Chapters 5 & 6

Test yourself

Chapter 5: The Letter

Here's a summary of what happens in Chapter 5:

Utterson visits Jekyll

Utterson decides to visit Dr Jekyll.
Poole lets him in and leads him through a courtyard that was once a garden to the building, which was known as the laboratory or “dissecting rooms.”
Dr Jekyll acts nervous and tells Utterson: “I swear to God I will never set eyes on him again".

Hyde's letter

Utterson does not like that Jekyll is behaving very nervously around him. He warns Jekyll that if the murder case goes to court, he might be in trouble too.
Jekyll gives Utterson a letter. Utterson reads the letter and discovers that it was written from Hyde to Jekyll. Hyde apologises for being unable to repay him for the thousands of things Jekyll has done for him.
He tells Jekyll that he should not worry about where he has gone because he has a means for escape if he should need it. Jekyll tells Utterson that he does not have the envelope - he burned it, and there was no postmark because “it was delivered by hand.”

Handwriting connection

Utterson visits Poole, who confirms that no such letter has been delivered to the house.
Utterson is again suspicious of Jekyll’s connection with Hyde. Utterson takes the letter to his faithful clerk, Mr Guest. Mr Guest is with Utterson when he receives an invitation from Jekyll to a dinner party.
Mr Guest matches up the handwriting from the two letters to confirm that they match! "Well, sir...there's a rather singular resemblance; the two hands are in many points identical: only differently sloped.”
Utterson locks the letter into his safe that night, and thinks "Henry Jekyll forge for a murderer!" His blood runs cold in his veins.

Chapter 6: Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon

Here's a summary of what happens in Chapter 6:

Hyde disappears; Jekyll improves

Time runs on. Mr Hyde has disappeared from the eye of the police, as if he never existed. People talk of Hyde’s evil cruelty and his callous and violent actions.
Strangely, Jekyll has come out of his seclusion and is becoming his old social self, visiting friends and entertaining people, while going to church and being a religious man.

Lanyon dies

Utterson dines at the doctor’s with a small party. Lanyon, Utterson and Jekyll act like the friends they used to be. But four days later, Utterson is not allowed into Jekyll’s house. Poole says “the doctor is confined to the house.”
Utterson goes to visit Lanyon. He is shocked at Lanyon’s face: “he had his death warrant written all over his face.” Lanyon is near death and he knows it. Lanyon angrily declares that he never wants to see Jekyll again.
Utterson writes to Jekyll. He receives a reply that suggests Jekyll has fallen into a very disturbed state. Lanyon dies.

Letters to Utterson

Utterson locks himself in his office and opens an envelope from Lanyon that states: "PRIVATE: for the hands of G. J. Utterson ALONE, and in case of his predecease to be destroyed unread”.
The envelope contains another envelope marked: “not to be opened till the death or disappearance of Dr Henry Jekyll.”
Utterson honours Lanyon’s wishes and keeps the letter in his safe. Utterson tries to visit Jekyll every day, but he ends up talking to Poole on the doorstep of his house. Jekyll has confined himself to the laboratory.

1Plot Summary

1.1Chapters 1-10

1.1.1Chapters 1 & 2

1.1.2Chapters 3 & 4

1.1.3Chapters 5 & 6

1.1.4Chapters 7 & 8

1.1.5Chapters 9 & 10

1.1.6End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-6

1.1.7End of Topic Test - Chapters 7-10

2Characters

2.1Jekyll & Hyde

2.1.1Dr Henry Jekyll

2.1.2Jekyll - Name & Quotes

2.1.3Mr Edward Hyde

2.1.4Jekyll/Hyde Quotes - Chapters 1-9

2.1.5Jekyll/Hyde Quotes - Chapter 10

2.1.6End of Topic Test - Jekyll & Hyde

2.1.7Exam-Style Questions - Mr Hyde

2.2Other Characters

2.2.1Mr Gabriel John Utterson

2.2.2Dr Hastie Lanyon

2.2.3Minor Characters

2.2.4End of Topic Test - Other Characters

3Gothic Genre

3.1Gothic Elements

3.1.1Gothic Conventions

3.1.2Gothic Settings & Symbolism

3.1.3End of Topic Test - Gothic Conventions

4Key Themes

4.1Key Themes & Quotes

4.1.1Science

4.1.2Dual Nature of Man

4.1.3Religion & Sin

4.1.4Violence & Horror

4.1.5Victorian Gentlemen

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Key Themes & Quotes

5Context & Author

5.1Context & Author

5.1.1The Victorian Era

5.1.2Deacon Brodie & Freud

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Context & Author

6Literary Techniques

6.1Literary Techniques

6.1.1Language

6.1.2Structure & Form

6.1.3End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques

7Grade 9 - Key Character & Theme Questions

7.1Key Character & Themes - Linked Questions

7.1.1Grade 9 - Key Characters & Themes

7.1.2Extract Analysis - Jekyll

7.1.3Extract Analysis - Duality

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