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How is tension sustained for the modern reader in "The Carew Murder," chapter 4 of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
Quick answer:
The first source of tension in chapter 4 is the conflict between Mr. Hyde and Sir Danvers Carew, which is described as a "great flame of anger," and a brutal "storm of blows." The second main source of tension in chapter 4 is the relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
At the beginning of chapter 4, there is a tension between the tranquil setting on the one hand, and the conflict between Mr. Hyde and Sir Danvers Carew on the other. The tranquil setting is established with the character of the maid, who takes to her window box on a clear, moonlit evening, feels "at peace with all men," and thinks "kindly of the world." This tranquillity and peacefulness is then compounded by the descriptions of Sir Danvers Carew, whose face seems "to breathe such an old-world kindness of disposition." The subsequent conflict between Mr. Hyde and Sir Danvers Carew, which is described as a "great flame of anger," and a brutal "storm of blows," is emphasized in contrast to the tranquil setting. Thus, at the beginning of chapter 4, there is a tension established between Mr. Hyde on the one hand and, seemingly, the rest of the world on...
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the other.
The second main source of tension in chapter 4 is that which concerns the relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. When Mr. Utterson identifies the broken stick, with which Hyde has beaten Sir Danvers Carew, as the stick which he had himself presented some time before to Dr. Jekyll, the mystery of the relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde intensifies. Dr. Jekyll seems to be a respectable gentleman, and Mr. Hyde is quite evidently a savage murderer. The fact that the former seems to have some kind of inappropriate relationship with the latter is one of the main sources of mystery and tension throughout the story. And with each clue we discover about the relationship, the tension only increases. It is only finally resolved, of course, when we learn the truth towards the end of the novel.
This tension between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is further intensified at the end of chapter 4, when Mr. Utterson and the inspector visit Mr. Hyde's house. The house is "furnished with luxury and good taste" on the inside, which could only have been provided by Dr. Jekyll, but is "dingy" and "blackguardly" on the outside. Mr Hyde's house is, therefore, a symbol of the tension which exists between himself and Dr. Jekyll. The difference between the outside and inside of his house emphasizes the chasm between the two men in terms of social class and also disposition. And the greater the perceived difference between the two men, the greater the tension in their relationship.
The Carew Murder Case" (Chapter 4) contains many of the elements of horror and mystery that continue to intrigue the modern reader. First, we have the unexplained, gruesome murder of a wealthy and elite citizen, as well as the fact that the murderer has gotten away with his crime. Moreover, clues are left about, waiting to be discovered:
"The murderer was gone long ago; but there lay his victim in the middle of the lane, incredibly mangled. The stick with which the deed had been done...had broken in the middle under the stress of this insensate cruelty....A purse and gold watch were found on the victim...".
Aside from the voyeuristic pleasure (one with which modern people can certainly identify, based on the popularity of shows like CSI and Law and Order), there are other compelling appeals for twenty-first century readers. There is the naked ambition of the police officer who foresees a career boost in handling a famous case. There is a woman who "had an evil face, smoothed by hypocrisy, but her manners were excellent."
Finally, there is the introduction of the theme of "unexpressed deformity," one of the early hints to which Stevenson alludes is a part of every man (and woman), harmed by the modern world's tendency to repress emotion.