As a Language and Literature grad, I particularly like the portrayal of language and communication in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. There is plenty of analysis discussing the role of written communication (both in terms of story-telling and the symbolic concealment of information within envelopes and behind doors), but there is less discussion of the characters’ lack of language in response to Hyde.
In Chapter 1, The Story of The Door, Enfield’s description of Hyde explains:
“He is not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I scarce know why. … He’s an extraordinary-looking man, and yet I really can name nothing out of the way. No, sir; I can make no hand of it; I can’t describe him. And it’s not want of memory; for I declare I can see him this moment.”
The explicit statement at the start of this description (or lack of description) and the repeated reinforcement clarifies the point: language can’t do justice to Hyde. Some websites note this as a gothic concept: Hyde “is beyond words”[1] as an uncanny being or someone too horrifying to explain. However, there are further responses to Hyde which suggest another explanation:
- Part of Enfield’s fear stems from the fact that Hyde “gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point.”.
- Later in the same chapter, we hear that Hyde “brought out the sweat on me like running”.
- Utterson, upon meeting Hyde for himself, reacts with “Unknown disgust, loathing and fear” and the memory of meeting him creates a “shudder in his blood”.
- When Poole sees Hyde, he explains that “the hair stood upon my head like quills.” and that “you felt it in your marrow – kind of cold and thin”.
If we consider these responses as instinctive, particularly considering the references to the physical reactions of sweat, blood, marrow and hair standing on end, then the character reactions are effectively primal. This is strengthened by the reference to deformity if we contextualise the Victorian view that this was indicative not only of sin, but of sickness: these people are responding to perceived threat. Essentially, Stevenson is describing the characters as reacting as animals: their fight or flight instincts have taken over where their ability to rationally explain their fear has failed. Hyde, therefore, as an “ape-like” figure, has reduced those around him to their more primal state as well.
With my classes, I have discussed this as a reflection of his unevolved state: when man was in this state, this was pre-language (at least according to our usual definition of language) and so, relevant language does not exist for this stage. Language has ‘evolved’ so far as to have ceased to be useful in the context of our ‘core’ selves, perhaps reflecting that Victorian values, as Stevenson saw them, had also evolved so far as to be beyond our real human selves.
[1] https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/jekyll/quotes/page/2/
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