Introduction
H. G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds" is a groundbreaking science fiction novel that has captivated readers for over a century. Published in 1898, this influential work tells the story of a Martian invasion of Earth, specifically targeting England. The novel's blend of scientific speculation, thrilling action, and social commentary has made it a cornerstone of the science fiction genre.
The story is narrated by an unnamed protagonist, a man living in the early 20th century who recounts the terrifying events of the Martian invasion that occurred in 1894. Through his eyes, we witness the arrival of the aliens, their devastating attacks on humanity, and the struggle for survival in a world turned upside down.
The Martians Arrive
First Shots Fired
The novel opens with a brief overview of what scientists of the time knew about Mars. The red planet was believed to be older than Earth, with a thinner atmosphere and less warmth from the sun. Most people assumed that if life existed on Mars, it would be simple and perhaps even welcoming to visitors from Earth. However, this assumption couldn't have been further from the truth.
The Martians, facing a dire shortage of resources on their dying planet, set their sights on Earth as a potential new home. Using a massive gun-like device, they launch a series of five capsules toward our planet. Astronomers observe this activity but fail to understand its true nature, leaving humanity oblivious to the impending danger.
The first Martian capsule arrives near the town of Woking in England, disguised as a shooting star streaking across the sky. Its impact creates a deep hole in the ground, drawing curious onlookers. Strange noises emanate from the crater, including persistent hammering sounds, as the creatures inside seem to be building or repairing something.
An astronomer named Ogilvy cautiously approaches the hole, only to be confronted by a sight that fills him with dread. The creatures emerging from the cylinder are unlike anything on Earth – grotesque yet undeniably intelligent. Initially, it's assumed that Earth's stronger gravity will limit the aliens' strength and mobility.
However, this assumption proves catastrophic when attempts to communicate with the Martians end in disaster. A delegation approaching the crater with a white flag is met with a deadly display of alien technology – a heat ray that incinerates everything in its path. The beam melts metal, sets fire to trees and buildings, and reduces human flesh to ash. Survivors flee in terror as the true nature of the invasion becomes clear.
Analysis of the Setup
At this point, it's worth pausing to examine the brilliant setup Wells has created. As one of the first narratives to explore the concept of alien invaders, "The War of the Worlds" treats its premise with deadly seriousness. Wells attempts to consider how such an invasion could plausibly occur and what it would be like for people on the ground.
While the story can be enjoyed as a thrilling sci-fi horror tale, it also invites deeper analysis. Wells, an avid follower of scientific discoveries, drew inspiration from contemporary astronomical observations of Mars. Strange lights and what appeared to be channels on the planet's surface fueled his imagination.
Moreover, the story serves as a reflection on humanity's own worst impulses. The Martian invasion mirrors the actions of human empires that colonized foreign lands after depleting their own resources. It draws parallels to the way technologically advanced societies have used their superiority to conquer indigenous peoples. Wells even references the decimation of Tasmanian tribes by Europeans in the mid-19th century.
By framing the story as the recollections of a man looking back on the invasion, Wells is able to provide hints about what humans have learned in the aftermath. One key lesson seems to be a reconsideration of humanity's tendency toward imperialism and colonialism. The story can be seen as a cautionary tale, prompting readers to reflect on our own capacity for mercy and the devastating consequences of relentless progress.
The Invasion Unfolds
Nowhere to Go
Following the initial attack, an eerie calm settles over the village of Woking. The streets are quiet, but the sounds of hammering and construction continue to emanate from the crater. Puffs of greenish-white smoke punctuate the night sky, signaling the aliens' ongoing activity.
Soon, soldiers arrive to form a protective perimeter around the sunken capsule. The tension builds as everyone waits to see what will happen next. In the predawn hours, a second cylinder arrives, marked by a vivid green streak across the sky. It lands in the nearby pine woods, a troubling sign that the invasion is escalating.
