Jekyll and Hyde – Chapter 4 (The

Carew Murder Case)

Vocab
• Startled – feeling or showing sudden shock or alarm
• Singular – remarkable
• Rendered – made
• Musing – reflecting/thinking
• To accost – approach and address (someone) boldly or aggressively
• To inquire – investigate, look into
• Disposition – a person's inherent (permanent) qualities of mind and character
• Trifling – treating without seriousness or respect
• Brandishing – waving (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger
or excitement
• Insensate – completely lacking sense or reason (explanation, justification)
• Grave – serious
• Countenance – a person's face or facial expression
• To quail – to recoil in dread or terror
• Pall – dark cloud of smoke, dust, etc.
• Twilight – the period just before it becomes completely dark in the evening
• Conflagration – an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property
 • Slatternly – dirty and untidy
• To assail – make a concerted (planned) or violent attack on
• Gin palace – bar, pub
• Eating house – restaurant
• Penny number – cheap publication telling shocking stories
• Umber – dark yellowish-brown colour
• Blackguardly – lacking principles (standards) or scruples (doubts)
• Ivory faced – pale faced
• Hypocrisy – claiming to have higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the
case
• Odious – extremely unpleasant, repulsive
• Napery – tablecloths and napkins
• Connoisseur – an expert judge in matters of taste
• Disinterred – dug up or discovered
• Gratification – pleasure, satisfaction
• Familiars – close friend or associate
• Beholder – witness, observer

Questions
1. What function does the maid serve in this chapter?
2. What does Hyde leave behind at the crime scene that signals to Utterson that
Hyde was involved?
3. In this chapter, which verbs are used to describe Mr. Hyde and what are their
significance?
4. Pick three adjectives from the chapter used to describe the actions, manners and
appearance of Hyde and explain why you think these make for effective
descriptions of Hyde.
5. What details in the description of Soho create an eerie effect? How does this
description enhance the negative portrayal of Hyde?
6. Take five words or terms from the above vocab list and put each of them in a
separate sentence.