How to Revise "Jekyll and Hyde"
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" is a classic Victorian novella, full of suspense, mystery and a chilling exploration of the duality of human nature.
This guide will help you prepare for your GCSE English Literature exam by clearly explaining what you need to know (and how to revise) the plot, themes and language of "Jekyll and Hyde."
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What The Exam Involves
For this question on the AQA GCSE English Literature exam paper, you will need to:
Analyse a provided extract from the novella and link it to the whole text.
Explore Stevenson’s language, structure and themes.
Consider the historical and social context of the novella.
Revision Tip: As you won't have the text with you in the exam, it's important to memorise some key quotes to support your points about characters and themes.
How to Revise the Plot
When revising the plot of "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde," it’s useful to keep a clear timeline of events so you can understand what happens in each chapter.
However, you also need to demonstrate a clear understanding of how Stevenson builds tension and mystery throughout the novella and how the truth is finally revealed.
Stevenson doesn’t tell the story of Jekyll and Hyde in a straightforward, chronological order. Instead, he uses different narrators and holds back important information until later in the novel. This technique is called a non-linear narrative and is designed to create mystery and suspense... but also means you need to work harder in order to piece events together.
However, it's worth the extra effort as understanding which chapters reveal key details (and from whose perspective) will help you make stronger connections and write more insightful exam answers.
Chapter 1: The novella begins with a disturbing incident where Mr Hyde tramples over a young girl in the street. His calm reaction and lack of remorse immediately signal that he is dangerous and morally corrupt which sets the sinister tone for the rest of the story and introduces us to the mystery surrounding Hyde’s identity.
Chapter 2: Mr Utterson, a lawyer and friend of Dr Jekyll, becomes increasingly curious about Hyde’s connection to Jekyll after reading a strange will that leaves all of Jekyll’s possessions to Hyde. His investigation begins to uncover several inconsistencies and raises questions about the trustworthiness and safety of Jekyll’s relationship with this violent man.
Chapter 3: An important chapter which provides our first glimpse of Dr Jekyll. Mr Utterson confronts him about the will and about his links to the mysterious Mr Hyde, but Dr Jekyll brushes it off. He refers to the matter as “very strange” but insists he can be rid of Hyde “the moment I choose": an important statement as it reveals Dr Jekyll’s confidence and denial. Despite his firm belief that he is in control, the reader begins to suspect otherwise.
Chapter 4: Sir Danvers Carew is brutally murdered by Hyde in what appears to be a completely unprovoked attack. This event escalates the tension, confirms Mr Hyde's capacity for evil and increases the urgency of Mr Utterson’s investigation. Mr Hyde's home is searched by police who find it messy and chaotic: a reflection of Mr Hyde's disordered mind.
Chapters 5 and 6: Dr Jekyll becomes increasingly withdrawn, refusing to see visitors and distancing himself from those closest to him. This behaviour deepens the mystery and suggests he is hiding something...or perhaps struggling to keep something (or someone) under control.
Chapter 7: Mr Utterson and Enfield witness Dr Jekyll at his window but, as they speak to him, his face suddenly contorts with horror and he vanishes from sight. Though they don’t realise it at the time, they are seeing Dr Jekyll lose control over his transformation into Mr Hyde.
Chapter 8: Events start to take a much darker turn in chapter 8 as Dr Jekyll’s servant, Poole, tells Utterson that his master has locked himself in his laboratory and that the voice from inside no longer sounds like Dr Jekyll’s. The atmosphere is filled with fear and secrecy and, eventually, Utterson and Poole break down the door to find Dr Jekyll missing and Mr Hyde’s body on the floor in Jekyll’s clothes.
Chapter 9: The truth behind all of these mysterious events begin to emerge when Dr Lanyon's letter reveals that he witnessed Mr Hyde take a mysterious potion and transform into Dr Jekyll before his eyes. This shock of this revelation leads to Lanyon’s decline and eventual death and shifts the narrative from mystery to horror.
Chapter 10: In Dr Jekyll’s full written confession, he explains his motivation for experimenting with separating the good and evil sides of his nature and describes the thrill of becoming Mr Hyde, free from guilt and society's expectations. However, the experiment spiralled out of control as Mr Hyde became stronger, more violent and impossible to contain. At the end of the novella, Dr Jekyll’s tragic downfall is complete and the narrative concludes with his permanent disappearance and implied death.
Revision Tips:
Use flashcards or a written timeline to help you put the events in order.
Summarise each chapter in your own words and focus on how Stevenson builds suspense and slowly reveals the truth.