The sight of military preparations gives some hope to the locals, who imagine heroic defenses against the alien threat. However, as night falls, the sound of artillery fire in the distance signals the beginning of a fateful confrontation. The Martians unleash their heat ray once again, casting a fiery glow over the horizon and destroying everything in sight.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the narrator decides to get his wife to safety. They borrow a cart from the local innkeeper and make the chaotic 20-kilometer journey to Leatherhead, where the narrator's cousins live. After dropping off his wife, the narrator reluctantly heads back to return the borrowed cart.
On his return journey, the narrator witnesses the arrival of the third Martian cylinder, accompanied by thunderclaps and eerie green lightning. It's during this trip that he gets his first glimpse of a Martian war machine – a towering, three-legged tripod made of gleaming metal. The machine, controlled by a Martian in a hooded compartment at the top, moves swiftly and fires its deadly heat ray at everything in its path.
The once-peaceful countryside is transformed into a scene of chaos and devastation as people scramble to escape the advancing menace. The narrator is forced to crash the borrowed cart but manages to make it back to Woking, only to find the village reduced to rubble.
By some stroke of luck, the narrator's own home is still standing. That night, he encounters a soldier and invites him into the relative safety of the house. The soldier describes how the Martian tripods easily wiped out the military units that tried to stop them with conventional weapons.
The Battle at Weybridge
The next morning, the narrator and the soldier decide to leave the house, as staying put is no longer an option. They make their way toward London, encountering horrific scenes of destruction and death along the way.
As they approach the town of Weybridge, they meet a lieutenant and his men stationed at the confluence of the Wey and Thames rivers. The military has set up a formidable line of artillery along the riverbanks. The lieutenant is eager for information about the Martians, and the soldier provides a description of the colossal machines.
Soon enough, the Martians themselves come into view – five towering tripods striding ominously toward the river. The heat rays blast the area, forcing the narrator to dive into the river for safety. The artillery opens fire, launching a barrage of shells at the advancing monsters.
In a moment of triumph, one of the Martians is struck down, its metal casing torn apart by the force of the explosion. However, even in its demise, the fallen machine poses a threat, crashing into the river and causing the water to boil from the heat ray's effects. The narrator barely manages to escape with minor burns.
Surprisingly, the aliens retreat at the sight of their fallen war machine, stomping back toward Woking. The narrator, wounded and exhausted, finds an empty boat drifting along the river and allows himself to be carried downstream under the summer sun.
Black Smoke and Red Weeds
When the narrator regains consciousness, he finds himself lying by the river, accompanied by a clergyman referred to only as "the curate." Still in pain and struggling to move, the narrator slowly regains enough strength to continue his journey, with the curate joining him.
As they make their way across Weybridge, they witness an all-out battle between multiple Martian tripods and the military defenses set up around the countryside southwest of London. It's during this conflict that the narrator sees the fourth Martian cylinder fall from the sky.
He also observes a new weapon in the Martian arsenal – the black smoke. This eerie, dark vapor is released from canisters dropped by the tripods and has the power to instantly suffocate anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in its cloud.
The narrator and the curate manage to escape the encroaching black smoke and find temporary shelter in an abandoned house in Halliford. After stocking up on supplies, they continue their journey, crossing the Thames at Richmond Bridge.
On the outskirts of London, the narrator witnesses a disturbing sight – a Martian machine picking up a living person and depositing them in a large metallic basket. This is the first hint that the aliens might have more complex motives than simple destruction.
The two men find refuge in another abandoned home in the town of Sheen. The house has a well-stocked cellar, allowing them to enjoy some food and wine. However, their respite is short-lived when the fifth and final Martian cylinder lands right next to the house, half-burying it in dirt and temporarily knocking the narrator unconscious.
Trapped and Observing
When the narrator regains consciousness, he realizes the dire situation they're in. The Martians are busy building another machine just outside the house, trapping the two men inside. Any loud noise would alert the aliens to their presence and seal their doom.
