Robert Louis Stevenson uses setting in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to create a dark, tense and unsettling mood. The novel is set in Victorian London, a foggy, gloomy and mysterious city. Stevenson makes the reader feel that danger is always near through dark streets, locked doors, hidden rooms and the contrast between light and dark.
Gothic Setting
Stevenson uses Gothic settings to make the story seem scary and uncertain. London is not presented as bright or safe. Instead it is filled with fog, silence, narrow streets and strange buildings.
This is evident when Hyde’s door is described as:
“blistered and distained”
This makes the place seem neglected, ugly, and suspicious. The door becomes a symbol of Hyde’s hidden evil. Stevenson also describes the city with fog:
“the fog still slept on the wing above the drowned city”
The words “fog” and “drowned” make London feel trapped, heavy, and suffocating. This creates a strong sense of unease.
Light and Darkness
Stevenson also uses the contrast of light and dark to evoke fear. Light = safety, dark = danger. But in this novel, even places with light can seem threatening.
For example, London is described as:
“like a district of some city in a nightmare”
This gives the setting an unreal and scary feeling. The city has a dreamlike, yet disturbing, quality. Stevenson shows how evil may hide behind respectable places and ordinary streets.
The Carew Murder
The murder of Sir Danvers Carew is especially shocking because it happens in a calm and beautiful setting. Stevenson first describes the night as:
“a fine dry night; frost in the air”
This peaceful setting makes the murder feel even more violent and unexpected. Hyde’s attack is described with:
“ape-like fury”
This animal-like description shows Hyde’s brutality. The contrast between the quiet street and the savage murder makes the scene more disturbing.
Jekyll’s Transformation
The laboratory is one of the most important settings in the novel. It is where Dr. Jekyll carries out his experiments and transforms into Mr Hyde. The room becomes a place of secrecy, danger, and horror.
Jekyll describes the transformation as:
“the most racking pangs”
He also says there was:
“a grinding in the bones”
These quotes make the transformation sound painful and violent. The laboratory is no longer just a place of science; it becomes a place of physical and moral horror.
Overall, Stevenson uses setting to create a tense and unsettling atmosphere in Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The foggy streets, ugly doors, dark buildings, hidden laboratory, and contrast between light and darkness all create fear and mystery. Through these settings, Stevenson shows that evil can exist beneath the surface of respectable Victorian society.
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