The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde · Character

Poole

Dr. Jekyll's longtime butler, faithful and plainspoken, who knows his master's habits well enough to recognize when something is deeply wrong.

supporting

First appearance: story of the door

As a supporting figure in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Poole is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Poole, Jekyll's butler, admits Utterson and informs him that Hyde has a key and that the household has orders to obey him.

In the storySearch for Mr. HydeOpen this moment free

Poole first appears in 0000 story of the door.

With Sir Danvers Carew (professional): Poole and Carew have a distant professional connection through Jekyll's household, with Poole witnessing the aftermath of Carew's murder. With Dr. Henry Jekyll (professional): Poole is Jekyll's loyal butler, increasingly frightened and suspicious of his master's strange behavior and isolation. With Messrs. Maw (professional): Messrs. Maw is a chemist who supplies Jekyll's chemicals, and Poole interacts with them as a go-between for Jekyll's orders.

See Poole in Search for Mr. Hyde Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Character Web

9 connections

A slice of how Poole sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Other

Character groups

Jekyll and Hyde circle
Protagonist
Supporting household and suppliers

+4 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

This is the story’s dramatic climax because it reveals the psychological peak of Jekyll’s internal crisis: the…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Sir Danvers Carew
professional · ambivalent
Poole and Carew have a distant professional connection through Jekyll's household, with… How this plays out →
Dr. Henry Jekyll
professional · ambivalent
Messrs. Maw
professional · ambivalent
Mr. Guest
professional · ambivalent
Sir Danvers Carew
professional · ambivalent
Poole and Carew have a distant professional connection through Jekyll's household, with… How this plays out →
Dr. Henry Jekyll
professional · ambivalent
Messrs. Maw
professional · ambivalent

Sir Danvers Carew
Poole and Carew have a distant professional connection through Jekyll's household, with Poole witnessing the aftermath of Carew's murder.
Dr. Henry Jekyll
Poole is Jekyll's loyal butler, increasingly frightened and suspicious of his master's strange behavior and isolation.
Messrs. Maw
Messrs. Maw is a chemist who supplies Jekyll's chemicals, and Poole interacts with them as a go-between for Jekyll's orders.
Mr. Guest
Guest is Utterson's clerk, and Poole consults him to compare handwriting samples, revealing the similarity between Jekyll's and Hyde's scripts.
Sir Danvers Carew
Poole and Carew have a distant professional connection through Jekyll's household, with Poole witnessing the aftermath of Carew's murder.
Dr. Henry Jekyll
Poole is Jekyll's loyal butler, increasingly frightened and suspicious of his master's strange behavior and isolation.
Messrs. Maw
Messrs. Maw is a chemist who supplies Jekyll's chemicals, and Poole interacts with them as a go-between for Jekyll's orders.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Poole in story of the door

In the story

Poole appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Search for Mr. Hyde
Poole, Jekyll's butler, admits Utterson and informs him that Hyde has a key and that the household has orders to obey him.
Incident of the Letter
Admits Utterson to Jekyll's house and confirms no letter was delivered by post.
Remarkable Incident of Dr. Lanyon
Poole reports to Utterson that Jekyll is increasingly confined to his cabinet, silent and out of spirits.
The Last Night
Assists Utterson, identifies the drug, and recounts hearing Hyde's footsteps and weeping.
Dr. Lanyon's Narrative
Jekyll's butler, who has orders to assist Lanyon with the locksmith.
Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case
Mentioned as the recipient of one of Hyde's letters, part of Jekyll's plan to retrieve his drugs.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Poole unlock in the free preview.

See Poole in story of the door

See Poole in Search for Mr. Hyde