Evie Summers
When the Sleeper Wakes, written by H.G. Wells and first published in serial form between 1899 and 1903, is a dystopian novel set in the year 2100. The story centres on Graham, a Victorian man who falls asleep and wakes up 203 years later to a transformed London, a world he no longer recognises. Graham discovers that he has inherited a vast sum of money, and that he is now the legal owner of most of the world. The novel explores themes of power, revolution, and the unintended consequences of technological and political advancements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the novel | When the Sleeper Wakes (The Sleeper Awakes) |
| Author | H.G. Wells |
| Genre | Dystopian science fiction |
| Year of publication | 1899 |
| Main character | Graham |
| Other characters | Ostrog, Helen Wotton, White Council |
| Plot | A Victorian man falls asleep and wakes up 203 years later to a transformed London and himself as the richest man in the world |
| Theme | Revolution, social and political dominance, unintended consequences |
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What You'll Learn
Graham wakes up in a transformed London
In the year 1897, Graham, a Victorian man and chronic insomniac, takes a drug to help him sleep. The drug works a little too well, and Graham falls into a deep slumber, a coma, from which he will not wake for 203 years.
When Graham finally does wake up, he is disoriented. The people around him are alarmed; they had not expected him to wake up. He has become a legend, a mythical figure, and the people want to see him. But Graham's caretakers will not answer his questions. Instead, they place him under house arrest. He learns that he is now the legal owner of most of the world. His wealth has been carefully managed and invested by trustees—the White Council—who have used it to establish a new world order, a plutocracy that has abolished the existing world order, including Parliament and the monarchy in Great Britain.
Graham is now the richest and most powerful man in the world, but his life is in danger. The White Council wants him dead, but rebels led by the revolutionary Ostrog help him escape. Ostrog and the rebels want Graham to assume the role of leader, but he is reluctant and unsure who to trust. He soon finds himself in the midst of a burgeoning revolution, with the workers rising up against the White Council that enslaves them. During a march, the state police attack the revolutionaries, and in the confusion, Graham is separated from the group. He meets an old man who tells him about the Sleeper—a figure the old man believes is made up to brainwash the population.
Graham's carefree life comes to an end when he realises that, for the lower class, the revolution has changed nothing. Ostrog admits that the lower classes are still dominated and exploited, but he defends the system. Graham discovers that Ostrog only wanted power for himself and has used the revolution and Graham to achieve his goals. Graham's interest in aeroplanes leads him to learn how to fly, and from the sky, he sees that no one lives in the country or small towns anymore. All agriculture is run like industry, and there are now only four huge cities in Britain, all powered by windmills.
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The Sleeper is a figurehead
In H.G. Wells' 1899 novel, *When the Sleeper Wakes*, Graham, the Sleeper, is a figurehead. After waking from a 203-year slumber, Graham discovers that he is the richest man in the world. His wealth has been carefully managed by a group of trustees, the White Council, who have used it to buy up industries and political entities, establishing a new world order.
Graham is a radical pamphleteer and socialist. He finds himself in the middle of a revolution, with rebels led by Ostrog seeking to overthrow the White Council. The rebels want Graham, as the Sleeper, to assume the role of leader, believing that he will save the people and bring an end to the Council's rule. However, Graham is reluctant and unsure of who to trust. He eventually agrees to be their figurehead leader, but the true power behind the throne is Ostrog, who manipulates Graham to seize power for himself.
As the Sleeper, Graham is a messianic figure, portrayed with religious imagery and likened to King Arthur. The people see him as a legendary, even mythical, figure, and his awakening spreads through the city, with crowds gathering to catch a glimpse of him. An old man Graham meets expresses skepticism about the Sleeper's existence, believing he is merely a symbol used by the Council to brainwash the population.
