde is more confident. His long speech to Lanyon is fluent and articulate. Hyde has the advantage of knowing who Lanyon is, but Lanyon does not know who Hyde is. Hyde becomes arrogant, disdainful and rude, even suggesting he (Hyde/Jekyll) is superior to Lanyon, who has ‘derided [his] superiors’. Maybe this is how Jekyll secretly views Lanyon. The note asking for his help refers to Lanyon as one of Jekyll’s ‘oldest friends’ and to their argument as differences of scientific opinion. It appears from Hyde’s outburst here, though, that Jekyll/Hyde’s real view is less generous.

When Hyde asks whether Lanyon wants to witness what will happen, Lanyon has no idea what he is being offered. Hyde presents the choice cleverly: he advises Lanyon to let him take the potion outside (‘Will you be wise?’), but then challenges him to be brave and curious, making it hard for him to refuse. His extravagant promise of a ‘new province of knowledge’, a route to ‘fame and power’ and ‘a prodigy to stagger the unbelief of Satan’ appeal to Lanyon’s scientific curiosity. The reference to Satan recalls Faust’s deal with the Devil, exchanging his soul for knowledge, riches and power. This is what Hyde is offering, and Lanyon would do well to refuse it. Hyde might be luring Lanyon to his doom on purpose, as Jekyll says that Hyde would drink ‘pleasure with bestial avidity from any degree of torture to another’.

Lanyon responds by belittling the challenge - he has ‘no very strong impression of belief’ and is not going to admit to any fear. He does not pick up on the clues in Hyde’s speech – the reference to ‘our’ profession (that which Lanyon shares with Jekyll), or the intimate knowledge Hyde has of Lanyon’s scientific views.

In the rest of the novella, Jekyll and Lanyon are presented as old professional friends who have different approaches to science. Lanyon’s approach is very practical. It is demonstrated here in his attempt to give a precise, scientific account of all that happens - of how Hyde makes him feel, the mixing of the potion, and how Hyde changes. This is the approach Hyde (speaking for Jekyll) calls ‘narrow and material’. Jekyll’s interest is in ‘transcendental’ science, perhaps related to the new subject of psychology and the interest in the nature of humankind which Darwin’s theory of evolution raised. Lanyon considers this approach ‘fanciful’ and ‘unscientific balderdash’. Despite these differences, they are both curious, intelligent scientists in pursuit of knowledge.

In repeating ‘you who have ...’ and ending with the interjection ‘behold!’ Hyde’s final speech adopts a theatrical air that is without warmth or gratitude but instead conveys a feeling of triumph - he will prove Jekyll/Hyde right, and Lanyon will have to believe him. Hyde defeats Lanyon and drags him down with him to his doom. The experiment has destroyed Jekyll, and now it will also destroy Lanyon. What in Jekyll’s hands was a professional dispute has become in Hyde’s hands a vindictive and dangerous show of strength.