"“If he be Mr. Hyde,” he had thought, “I shall be Mr. Seek.”..."See in text(Chapter Two)
In this internal utterance, we glimpse a rare spot of lighthearted fun and wordplay from Mr. Utterson. More importantly, this declaration sets the ensuing plot into motion. Whoever Mr. Hyde is, Mr. Utterson is committed to tracking him down and discovering his secrets.
"She had an evil face, smoothed by hypocrisy, but her manners were excellent...."See in text(Chapter Four)
Mr. Hyde’s landlady is characterized by “an evil face, smoothed by hypocrisy.” In Stevenson’s witty phrasing, we get the impression of a woman at once immoral in her actions and yet proficient at lying and concealing those immoral ways. Much of the thematic tension of the story lies in the push and pull between good and evil, as those two moral poles are perceived by the Victorians.
"I became, in my own person, a creature eaten up and emptied by fever, languidly weak both in body and mind, and solely occupied by one thought: the horror of my other self...."See in text(Chapter Ten)
In this passage, we witness the depths of Jekyll’s pain and terror, as well as the full price he has paid for his actions. By giving life to Hyde, Jekyll’s own existence, both body and soul, have deteriorated and become “eaten up and emptied.” As he approaches his final moments, Jekyll is gripped by horror; having decided to confront his dark, repressed side, that darkness has come to consume him.
"I hazard the guess that man will be ultimately known for a mere polity of multifarious, incongruous, and independent denizens...."See in text(Chapter Ten)
The noun “polity” refers to an organized government or state. “Multifarious” means many or varied, “incongruous” means lacking in harmony or out of place, and the noun “denizens” refers to inhabitants of a particular place. Jekyll’s worldview is consistent with his character: he believes that humanity is defined by its many parts present in one person, all of whom are different personalities instead of uniform as one. Similarly to the autonomy of Jekyll’s alternate personality, Hyde, he believes that everyone has sides of themselves that are independent rather than under complete rational control.