The situation is made worse by the curate's increasingly desperate and scared behavior. The narrator finds himself at his wits' end with the man, who proves to be not only cowardly but selfish as well.
For days, all they can do is take turns peeking through a crack in the wall to observe the Martians at work. They get a better view of the aliens themselves – round-bodied creatures about four feet in diameter, with noseless faces and sixteen tentacles. The machine they're building is later identified as a "handling machine," used for digging and constructing the tripods.
It's from this vantage point that the two men witness the true horror of the Martians' intentions for their human captives. The narrator watches in revulsion as the aliens use a machine to extract blood from a captured man and pump it directly into their own bodies. The Martians, it seems, do not eat in the conventional sense but survive by directly replenishing their blood supply.
The narrator also notices the rapid spread of a red weed throughout the countryside. This invasive vegetation, brought by the Martians, quickly covers the ground, trees, and buildings – including the walls of their hiding place.
A Fortunate Victory
After two weeks of entrapment, the situation becomes increasingly desperate. Food supplies are running low, and the curate's mental state continues to deteriorate. On the sixth day, the curate's panic finally gets the better of him, and his shouting attracts the attention of the Martians.
In a desperate attempt to save himself, the narrator knocks the curate unconscious. A Martian handling machine investigates the house, its tentacles exploring the interior. It finds and removes the body of the curate but fails to detect the narrator.
Another eight days pass before the narrator notices that the Martians and their machinery have suddenly disappeared. Cautiously leaving the house, he finds the surrounding area overrun with the red weed. However, he also notices that in some spots, the weed appears to be dying, as though infected by an unseen virus.
The narrator makes his way to an empty inn on Putney Hill, where he encounters the soldier he had met back in Woking. The soldier has a fatalistic outlook, believing that humanity is doomed and that the only hope for survival lies in hiding underground, using London's sewers and tunnels as shelter.
After spending some time drinking, playing cards, and even digging a tunnel with the soldier, the narrator realizes the folly of this plan. Still longing to return home and find his wife, he decides to press on toward central London.
The Fall of the Martians
As the narrator reaches Kensington Gardens, he begins to hear strange, mournful sounds echoing through the air – a deep, sobbing "Ulla, ulla, ulla." The city seems deserted, and the weary narrator begins to wonder if he's the last person left alive.
The eerie sound follows him as he breaks into an empty pub for food and rest. When he awakes, it's night, and the sound persists until he crosses Regent's Canal. The silence that follows provides some relief, but the desolate city leaves him feeling lonely and hopeless.
When the narrator spots the silhouette of a Martian tripod atop Primrose Hill, he decides to end it all. Believing all is lost, he approaches the machine, ready to die. But to his surprise, the tripod doesn't move. Birds are even perched on top of the metallic beast.
Running to the summit of Primrose Hill, the narrator looks out across London and realizes the truth – the Martians and their machines are dead. The red weed is dying too. Later, it would be revealed that the aliens' bodies were unprepared for the bacteria and viruses that human beings had become accustomed to. The same fate befell the red weed, which had no defenses against Earth's hostile ecosystem.
The following days pass in a haze for the narrator. He's eventually found by other survivors, mumbling about being the last man alive. These strangers help nurse him back to health, and after some time, he feels ready to return home to Woking.
Reunion and Reflection
The narrator finds his home in Woking still standing, though covered in dust and ash. As he contemplates his lonely existence, he hears voices outside – someone saying that no one has been there. For a moment, he thinks he's imagining things, but when he looks out the window, he sees his wife and cousin.
In a moment of joyous disbelief, the narrator approaches his wife, who falls into his arms, murmuring, "I knew, I knew..."
The story concludes with a reflection on the invasion and its aftermath. The Martian bodies are dissected in labs, revealing their dependence on human blood for survival and their vulnerability to Earth's microorganisms. The world begins to rebuild, but the memory of the invasion lingers, forever changing humanity's understanding of its place in the universe.
