Mr. Utterson
The narrator of the book, Utterson is a middle-aged lawyer, and a man in which all the characters confide throughout the novel. As an old friend of Jekyll, he recognizes the changes and strange occurrences of Jekyll and Hyde, and resolves to further investigate the relationship between the two men. He is perhaps the most circumspect, respected, and rational character in the book, and it is therefore significant that we view Hyde's crimes and Jekyll's hypocrisy through his observant, but generally sympathetic perspective.
Richard Enfield
Mr. Utterson's cousin, a younger man who is assumed to be slightly more wild than his respectable and sedate relative. While initially it is assumed that Enfield will play a large role in this novel as it is he who is witnesses Hyde's initial crime, Enfield only appears in two scenes. In both, he walks past Hyde's mysterious door with Mr. Utterson.
Dr. Lanyon
A former friend and colleague of Dr. Jekyll. Ten years before the events in the novel, he suspended his friendship with Dr. Jekyll because of a disagreement over scientific endeavors. Lanyon is highly respected, rational, and values truth and goodness above all else.
Dr. Henry Jekyll
A prominent middle-aged doctor described as both tall and handsome. He is also extremely wealthy with a fortune well over two million dollars. All that know him describe him as respected and proper. However, as the novel progresses, we subtly witness his hypocritical behavior, which Stevenson claimed was Jekyll's fatal flaw. The doctor's belief that within each human being there exist forces of good and evil leads to his experiments that try to separate the two. Although presented as a scientific experiment, Jekyll undertook this task to allow himself a release from the respectable guise of Dr. Jekyll. In the book, Jekyll's voice is only heard in the concluding chapter, only after being described through the lens of Utterson, Lanyon, Poole, and Enfield.
Edward Hyde
A small, deformed, disgusting man somewhat younger than Dr. Jekyll who is apparently devoid of a profession. Lanyon, Utterson and Enfield all describe witnessing something indefinably evil and horrific in Edward Hyde's face. He is often compared to animals, implying that he is not a fully evolved human being. Despite these descriptions, Hyde is generally civilized in his interactions with others, most notably Utterson and Lanyon. Dr. Jekyll describes Hyde as "pure evil," who menaces society at night, trampling a girl in the street and murdering Sir Danvers Carew. We learn at the end of the story that Edward Hyde and Dr. Henry Jekyll are in fact the same person.
Sir Danvers Carew
A highly respected and prominent member of English society who Edward Hyde brutally murders. Carew is described as "silver haired" and "gentle."
Mr. Guest
Mr. Utterson's law office clerk who discovers the handwriting similarity between notes from Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll.
Richard Poole
Dr. Jekyll's faithful butler. When fearful for his master's life, Poole seeks out Mr. Utterson's assistance. The two men discover Edward Hyde dead in Dr. Jekyll's cabinet and then, from a letter written by Dr. Jekyll's hand, learn of the doctor's fantastic experiments.
