Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Mr. Gabriel Utterson Quotes

This last, however, was not so easy of accomplishment; for Mr. Hyde had numbered few familiars—even the master of the servant maid had only seen him twice; his family could nowhere be traced; he had never been photographed; and the few who could describe him differed widely, as common observers will. Only on one point were they agreed; and that was the haunting sense of unexpressed deformity with which the fugitive impressed his beholders. (4.18)

Observers constantly note that Mr. Hyde has an indescribable deformity; the lack of detail lets readers imagine all sorts of terrible facial features.

"I have been wanting to speak to you, Jekyll," began the latter. "You know that will of yours?"

A close observer might have gathered that the topic was distasteful; but the doctor carried it off gaily. (3.2)

Dr. Jekyll does not handle unpleasant conversations by resorting to violence, as some people do (i.e., Hyde).

That evening Mr. Utterson came home to his bachelor house in sombre spirits and sat down to dinner without relish. It was his custom of a Sunday, when this meal was over, to sit close by the fire, a volume of some dry divinity on his reading desk, until the clock of the neighbouring church rang out the hour of twelve, when he would go soberly and gratefully to bed. (2.1)

Not only does Mr. Utterson seek to educate himself theologically, but he also keeps his schedule according to the ringing of church bells.

He would be aware of the great field of lamps of a nocturnal city; then of the figure of a man walking swiftly; then of a child running from the doctor's; and then these met, and that human Juggernaut trod the child down and passed on regardless of her screams. (2.13)

Aside from being an advancing, unstoppable destructive force, "juggernaut" also derives from the Hindu deity Lord Krishna. In his dream, therefore, Mr. Utterson compares Mr. Hyde to a powerful god.

And the lawyer set out homeward with a very heavy heart. "Poor Harry Jekyll," he thought, "my mind misgives me he is in deep waters! He was wild when he was young; a long while ago to be sure; but in the law of God, there is no statute of limitations. Ay, it must be that; the ghost of some old sin, the cancer of some concealed disgrace: punishment coming, PEDE CLAUDO, years after memory has forgotten and self-love condoned the fault." (2.50)

It is particularly interesting that Mr. Utterson mentions that "the law of God" has no statute of limitations. We’re not entirely sure what that means—are these just random thoughts? Does Mr. Utterson adhere to this law of God?

Utterson was amazed to find it a copy of a pious work, for which Jekyll had several times expressed a great esteem, annotated, in his own hand, with startling blasphemies. (8.82)

Dr. Jekyll reads and has opinions on religious works.