Below are some key points on the usage of “Imagery in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”. This should help you grasp the important aspects related to this topic.

Gothic Imagery

Stevenson uses gothic imagery throughout the novel to create an atmosphere of horror and suspense. For instance, descriptions of London’s foggy, winding, dimly lit streets contribute to the sense of ominous mystery.
The depiction of Hyde’s house as a dingy, neglected building with broken windows and a shut door illustrates the hidden, suppressed evil in society.

Metaphorical Imagery

Jekyll’s experimentation and his transformation into Hyde are often described using fire imagery: “a grinding in the bones, deadly nausea”, illustrating the violent, destructive nature of Hyde.
The image of Jekyll’s house with a “smooth, well polished” public front and a neglected, disordered back premises portrays the duality of Jekyll’s nature and the Victorian society at large.

Animalistic and Inhuman Imagery

Hyde is often associated with images of animals or nonhuman entities: “ape-like fury”, “troglodytic”, etc. This symbolizes Hyde’s savagery, lack of morality, and his being the embodiment of human’s primitive, evil instincts.

Character Descriptions

Character descriptions are often filled with imagery. The description of Hyde is particularly strong, evoking a sense of something ‘not right’, without specifying exactly what. This helps to create an eerie, unsettling atmosphere around the character.

Remember, effective use of imagery by Stevenson helps create a dark, eerie atmosphere, emphasize the duality of human nature, and illustrate the horror of Hyde’s inhumanity.