Considering doors and windows as key motifs in Stevenson's 'Jekyll and Hyde'

Windows and doors are motifs in ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, linking to themes of liminality, duality and secrecy. The door used by Hyde is “blistered” which suggests the degradation and corruption that character represents. The door to Jekyll’s home is opened by a well dressed servant in keeping with his role as a proper Victorian gentleman. Windows provide an ambiguous motif in that they look transparent, but they can be made into a barrier. The door to Jekyll’s room has to be forced open showing how hard it is to arrive at the truth.