Summary: Chapter 3
Two weeks later, Dr. Jekyll gives a small dinner party to some five or six old cronies, all reputable men. The food is superb, and the wine is good. Utterson was “detained” until the end, an Jekyll kept him in, as did much of other hosts.
Afterwards, they sat beside a fire, and Jekyll, who is described as a large, well-made, smooth faced man of fifty, had a sincere and warm affection for Utterson. Utterson begins and he brings up the topic concerning the will.
At this point, the narrator speaks to us directly; he says that "a close observer" might have detected that the topic was "distasteful" to Jekyll, but that Jekyll very carefully controlled his reactions to Utterson's question.
He assumes a light-hearted tone, and ‘worries’ about Utterson worrying about the will so much – and compares the anxiety to Dr. Lanyon's "hide-bound" stuffiness. Now, we realize that Dr. Lanyon did not reveal to Utterson his real reason for being so disappointed in Jekyll. Jekyll, however, unknowingly reveals more to us — and to Utterson — about Dr. Lanyon's distaste for Jekyll's scientific interests, interests which Dr. Lanyon told Jekyll were "scientific heresies."
Jekyll says that he still likes Lanyon, but that as a scientist, Dr. Lanyon is too old-fashioned and that he is a "hide-bound pedant." Then Jekyll becomes more emotional. Dr. Lanyon, he says, is "an ignorant, blatant pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon."
Utterson, however, is firm about the subject at hand. He returns to the original subject of Dr. Jekyll's will. He reminds Jekyll that he disapproves the will and Jekyll indicates that he knows that Utterson disapproves of the will. Utterson continues on with the subject matter, and further exclaims that he had to repeat it, mostly because he has been learning about Hyde.
When Jekyll hears the name of Hyde, the narrator tells us, "the large, handsome face of Dr. Jekyll" grows pale. Jekyll does not want to hear no more, and says that “this is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop.” Utterson does not stop and states that “What I heard was abominable.”
Jekyll is confused and says that Utterson does not understand Jekyll, and that Utterson will never understand, and says that he is “painfully situated…my position is very strange.” He goes onto state that this is “one of those affairs that cannot be mended by talking.”
Utterson pleads with his old friend to "make a clean breast"; he will keep everything confidential, and that he can get Jekyll out of this situation. Nevertheless, Jekyll is resolute, and feels that though he knows Jekyll means well, and thanks him, and that of all his friends, he would “Trust you before any man alive.” However, he says that “it is not as bad as that” and furthermore adds that “the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde.” He thanks Utterson, and asks Utterson to let the subject matter “sleep” as it is “a private matter.”
Utterson is silent; he gazes into the fire, then gets to his feet. Jekyll says that he hopes that the two of them will never talk about "poor Hyde" again. He says that he has "a very great interest in Hyde," and that if he is "taken away," he wants Utterson to promise him that Hyde will get everything entitled to him in Jekyll's will.
Utterson is blunt; he is sure that he can never like Hyde. Jekyll says that he doesn't ask Utterson to like Hyde; he merely asks Utterson to promise that he will give Hyde, as beneficiary, all of Jekyll's estate:
"I only ask for justice . . . when I am no longer here." Heaving a sigh, Utterson agrees: "I promise."
Analysis: Chapter 3
Although we know that Utterson does not like chatting, and prefers to be solid, we see a whole new side to him “where Utterson was liked, he was very liked. Hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer.” It allows Utterson to stay behind in the party of Jekyll’s and further allows him to discuss the will with Jekyll.
This chapter is also one where we are introduced to Jekyll – an extremely handsome man of his fifties. As we later see, Jekyll is also Hyde, and the two names mean “I kill” and “Hide.” We can therefore see a stark contrast between the two persona, and we are unable to find any similarities between them, and it leaves us thinking, “Who is Hyde and who is Jekyll?” However, we are grown to suspicion when they discuss the subject matter of Hyde.
We must question: “Why is Jekyll so scared of talking about Hyde?” A factor we must also take into account is that this is very early on in the story, when Jekyll is less influenced by Hyde, who soon becomes the dominating personality in Jekyll/Hyde, and at that stage, he is able to assure Utterson that “the moment I choose, I can be rid of Hyde.”
Hence, it is his choice at this stage to either keep or lose Hyde, making us wonder, “Then why did he keep Hyde?” It is perhaps due to the influence of the society, and the pressures of the Victorian society made him want a waiver from the society – hence, he opted for becoming Hyde, only to realize it be an ill-fated decision, when it is too late.
We also know that the ultimate aim is to discover his evil nature and isolate it; however, from tthis chapter, we can see that he was fascinated by it.
Another fact we see is the tension between Jekyll and Lanyon who also symbolizes the fight between scientific progression and conservatisms, who do not want change. Lanyon reckoned that Jekyll was too fanciful – however, Jekyll views Lanyon as a “hidebound pedant,” one who is not open to new ideas, and unwilling to investigate new concepts.
