Final answer:
In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the maid observes Hyde's appearance and behavior, and there is additional evidence linking Hyde to the murder. The lack of female characters suggests a focus on themes of masculinity and morality.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the novel, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the maid observes Mr. Hyde coming into the house through the back door and interacting with Dr. Jekyll. She describes him as having a deformed appearance and a sense of evil around him.
Aside from the maid's testimony, there is also evidence linking Hyde to the murder. One piece of evidence is the broken walking stick found at the scene of the crime, which was later identified as belonging to Hyde. Additionally, fingerprints found on the murder weapon matched Hyde's fingerprints.
The maid is one of only two female characters in the novel, along with Dr. Jekyll's female cousin, which suggests that women play a less prominent role in the story. This lack of female characters may suggest that the novel focuses more on the themes of masculinity, duality, and morality.