Chapter four
The Carew Murder The
Strange
Case Case of Dr
Structure and plot development
Rising Action
1. A maid sits at the window on a moonlit evening and watches as an elderly gentleman meets
with a very small (evil looking) gentleman.
2. She identifies the small gentleman as Hyde.
3. It looks like the elderly gentleman is just asking for directions or just offering a greeting.
4. Hyde looks impatient and he gets very angry and starts beating the older gentleman with a
stick.
5. The maid faints, as Mr Hyde is beating the old gentleman with a stick, breaking his bones and
stomping on him with his feet.
6. A letter addressed to Mr Utterson is found on the dead man’s body.
7. When Mr Utterson is summoned by the police, he goes to the police station and identifies the
dead old man as Sir Danvers Carew. He also identifies the murder weapon (the broken half of
the walking cane) as that of a cane he had given to Dr Jekyll as a gift some years earlier.
8. Mr Utterson takes the police (Inspector Newcomen) to Mr Hyde’s house.
Themes
Violence
• Mr Hyde mercilessly beats Mr Danvers Carew to death
Animal Behaviour
• Mr Hyde’s behaviour when meeting Sir Carew resembles that of an animal. His anger is described
as ‘ape-like’.
• The rooms in Mr Hyde’s home looked like they have been ransacked, with clothes on the floor.
The description of the rooms resembled what one would see in a room which had been invaded by
monkeys.
Tone
• Agitated/ Angry: When Mr Hyde reacts to Sir Carew’s greeting, he responds with anger.
• Sombre: The tone is sombre when Mr Utterson identifies the body and as they drive to Mr Hyde’s
home.
• Expectant/ Hopeful: When the police inspector finds the burnt remains of the cheque book there’s
expectation and hope that Mr Hyde could be apprehended when he goes to the bank to withdraw.
Mood
• Romantic mood:
When the maid servant looks through the window at the beauty of the moonlit night, she is deeply in
thought and she adores the peace that she is enjoying.
• Solemn Mood:
When Mr Utterson receives the news of the murder and when he identifies the body of Sir Carew, the
mood is solemn.
• Gloomy Mood:
The mood in the car on the way to Mr Hyde’s house is very gloomy, even the weather is gloomy.
What happens in Chapter 4 and who is involved?
• A year later, a maid servant is looking out of her window witnessing a gruesome murder.
• She sees a kind-looking elderly gentleman meeting with a small gentleman whom she recognises as Mr Hyde.
• The elderly gentleman stops to greet Mr Hyde who becomes visibly angry and starts hitting him with his cane. He
hits him and stomps on him with his feet until he dies. The maid faints.
• When she finally regains consciousness, the murderer is long gone, and the dead body is lying on the road.
• She reports the matter to the police.
• A sealed and stamped letter addressed to Mr Utterson is found on the victim’s body.
• The police requests Mr Utterson to identify the body, and he positively identifies it as that of Sir Danvers Carew.
• Mr Utterson recognises the piece of the cane (murder weapon) as the gift he had given to Dr Jekyll long ago.
• Mr Utterson takes the police officer to Mr Hyde’s home.
• An old lady (the housekeeper) opens the door and tells them that Mr Hyde is not at home and tries to deny them
entrance.
• When Mr Utterson reminds her that he is with Inspector Newcomen of Scotland Yard, she grants them entry to the
house.
• The house looks like it had been ransacked. There are clothes lying on the floor, drawers left open and the ashes in
the fireplace are a clear indication that papers were burnt.
• They found a chequebook and the broken end of the cane.
• The police officer is confident that they will apprehend Mr Hyde when he goes to the bank to withdraw some
money.
• It could be difficult to locate and apprehend Mr Hyde as he does not have friends and not many people knew him.
He had never been photographed. Those who know him give different descriptions of him, but they agree on one
point – Hyde gives off an indescribable sense of deformity.
Figurative Language