Graham's role as a figurehead allows him to lead a carefree life of leisure. He develops an interest in aeroplanes and learns to fly, gaining a bird's-eye view of how much his country has changed. He sees that all agriculture has become automated and run by cities, with no one living in the countryside or small towns anymore. However, his carefree existence ends when he learns that the revolution has changed nothing for the lower classes, who remain dominated and exploited.
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Graham's wealth and power
In the 1899 dystopian novel *When the Sleeper Wakes*, Graham, the protagonist, is a Victorian man who falls asleep and wakes up 203 years later in the year 2100. During his sleep, a trust set up by the executors of his estate has grown so much that he is now the owner of almost everything and the richest man in the world.
Upon waking, Graham is disoriented and alarmed by the people around him. He soon learns that he is the legal owner and master of most of the world. While he slept, his trustees, known as the White Council, had invested his wealth to buy up industries and political entities across the world, establishing a new world order and their own vision of political and social dominance. This resulted in a plutocracy that abolished the existing world order, including Parliament and the monarchy in Great Britain.
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The White Council
In the 1899 dystopian novel *When the Sleeper Wakes*, the White Council is a group of trustees who manage the Sleeper's wealth while he sleeps for 203 years. During this time, the White Council invests the Sleeper's money to gain control of industries and political entities across the world, establishing a new world order and their own vision of political and social dominance.
Upon awakening, the Sleeper (Graham) is alarmed to find himself under house arrest. He learns that he is the legal owner and master of most of the world due to the White Council's management of his wealth. The Council wants Graham dead and attempts to assassinate him, but he is rescued by rebels led by Ostrog, who want Graham to lead their revolution against the White Council.
Graham is reluctant to join the rebels, unsure of who he can trust. He discovers that Ostrog is a power-hungry dictator, using the revolution and Graham's influence to seize control for himself. Graham eventually leads a dramatic air battle against Ostrog's forces.
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Ostrog's betrayal
In the novel When the Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells, the character Ostrog is a revolutionary leader who frees Graham, the Sleeper, from his captivity at the hands of the White Council. Graham, disoriented after waking up from a 203-year slumber, is told by Ostrog that the people are demanding that the Sleeper, now the legal owner of most of the world, should rule. Ostrog becomes Graham's advisor, but it is soon revealed that he is a power-hungry dictator, exploiting the lower classes and using Graham as a puppet ruler.
Ostrog manipulates Graham into becoming a figurehead ruler, while he retains the real power. Graham, still adjusting to this new world, leads a carefree life, pursuing his interest in aeroplanes and learning how to fly. From the air, he discovers the truth about Ostrog's regime. The countryside has been abandoned, with all agricultural work automated and centralized in four massive, windmill-powered cities. Ostrog has maintained the oppressive system, with the lower classes still dominated and exploited.
Graham's realization of Ostrog's betrayal underscores the novel's exploration of power dynamics and the complexities of social and political change. It highlights the dangers of blind faith in charismatic leaders and the potential for revolutionary movements to be co-opted for personal gain. Ostrog's true nature serves as a stark reminder that power can corrupt, and that even those who present themselves as saviors can become oppressors.
In the end, Graham's alliance with Ostrog turns into direct opposition, as he leads an air battle against Ostrog's forces, seeking to overthrow the very regime he helped establish.
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Frequently asked questions
The main character in 'When the Sleeper Wakes' is Graham, a Victorian man who falls asleep and wakes up 203 years later.
When Graham wakes up, he is disoriented and alarmed by the people around him. He discovers that he is the legal owner and master of most of the world and gets caught in the middle of a revolution.
Other important characters in the novel include Ostrog, a rebel leader who helps Graham escape and becomes his partner in power; the White Council, a group of trustees who manage Graham's money and invest it to gain political and social dominance; and an old man who tells Graham about the Sleeper and the evildoings of the White Council.
The title 'When the Sleeper Wakes' refers to the main character, Graham, who is known as the Sleeper. He sleeps for 203 years and wakes up to a transformed world, where he has become the richest and most powerful man. The title signifies Graham's awakening to a new reality and his iconic status in this future world.
