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Chapter 6: The Remarkable
Incident of Dr Lanyon
🔎 Jekyll returns to his old, sociable and energetic self, reviving his
friendship with Lanyon. However, this only lasts for 2 months, after
which Utterson becomes increasingly concerned by Jekyll given that
he all of a sudden refuses to visit Utterson. When Utterson visits
Lanyon, he finds him traumatised. After Lanyon’s funeral, Utterson
takes from his safe a letter Lanyon wanted him to read after his death
and finds another sealed letter to be read after Jekyll dies, which he
leaves in the safe despite his curiosity.
“On the 8th of January Utterson had dined at the doctor’s […] on the 12th,
and again on the 14th, the door was shut against the lawyer. […] On the 15th,
he tried again, and was again refused.”
Jekyll is shown to be confined at smaller and smaller intervals (first 4 days,
then 2 days, then 1 day), showing how he is increasingly struggling to
control Hyde and so has to “confine [himself] to the house” more and more
often.
Chapter 6: The Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon 1
, “He [Lanyon] had his death-warrant written legibly upon his face. The rosy
man had grown pals; his flesh had fallen away; he was visibly balder and
older.”
The “death-warrant” provides metaphorical imagery of writing on his face
in which he received an official order of execution.
Execution was still a punishment in the Victorian era, so a Victorian reader
would have understood how Lanyon’s death was guaranteed. As such, this
would have created mystery and tension in a contemporary audience given
that one would only receive a death warrant if guilty for a crime or sin,
showing how Lanyon has been linked to the devil, which in turn has come to
be associated with Hyde, thus showing how Lanyon has been traumatised
as a result of Hyde.
The adjective “pale” links to shock and fear but also embarrassment. This
also links back to the description of how “the large, handsome face of Dr
Jekyll grew pale to the very lips” which foreshadows Jekyll’s involvement in
Lanyon’s deteriorating condition and his imminent death given the parallels
which Stevenson has here drawn in the descriptions of the two characters.
The adjective “rosy” refers to a lively man with a positive connotation, e.g.
the beauty of nature and flowers. This links back to the description of him
from Chapter 2 where Lanyon is described as a “hearty, healthy, dapper,
red-faced gentleman”, and this sharp contrast with his current state
continues the motif of the duality of man, as well as showing the impact of
what Lanyon has experienced.
“A look in the eye and quality of manner that seemed to testify to some
deep-seated terror of the mind.”
To “testify” is to serve as evidence or give evidence as a witness in a law
court, furthering the idea that Lanyon has been involved in something sinful
and worthy of condemnation.
The adjective “deep-seated” shows how duality or an alter ego is
permanently ingrained and always present in every gentlemen who has
been repressed and confined by the bounds of Victorian societal
expectations.
The reference to “the mind” shows how even rational people have an
inherent duality.
Chapter 6: The Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon 2
Chapter 6: The Remarkable
Incident of Dr Lanyon
🔎 Jekyll returns to his old, sociable and energetic self, reviving his
friendship with Lanyon. However, this only lasts for 2 months, after
which Utterson becomes increasingly concerned by Jekyll given that
he all of a sudden refuses to visit Utterson. When Utterson visits
Lanyon, he finds him traumatised. After Lanyon’s funeral, Utterson
takes from his safe a letter Lanyon wanted him to read after his death
and finds another sealed letter to be read after Jekyll dies, which he
leaves in the safe despite his curiosity.
“On the 8th of January Utterson had dined at the doctor’s […] on the 12th,
and again on the 14th, the door was shut against the lawyer. […] On the 15th,
he tried again, and was again refused.”
Jekyll is shown to be confined at smaller and smaller intervals (first 4 days,
then 2 days, then 1 day), showing how he is increasingly struggling to
control Hyde and so has to “confine [himself] to the house” more and more
often.
Chapter 6: The Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon 1
, “He [Lanyon] had his death-warrant written legibly upon his face. The rosy
man had grown pals; his flesh had fallen away; he was visibly balder and
older.”
The “death-warrant” provides metaphorical imagery of writing on his face
in which he received an official order of execution.
Execution was still a punishment in the Victorian era, so a Victorian reader
would have understood how Lanyon’s death was guaranteed. As such, this
would have created mystery and tension in a contemporary audience given
that one would only receive a death warrant if guilty for a crime or sin,
showing how Lanyon has been linked to the devil, which in turn has come to
be associated with Hyde, thus showing how Lanyon has been traumatised
as a result of Hyde.
The adjective “pale” links to shock and fear but also embarrassment. This
also links back to the description of how “the large, handsome face of Dr
Jekyll grew pale to the very lips” which foreshadows Jekyll’s involvement in
Lanyon’s deteriorating condition and his imminent death given the parallels
which Stevenson has here drawn in the descriptions of the two characters.
The adjective “rosy” refers to a lively man with a positive connotation, e.g.
the beauty of nature and flowers. This links back to the description of him
from Chapter 2 where Lanyon is described as a “hearty, healthy, dapper,
red-faced gentleman”, and this sharp contrast with his current state
continues the motif of the duality of man, as well as showing the impact of
what Lanyon has experienced.
“A look in the eye and quality of manner that seemed to testify to some
deep-seated terror of the mind.”
To “testify” is to serve as evidence or give evidence as a witness in a law
court, furthering the idea that Lanyon has been involved in something sinful
and worthy of condemnation.
The adjective “deep-seated” shows how duality or an alter ego is
permanently ingrained and always present in every gentlemen who has
been repressed and confined by the bounds of Victorian societal
expectations.
The reference to “the mind” shows how even rational people have an
inherent duality.
Chapter 6: The Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon 2