If you prefer a more visual revision method, create a comic strip summary or storyboard.
Learn which chapters include key turning points, such as the first transformation, the murder of Carew and the final confession.
How to Revise the Key Themes
Theme | Explanation | Key Quote |
Duality of Man | Human beings have a good and evil side. | “Man is not truly one, but truly two.” |
Reputation | Victorian society values reputation above truth. | "If it came to trial, your name might appear.” |
Science vs Religion | The dangers of unchecked scientific ambition. | "Unscientific balderdash.” |
Secrecy | Characters hide their true identities and personalities. | "Windows barred with iron.” |
Revision Tip: Mind maps can be a very effective way to help you learn quotes - especially if you use colour, doodles or sketches to help the information stand out and become more memorable.
How to Revise the Characters
Examiners will award marks to students who can demonstrate how and why characters change throughout the novella and use relevant quotes to support their points.
Initially, Dr Jekyll appears respectable and kind, but his dangerous experiments reveal a darker side. He admits his struggle, stating “the temptation of a discovery so singular and profound” drove him to his fate.
Stevenson uses the character of Mr Hyde to represent pure evil, emphasising his brutality through vivid language such as, “ape-like fury” (Chapter 4).
Mr Utterson is depicted a a rational, reserved and loyal man, representing the moral standards of the Victoria era as he tirelessly seeks the truth about his friend, Dr Jekyll.
By rejecting Dr Jekyll’s dangerous experiments, Dr Lanyon emphasises the clash between traditional values and dangerous innovation. He is shocked and horrified to witness the transformation of Mr Hyde into Dr Jekyll and this results in some serious health consequences.
Revision Tip: Use some "Jekyll and Hyde" flashcards with the name of the character on one side and, on the other, a key quote and some brief analysis.
You can buy some ready made flashcards for "Jekyll and Hyde" (and the other GCSE English Literature texts) from Amazon and many other retailers, view them online at the Save My Exams website or make your own!
How to Memorise Quotes
Record Quotes and Listen Regularly
Record some key quotes and then listen to them when you have a few spare minutes or when you're doing something else, such as standing in a queue, travelling by train... or even brushing your teeth!
Create Acronyms
For example, MINTOT can help you recall, "Man Is Not Truly One, But Truly Two,” to highlight one of the novella's key themes: duality.
Visualise Quotes
If you're artistic, create brief sketches to visually represent important scenes or quotes, such as the neglected doorway or Hyde's violent actions.
Revision Tip: Aim for at least five quotes per theme and key character.
How to Structure Your Jekyll and Hyde Essay
Introduction
Refer to the essay question and outline your main argument.
Briefly summarise your key points to give the examiner a clear understanding of your approach. Make sure that you refer to the extract and clearly demonstrate how it connects to significant moments or themes in the rest of the novella.
Incorporate relevant historical and social context, such as Victorian attitudes towards reputation, morality, or scientific experimentation to deepen your argument and show a sophisticated understanding of the text.
Main Body
Start each paragraph with a clear, focused point that directly answers the essay question, keeping your analysis precise and relevant.
Support each point with carefully selected quotations from both the extract and other key moments in the novella. Clearly identify literary techniques used by Stevenson, such as metaphor, simile or imagery and explore why these techniques are significant.
Discuss how Stevenson’s language choices impacted Victorian readers, reflecting contemporary concerns and consider how these themes remain relevant for modern audiences.
Finally, link your points back to the wider themes and characters within the novella to demonstrate your comprehensive understanding.
Conclusion
Concisely summarise your main arguments and restate your overall response to the question.
Reflect briefly on Stevenson’s intentions or broader messages, such as his exploration of the complexity of human nature or his warning against unchecked scientific ambition.
Revision Tip: Practise timed essays regularly to build confidence and identify areas for improvement.
How to Tackle the Question on Exam Day
Underline key words in the question to keep your answer focused.
Spend a few minutes planning your essay.
Consistently link back to Stevenson’s key themes and ideas.
Leave time to proofread your response.
Unsure How to Start Your Jekyll and Hyde Revision?
Why not check out my "Revise Jekyll and Hyde in 30 Days" revision plan?
You'll find 30 quick and simple revision tasks, each taking less than 30 minutes, helping you cover the novella's key plot points, characters, themes and context.
The EHS Blog
If you found this guide helpful, you might like my other blog posts on AQA GCSE English Language and Literature.
AQA GCSE English Literature
AQA GCSE English Language: Paper 1
AQA GCSE English Language: Paper 2
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