The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde chapter summaries (1931) by Robert Louis Stevenson - Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

One day, Mr Enfield and Mr Utterson have a long walk together. Suddenly, Mr Utterson sees a house without a doorknob and wonders. It was then when Mr Enfield told him a story about the house. It was one late evening where he saw a man crash into a child. As he was a gentleman he hurried to them and helped the child out and caught the mysterious man. This man gave him then a cheque which was worth 100 £. He then went into the house without a doorknob. The cheque was signed under the name of Mr Hyde.

Mr Utterson has the testament of Dr Jekyll, a very old and good friend of his. It is written that everything Dr Jekyll ever owned will be inherited by Mr Hyde. Their relationship is a very old one and never did Dr Jekyll mention a man of the name Mr Hyde. That’s why he goes to his other good friend Dr Lanyon who was a friend of Dr Jekyll for a long time too. He too never heard of a man called Mr Hyde. Mr Utterson cannot sleep and so he goes out at night and walks in the streets and thinks. Suddenly, he sees Mr Hyde! When he went to him to see his face he was almost shocked to death, because what he saw, was pure evil (like Satan’s face) and Mr Hyde immediately returns in his house. Shocked by this, Mr Utterson goes to Dr Jekyll’s home, but he is absent as he was told by his servant.

Two weeks later, he hears from Dr Jekyll that he is giving a party. Mr Utterson visits him and asks about Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll does not say a lot but he has a request. He asks Mr Utterson if he could help Mr Hyde in justice if necessary, because Mr Utterson is a lawyer.

A maid looks out of the window at night. She can see her master with another guy who will be revealed to be Mr Hyde. This was the last time she saw her master, because Mr Hyde kills him.
Mr Utterson and the police officer go to Mr Hyde’s place (he received his address in chapter 2). The housekeeper tells them that she has not seen Mr Hyde for two months already. What they find are several 10’000 £ cheques and the second half of a broken stick which actually belongs to Dr Jekyll.

Mr Utterson is given a letter by the now sick Dr Jekyll. The letter was written by Mr Hyde. That’s why Mr Utterson visits a friend and client of him Mr Guest who knows how to read handwritings. He compares the letter with one of Dr Jekyll’s invitations. They look quite similar but are still somehow differently slopped.

There is no trace of Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll renewed his relationships and did a lot of good things in his community. But Mr Utterson was rejected by Jekyll’s dinners several times. He dined with his firend Dr Lanyon one night, but he has changed a lot. Somehow, he looked grown pale and bolder and like in a deep-seated terror. Mr Utterson finally concludes that Dr Jekyll must have problems or a dark secret. Dr Lanyon also gives him a letter which is only to be opened in case of Dr Jekyll’s death or his disappearance. Dr Lanyon also tells Mr Utterson that he does not want to see nor talk to Dr Jekyll ever again. Some weeks later, Dr Lanyon dies. Mr Utterson visits Mr Poole more often who is the oldest servant of Dr Jekyll.

Mr Utterson has again one of his walks with Mr Enfield. They pass the house without doorknob again and find out that this is a secret entrance to Dr Jekyll’s laboratory. A window is slightly opened. They stare in it and see Dr Jekyll lying around, unable to have a conversation with them. Suddenly, they saw something in Dr Jekyll’s face what made them leave this place immediately, scared to death.

Poole came into a rush to Mr Utterson. The two of them hurry back to Dr Jekyll’s house and the first time they go into his laboratory. They see Dr Jekyll turning into Mr Hyde who dies. Mr Utterson sees the connection from this laboratory to the house without doorknob and many weird other chemicals. Also, he finds a note where stands written he should read the letter given by Dr Lanyon and the other two letters (which he received previously).

Dr Lanyon is the narrative in this letter.
This letter unravels why Dr Lanyon did not want to see Dr Jekyll anymore. Dr Lanyon received a very urgent letter by Dr Jekyll. He should go to his place at night and he will be led by Poole to his laboratory where he has to get certain chemicals and things. At midnight, he will meet a person, who he should give these things. He saw the man how he is transformed into Dr Jekyll. Dr Lanyon was terrified for his life and dies in chapter 6.

This is Henry Jekyll’s full statement of the case. Jekyll reveals everything. He has found a chemical mixture which can help to bring out the pure evil in one’s person. He also reports the deadly side effects and this letter helps to explain the events in the previous chapters.