H G Wells was cynical of the Victorian class system and thoroughly disapproved of the way people were segregated, according to their wealth. Wells disagreed with England’s capitalist views, as he himself was a socialist. His novel The Time Machine is primarily a social critique of Victorian England projected into the distant future. He has taken segregation to its extremes and shows how far human evolution will go if capitalism continues unhindered.
On travelling to the future he finds that this new world is not what he expected, as he feels vulnerable and ‘naked in a strange world.’ (Page 26) This panic then quickly transforms into frenzy as he then meets the Eloi who were all that he despised, creatures who were frail, had lost manliness and lost interest in the world. The Eloi were as he describes a ‘fragile thing out of futurity’ (Page 28) mainly due to their consumptive beauty and their very frail and pale features. This is what is called ‘Dresden china’ (Page 29) linking the creatures back to delicate china dolls known for their perfect facial features. This is how the upper class Victorians would behave as they strived to achieve beauty such as the Eloi posses. When he first saw them, they had appeared in rich soft robes, which are then later described, as purple. They are portrayed as these very godly, rich upper class characters and it is clear to the reader that these creatures were portraying the Victorian upper classes as purple, in the Nineteenth Century was a very expensive colour.
Wells has also subtly implied his views of communism amongst the Eloi, as they are all ‘uniformly curly’ (Page 29) personifying Wells’ views that we should all be the same. Later this is described, as a ‘utopia’ (Page 63), which show...
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...t the area has become rural. There is more countryside than in the Victorian Times showing how industry has regressed. In addition, when the time traveller realises where they were stood he says ‘Clearly … stood among the ruins’ (Page 83). This is a metaphor showing the ruins of intelligence as the Eloi showed no desire to pursue intelligence.
The themes of The Time Machine still relate to modern times however the distinction between classes is more subtle than the Nineteenth Century. The distinction between the classes nowadays is ever so small as we all live like the Morlocks who have work in order to survive. However the discrimination between classes is less prominent than in the Nineteenth Century. Nowadays classes are not determined by which family you are born into, it is more about the kind of job you have, your wealth and your social status in society.
The world is advancing so rapidly today, it seems that it will never stop growing in knowledge and complexity. In the novel “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells, The Time Traveler, as Wells calls him, travels hundreds of thousands of years into the future through time. He arrives at a world that, at first glimpse, is peaceful and clear of any worries. As The Time Traveler explores the world, he discovers that the human race has evolved into 2 distinct forms. Although the world appeared to be the Garden of Eden, it was, in reality, the Garden of Evil. Wells uses three aspects of the futuristic world to illustrate this: the setting, the Eloi, and the Murlocks.
“one of those cross streets peculiar to Western cities, situated in the heart of the residence quarter, but occupied by small trades people who lived in the rooms above their shops. There were corner drug stores with huge jars of red, yellow and green liquids in their windows, very brave and gay; stationers’ stores, where illustrated weeklies were tacked upon bulletin boards; barber shops with cigar stands in their vestibules; sad-looking plumbers; offices; cheap restaurants, in whose windows one saw piles of unopened oysters weighted down by cubes of ice, and china pigs and cows knee deep in layers of white beans.”
Looking Backward is a Utopian novel written by Edward Bellamy. The story is about Julian West, an American who falls into a deep hypnosis induced sleep only to wake up hundred and thirteen years later. When he wakes up, he is still in the same location but in a totally transformed world (Bellamy 11). He has also been changed into a socialist utopia. The book illustrates Bellamy’s views about changing and improving the future hence, bringing out four major themes; advantages of a socialist system, perils of the stock market, use of credit card and engaging the industrial army to curb some occurrences. In his novel, Bellamy uses the term evolution to signify major changes in technology and economy. His views on economy and technology contrast Charles Darwin’s theory: Origin of Species. In this theory Charles acknowledges the 19th Century as an economic century and extends his politico-economic views of progress to the whole realm of vegetable and animal life.
H.G. Wells was a prolific writer. In his book The Time Machine, he takes his readers on a journey into a future that is vastly different than they might have expected. During Well's lifetime, England was marked by distinct class differences, the working class and the idle rich. It is not surprising that in his writings Well's Marxist attitude comes through. This is especially seen in his fascination about the class division between the Eloi and the Morlocks, the effect capitalism has on the future, and the advancement of the human
“The Time Machine” can be seen as Wells’s socialist warning of what will befall humanity if capitalism continues to exploit worker for the benefits of the rich.
