In this essay I will explore how the violent and repellent character of Mr Hyde, who is the alter ego of Dr Henry Jekyll, is portrayed in the extract and the wider novel. I will examine the impact that hiding violence has on those around him and consider how Mr Hyde is used to explore the themes of the duality of man and how seemingly respectable Victorian gentlemen suppress their darker violent impulses. In the extract Hyde’s brutal violence is highlighted and the immediate horror it causes. Hyde’s rage is suddenly explosives anger is juxtaposed with the “likable” and “innocent” nature of Sir Danvers Carrew, which makes his anger appears disproportionately cruel, the use of the metaphor of “great flame of anger “ which suggests that Hyde’s fury and violence has become as uncontrollable as a fire showing how evil can corrupt the most respectable of gentlemen. Graphic imagery is also used in the extract when Hyde “audibly shattered” Sir Danvers Carew’s bones which invokes a sense of fear and shock in the reader. These feelings demonstrate just how violent Hyde is towards his victim. In this extract the maid has “conceived a dislike” for Hyde which reinforces that Mr Hyde represented something Victorian society feared particularly violence and immorality. Stevenson uses zoomorphism “ape like fury” to link Hyde to animalistic savagery and to dehumanise him, reflecting Victorian anxieties about humanity’s primal instincts. In the Victorian era society was very sheltered and respectable, anything that went against the societal norms scared them and Mr Hyde's violence represented everything they feared and hated. In the wider novella, Stevenson uses the physical description of Hyde such as his “pale and dwarfish” body to exaggerate the danger Hyde presents. The fear he provokes stems from his utter disregard for societal norms, which is embodied by his disgusting appearance and violent behavior. Stevenson contrasts Hyde's appearance with Jekyll's “well groomed” and “respectable” image which further reinforces the message of the duality of man. As Dr Jekyll himself says “man is not one but truly two”. Stevenson foreshadows Hyde's later violent actions at the beginning of the novella when Enfield tells Utterson that Hyde “calmly trampled” a young girl's body. This shows the remorseless and careless nature of Hyde as he shows no emotion or regret when confronted by the family of the girl. This also shows how de-evolved he is as he is completely devoid of human emotion. When Dr Lanyon witnesses Jekyll's transformation into Hyde the shock of this kills him. This further reinforces the Victorian fear of repressed emotions and desire.This further reinforces the Victorian fear of violence and the negative effect on those who witness it. However Jekyll suffers the worst of Hyde's violent actions as he initially believes he can “be rid of Mr Hyde” whenever he chooses. However it is Jekyll's attempts to separate the darker side of himself in the form of Hyde that leads to him destroying himself. This further reinforces Stevenson's message of the consequences of repressed emotions and desires. In conclusion Hyde is portrayed as an extremely violent character who is used to represent Jekyll's darker side. Jekyll's downfall throughout the novella is a warning of the consequences when a gentleman's darker emotions are suppressed. As Victorian society believed in restricted and controlled emotion this shows Stevenson critiquing Victorian society as a society built around this construct is inevitably going to fail because repressed emotions will lead to self destruction will lead to self destruction as demonstrated throughout the novella.