What is revealed about the levels of victorian society

The novel takes place in Victorian England and the main characters are all male members of the British upper class. Enfield, Utterson, Lanyon and Jekyll are all acutely aware of social expectations and the importance of appearance. Even in the first chapter, Enfield is wary of sharing his story of the mysterious door because he abhors gossip, as it destroys reputations. Dr. Jekyll is a character foil to Mr. Hyde. He is what you might call a person with no values: a monster who seeks to satisfy his primal appetites that run against the ethos of Victorian society. Dr. Jekyll has supressed all his primal instincts. The separation of his evil self (Hyde) is perhaps what you might be referring to as "human devolution". Although we seek to separate ourselves from our darker desires, they still remain a part of our nature.