8.The Last Night
Context
Own opinions
Key Quotes
Language Techniques
Symbolism
"he had not once looked the lawyer in the face" symbolises how Utterson doesn't want to know the truth and fears the reality of the situation that Jekyll is in.
Utterson used to seek the truth about Hyde, and now wants nothing to do with him.
Character development.
"your master would be far from pleased". All of the staff gathered together as they were all scared for Jekyll.
Pathetic Fallacy
"the thin trees in the garden were lashing themselves along the railing".
Emphasises the seriousness of the situation.
Poole believes that Jekyll has been murdered and that the murderer us hiding in the lab.
"well, murdered, what could induce the murderer to stay?"
Jekyll/Hyde keeps requesting for a certain 'pure' drug to be sent to the lab.
Is it a drug to stop Jekyll turning into Hyde, or the opposite?
Jekyll/Hyde needs the drug urgently, as his life now depends on it.
This shows how Hyde is no longer just an experiment.
"hence the mask and his avoidance of his friends"
Hyde is the mask.
"footfall moving to and fro along the cabinet"
Builds tension and suspense.
Poole says that "Once I heard it weeping!"
If this was Hyde crying, is this evidence of him having a conscience?
Utterson is giving up hope on Jekyll being alive.
"cried Utterson" shows the desperation in his voice when calling for Jekyll.
When Hyde screams, he does it like an animal. This adds to the theme of the supernatural, similar to when the witches in Macbeth call on their own animal spirits.
"A dismal screech, as a mere animal terror, rang from the cabinet."
Contrast
"He was dressed in clothes far too large for him, clothes of the doctor's bigness."
Metaphor
"Utterson knew that he was looking on the body of a self-destroyer".
This shows how Hyde was destroying Jekyll from the inside.
"The far greater proportion of the building was occupied by the theatre"
Like how science controlled Jekyll's life.
"he must be still alive, he must have fled! And then, why fled?"
Is Utterson relieved or panicked that Jekyll is still alive.