War of the worlds
War of the worldsH.G. Wells' classic novel War of the Worlds is one of the most profound prophetic novels ever written, comparable to other works such as A Brave New World and 1984 in that they predict events leading to the decline of mankind in times of social unrest. In this case, Wells has written a book in the time of a decline in British imperialism, and the events that take place in the tale critique both the actions and beliefs of the British supremacy in several ways. Wells also touches on the conflicts between religion and scientific evolution by writing in the science fiction genre, and his descriptions of the animal-like behavior of mankind in the shadow of impending extinction or enslavement are as historically founded as they are prophetic.
We are introduced to this idea of the belief of supremacy in the opening of the novel. The fact that "no one would have believed in the last years of the 19th century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligence greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own" enforces this indestructibility of European culture. The beginning of Mars' assault on Earth is watched with little wonder other than a displaced curiosity. No concern or worry enters the minds of the locals, even after they discover that the sphere that has landed is extraterrestrial. Indeed, even after the sphere opens and the horrific Martians emerge and kill several people, this idea of supremacy does not fade. Gravity seems to act on the Martians "like a cope of lead" (perhaps this is an allusion to the punishment of the hypocrites in Dante's Inferno, where they were forced to wear beautiful robes that were of lead), and our narrator believes that, if worst comes to worst, "a shell in the pit will kill them all." Our narrator even denounces the Martians' "short sighted timidity."
As the book progresses into the stages of death and destruction, Wells begins to address the behavior of mankind in the face of impending disaster. The framework of current society diminishes as quickly as the daily routine of the people. Mass retreat and social disintegration begin to lay the foundation of animal-like behavior that is alluded to several times in the text. The ideology that seemed so firmly imbedded in the British culture dissolves, and its futile attempts at defense only serve to diminish the remaining hope of its citizens. In these pages we find both history and prophecy. The massing of the people into types echoes the fates of the native Tasmanians and native Americans, while the use of deadly gas by the Martians was to become a reality in WWI.
Religion begins to take center stage when our narrator becomes entombed with the curate. The clergyman's ideas are clearly that of divine justice, for he refers to Genesis 18:20-28 in his ejaculations about Sodom and Gomorrah and also quotes Revelations 14:11. Wells uses this clergyman to introduce his...
To view the complete essay, you be registered.