Themes and Analysis
The Fragility of Human Civilization
One of the most striking aspects of "The War of the Worlds" is how quickly and thoroughly human civilization crumbles in the face of the Martian invasion. Wells paints a vivid picture of a society in chaos, with social norms breaking down and people reverting to a more primitive state of survival. This serves as a stark reminder of how fragile our civilized veneer can be when faced with an overwhelming threat.
The novel also highlights the limitations of human technology and military might. Despite the best efforts of the British army, their weapons prove largely ineffective against the advanced Martian war machines. This disparity in technology serves as a humbling experience for humanity, forcing us to confront our own limitations and vulnerability.
Imperialism and Colonialism
As mentioned earlier, "The War of the Worlds" can be read as a critique of imperialism and colonialism. By portraying Earth as the victim of an technologically superior invading force, Wells inverts the typical colonial narrative of his time. The Martians' disregard for human life and their exploitation of Earth's resources mirror the actions of European colonial powers in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
This parallel is made explicit when the narrator compares the Martian invasion to the European extermination of the Tasmanians. By doing so, Wells forces his readers to confront the brutality of colonialism and consider how it might feel to be on the receiving end of such treatment.
The Power of Nature and Evolution
Despite the Martians' technological superiority, they are ultimately defeated not by human ingenuity or military might, but by Earth's microscopic bacteria. This outcome emphasizes the power of nature and the importance of evolutionary adaptation. The Martians, for all their intelligence and advanced technology, are undone by their lack of immunity to Earth's pathogens.
This aspect of the story can be seen as a warning against hubris and a reminder of the complex interdependencies within ecosystems. It also highlights the potential dangers of interfering with or underestimating natural systems we don't fully understand.
The Role of Science and Technology
Wells, being a scientifically minded author, infuses the novel with numerous references to contemporary scientific knowledge and speculation. The detailed descriptions of the Martians' biology and technology, as well as the scientific explanations for various phenomena, lend a sense of plausibility to the fantastic events of the story.
However, the novel also serves as a cautionary tale about the potential misuse of technology. The Martians' heat-ray and black smoke weapons represent the destructive potential of advanced technology when used for conquest and destruction. This theme resonates strongly in our modern world, where rapid technological advancement often outpaces our ability to consider its ethical implications.
Human Resilience and Adaptability
Despite the overwhelming odds and the near-total collapse of society, the human characters in the novel demonstrate remarkable resilience and adaptability. The narrator's journey is one of survival against incredible odds, showcasing human ingenuity and determination in the face of disaster.
The aftermath of the invasion, with humanity beginning to rebuild and study the Martian technology, also speaks to our species' ability to learn and grow from even the most traumatic experiences. This optimistic note suggests that while we may face great challenges, the human spirit is capable of overcoming them.
Conclusion
H. G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds" is a landmark work of science fiction that continues to captivate readers more than a century after its publication. Its vivid depiction of an alien invasion, coupled with its exploration of profound themes, has ensured its place as a classic of the genre.
The novel's influence can be seen in countless works of science fiction that followed, from alien invasion stories to post-apocalyptic narratives. Its impact extends beyond literature, inspiring famous adaptations like Orson Welles' 1938 radio broadcast and multiple film versions.
But perhaps the most enduring aspect of "The War of the Worlds" is its ability to make us reflect on our own world and our place in it. By presenting a scenario where humanity is no longer at the top of the food chain, Wells challenges us to reconsider our assumptions about our own superiority and the potential consequences of our actions.
The novel's themes of imperialism, the power of nature, the double-edged sword of technology, and human resilience remain relevant today. As we face global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and rapid technological advancement, the lessons of "The War of the Worlds" continue to resonate.
In the end, Wells' masterpiece is not just a thrilling tale of alien invasion, but a profound meditation on what it means to be human in a vast and often hostile universe. It reminds us of our vulnerabilities, but also of our capacity for survival, adaptation, and growth in the face of even the most extraordinary challenges.