Two weeks later, Dr. Jekyll gives a small dinner party to some five or six old cronies, all reputable men. The food is superb, and the wine is good. Utterson was “detained” until the end, an Jekyll kept him in, as did much of other hosts.
Afterwards, they sat beside a fire, and Jekyll, who is described as a large, well-made, smooth faced man of fifty, had a sincere and warm affection for Utterson. Utterson begins and he brings up the topic concerning the will.
At this point, the narrator speaks to us directly; he says that "a close observer" might have detected that the topic was "distasteful" to Jekyll, but that Jekyll very carefully controlled his reactions to Utterson's question.
He assumes a light-hearted tone, and ‘worries’ about Utterson worrying about the will so much – and compares the anxiety to Dr. Lanyon's "hide-bound" stuffiness. Now, we realize that Dr. Lanyon did not reveal to Utterson his real reason for being so disappointed in Jekyll. Jekyll, however, unknowingly reveals more to us — and to Utterson — about Dr. Lanyon's distaste for Jekyll's scientific interests, interests which Dr. Lanyon told Jekyll were "scientific heresies."
Jekyll says that he still likes Lanyon, but that as a scientist, Dr. Lanyon is too old-fashioned and that he is a "hide-bound pedant." Then Jekyll becomes more emotional. Dr. Lanyon, he says, is "an ignorant, blatant pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon."
Utterson, however, is firm about the subject at hand. He returns to the original subject of Dr. Jekyll's will. He reminds Jekyll that he disapproves the will and Jekyll indicates that he knows that Utterson disapproves of the will. Utterson continues on with the subject matter, and further exclaims that he had to repeat it, mostly because he has been learning about Hyde.
When Jekyll hears the name of Hyde, the narrator tells us, "the large, handsome face of Dr. Jekyll" grows pale. Jekyll does not want to hear no more, and says that “this is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop.” Utterson does not stop and states that “What I heard was abominable.”
Jekyll is confused and says that Utterson does not understand Jekyll, and that Utterson will never understand, and says that he is “painfully situated…my position is very strange.” He goes onto state that this is “one of those affairs that cannot be mended by talking.”
Utterson pleads with his old friend to "make a clean breast"; he will keep everything confidential, and that he can get Jekyll out of this situation. Nevertheless, Jekyll is resolute, and feels that though he knows Jekyll means well, and thanks him, and that of all his friends, he would “Trust you before any man alive.” However, he says that “it is not as bad as that” and furthermore adds that “the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde.” He thanks Utterson, and asks Utterson to let the subject matter “sleep” as it is “a private matter.”
Utterson is silent; he gazes into the fire, then gets to his feet. Jekyll says that he hopes that the two of them will never talk about "poor Hyde" again. He says that he has "a very great interest in Hyde," and that if he is "taken away," he wants Utterson to promise him that Hyde will get everything entitled to him in Jekyll's will.
Utterson is blunt; he is sure that he can never like Hyde. Jekyll says that he doesn't ask Utterson to like Hyde; he merely asks Utterson to promise that he will give Hyde, as beneficiary, all of Jekyll's estate:
"I only ask for justice . . . when I am no longer here." Heaving a sigh, Utterson agrees: "I promise."
Analysis: Chapter 3
Although we know that Utterson does not like chatting, and prefers to be solid, we see a whole new side to him “where Utterson was liked, he was very liked. Hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer.” It allows Utterson to stay behind in the party of Jekyll’s and further allows him to discuss the will with Jekyll.
This chapter is also one where we are introduced to Jekyll – an extremely handsome man of his fifties. As we later see, Jekyll is also Hyde, and the two names mean “I kill” and “Hide.” We can therefore see a stark contrast between the two persona, and we are unable to find any similarities between them, and it leaves us thinking, “Who is Hyde and who is Jekyll?” However, we are grown to suspicion when they discuss the subject matter of Hyde.
We must question: “Why is Jekyll so scared of talking about Hyde?” A factor we must also take into account is that this is very early on in the story, when Jekyll is less influenced by Hyde, who soon becomes the dominating personality in Jekyll/Hyde, and at that stage, he is able to assure Utterson that “the moment I choose, I can be rid of Hyde.”
Hence, it is his choice at this stage to either keep or lose Hyde, making us wonder, “Then why did he keep Hyde?” It is perhaps due to the influence of the society, and the pressures of the Victorian society made him want a waiver from the society – hence, he opted for becoming Hyde, only to realize it be an ill-fated decision, when it is too late.
We also know that the ultimate aim is to discover his evil nature and isolate it; however, from tthis chapter, we can see that he was fascinated by it.
Another fact we see is the tension between Jekyll and Lanyon who also symbolizes the fight between scientific progression and conservatisms, who do not want change. Lanyon reckoned that Jekyll was too fanciful – however, Jekyll views Lanyon as a “hidebound pedant,” one who is not open to new ideas, and unwilling to investigate new concepts.