The question is: How does Stevenson present Hyde as a frightening outsider?
Throughout the novel, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Stevenson illustrates Hyde as a violent brute who does not comply with society's expectations. Stevenson uses Hyde's physical appearance and immoral behaviour to present Hyde as a frightening outsider. Stevenson uses biblical references to highlight Mr Hyde's evil and devilish actions and how he contradicts the traditional mores of Victorian society.
In Chapter 2, Stevenson focuses on the appearance of Hyde and the reaction of Utterson, who reacts to Mr Hyde with 'disgust, loathing and fear'. These negatives allow Stevenson to present Hyde as someone who causes even the most professional people extreme hatred such as Mr Utterson, someone who is typically considered to be composed. Stevenson uses the metaphor, 'Satan's signature upon a face'. This phrase links Hyde to Satan, the first-ever outsider. By having the devils signature upon his face, it suggests that Hyde has already sealed his fate as someone evil bound by malice and brutality. Furthermore, due to the religious Victorian audience, the reference to Satan would cause intense fear as they believed in heaven and hell. Hyde disregards all the rules not only of society but also religion, causing him to be a frightening outsider.
In the rest of the novel, Stevenson establishes Mr Hyde as a cruel and dangerous character who 'trampled calmly' over a small girl and left her 'screaming'. An immediate portrayal of Mr Hyde is made through this oxymoron and implies not only was Hyde able to ruthlessly crush the young girl, but to do so without any care, feeling no remorse for his actions. Stevenson uses the fact Hyde trampled on a defenceless child, considered to be innocent. This presents Hyde as the opposite of Victorian men, who were concerned with a reputation of generosity and morality which establishes him as the villain.
Stevenson then returns to Hyde's aggressive behaviour and actions and foreshadows that Hyde's actions will escalate. After the trampling of the girl, Stevenson reveals Hyde's anger as he violently murders Sir Danvers by 'clubbing him to the earth'. During the murder, Stevenson uses animalistic imagery to portray Hyde; he behaves with 'ape-like fury' and in his meeting with Utterson, he snarled aloud into a savage laugh'. Both the simile linking him to an ape and the verb 'snarled' portray his animalistic and violent behaviour. By describing him as an animal rather than a human, Stevenson evokes a sense of him being an outsider. His savage laugh separates him from society as a Victorian gentleman would welcome a guest not hiss and snarl at them. The fact Sir Danvers face was clubbed until it was incredibly 'mangled' illustrates Hyde as a primitive atavistic throwback, something which was a big topic due to Darwin published his Theory of Evolution.
In 1886, this ending would have provided tension and suspense. This may have caused shockwaves in the religious Victorian society as the reader would greatly disapprove of Hyde’s satanic character who is ‘like a madman’, evoking ideas of a crazed and frenzied creature. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Hyde will continually be viewed as a frightening outsider, feared by readers.