In the human race’s development years, the social classes were separated by tribes and, within the tribes, by the physical mass of a person. Now, society is separated by the education level of people in the workforce. These distinctions are sometimes placed forcibly upon society by some need of the people living at that time, while other differences form through the separation of class interests. Over time, people have distinguished a pattern common within most societies. Most societies, from the most primitive to the most progressive, have congregated themselves into three classes of people. These societal classes are exemplified in many pieces of literature. One novel in particular demonstrates the extreme separation of the classes: 1984. In George Orwell’s 1984, three hierarchical parties are created and separated simulating the Marxist ideal of the three classes: proletariat, bourgeoisie, and the aristocracy; 1984’s Inner Party, a version of an aristocracy, runs society and yields a higher income and lifestyle portraying the Marxist theme of the superiority of the aristocracy over the other classes while, also, emphasizing the ‘perfect’
In The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, the Time Traveller first visits the year 802,701, where Wells begins to establish that humanity has split into two opposite and startling sub-species, the Eloi and the Morlocks, similar to “modern” humans. After his associations with the Eloi and finally outsmarting the Morlocks, the Time Traveller escapes millions of years into the future to a period devoid of human life, and once more after that to see the final devolution of man. With these experiences centuries into the future, it is clear Wells does not possess an optimistic outlook on his interpretations of the future, but rather one of regression. Wells’ idea that humanity is doomed to devolution and eventual extinction is shown through the
Influence Thomas Huxley, famous biologist and H.G. Wells' teacher, once said. that "We live in a world which is full of misery and ignorance, and the The plain duty of each and all of us is to try to make the little corner he can influence somewhat less miserable and somewhat less ignorant than it was before he entered it" (Zaadz). In other words, we all have the duty to leave the world a better place by leaving our influence on others. The. At some point in our lives, we've all had someone or something.
The valley is described as a “desolate” place where “ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills into grotesque gardens”. (21) Ashes that dominate the area take the shape of natural greenery. The term “grotesque gardens” uses alliteration, with juxtaposition; to highlight the odd pairing of ashes and greenery. Ashes are associated with death while ridges and “gardens” represent the potential to flourish and grow in the promise and ideal of equality as in “the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams.” (143) The trees that once stood here were able to speak to man’s dreams, which allude to America, the land able to speak to man’s dreams and capacity for wonder. All this is replaced by grey ash that suffocates the inhabitants, restricting them to their social class. This presents a bleak image of hopelessness that surrounds the valley.
The setting for this novel was a constantly shifting one. Taking place during what seems to be the Late Industrial Revolution and the high of the British Empire, the era is portrayed amongst influential Englishmen, the value of the pound, the presence of steamers, railroads, ferries, and a European globe.
For many years, the well-known novelist, H.G. Wells has captivated the minds and imaginations of readers with his multiple best-selling books; The Invisible Man, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and The War of the Worlds. These selections however are not Wells’ most controversial novel. The Time Machine, written in 1895, is Wells’ most talked about work. Multiple different themes and various sides are seen to be taken within this novel, one of these main themes being the separation of classes. While the Morlock’s and the Eloi, in H.G. Wells’ novel; The Time Machine, play an extremely important role in distinguishing the future for this book, one has reason to believe that there is a broader underlying meaning for these two types of civilization. In fact, this underlying meaning is believed to relate back to Wells’ own personal life during the Victorian Period, in which the working and higher classes were at extreme differences towards each other, and where Wells, being a part of the middle class, felt and experienced firsthand; the clashing of these two divisions in Victorian society.
The time period called the Victorian Era was named after Queen Victoria who ruled from 1837 to 1901. (“Late Victorian Politics” 1). The Era lasted the duration of her reign. She was born in 1819 and crowned in 1837 (“Victorian Events” 1). Queen Victoria married Prince Albert who was her first cousin and had nine children (“Victorian Events” 1). At the age of 42, Prince Albert passed away (“Victorian Events” 2). The couple had only been married for 21 years. Consequently, she spends the rest of her coronation single. Celebrations of her reign occur in 1887 and 1897; they were called the Golden Jubilee and the Diamond Jubilee, respectively (“Victorian Events” 4-5). In 1901, Queen Victoria passed away at the age of 82 (“Victorian Events” 5). The prosperous Victorian Era consisted of a monarchy, three divisions of social class, inequality between men and women, dynamic clothing, different ways to relax, influential inventions, and significant events.
Although the Romantic period was really focused on the nature and imagination the Victorian era was a different story. The Victorian Era was similar but no different to the Neoclassical period. The Victorian Era was strict and had a strict Monarchy government that had rule that were suppose to be followed at every minute of every day. Religion was also very strict the main religion was christianity. The rules were strict and harsh and had to be followed at precisely the rich minute or a person would get in trouble.
The Victorian Era is marked by Queen Victoria’s reign in England from 1837-1901 (Eras of Elegance). It is known for its attention to high morals, modesty, and proper decorum, which was inspired by the Queen and her husband, Prince Albert. Importance was placed on civic consciousness and social responsibility, including equality towards all. Science, technology and Christianity thrived. Humanitarian and religious organizations, such as the Salvation Army, reflected the Victorian concern for the poor and needy. The Church was wealthy and powerful. Only the rich could afford education, so most were left uneducated, unable to think critically. The people believed the word of the Bible and that was all that mattered. However, growing industrialization led to numerous challenges to Christianity. Education became available to all, so they had the ability to form opinions. Urbanization took effect. Problems included growing trends on materialism, nationalism, communism and higher criticism of the Bible (Eras of Elegance).