In this deck, we will analyse one of the most shocking and pivotal moments in 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde': the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. We'll explore who Carew was, what he represented, and why his brutal, public death at the hands of Hyde marks a crucial turning point in the novella, revealing the true extent of Hyde's evil.

Sir Danvers Carew is described as an 'aged and beautiful gentleman with white hair'. He has an 'innocent and old-world kindness of disposition'. As a Member of Parliament, he is the very embodiment of Victorian respectability, order, and innocence. Stevenson presents him this way to make his murder all the more horrific. He is not just a person; he is a symbol of the civilised society that Hyde is about to violently attack.

The murder is witnessed by a maidservant, looking out of her window on a clear, moonlit night. She sees Carew politely ask Hyde for directions. Suddenly, Hyde breaks out in 'a great flame of anger'. He raises his heavy cane and clubs the old man to the earth. The maid faints at the horror of what she sees next: Hyde trampling his victim, with the sounds of bones audibly shattering.