Miya Pearson
When the Sleeper Wakes, also known as The Sleeper Awakes, is an 1899 dystopian science fiction novel by H.G. Wells. The story centres on Graham, a Victorian man who falls into a coma and wakes up 203 years later to a transformed London, finding himself to be the richest and most powerful man in the world. The novel explores themes of wealth, power, and revolution, as Graham navigates a future that is both fascinating and horrifying. The Sleeper Awakes is a revised version of the original serialised novel, published in 1910, with Wells making a number of excisions and alterations. The novel has inspired other works of science fiction, including the 1973 film Sleeper by Woody Allen.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of first publication | 1899 |
| Author | H.G. Wells |
| Genre | Dystopian science fiction |
| Publication format | Serial, book, and ebook |
| Main character | Graham |
| Plot | A man sleeps for 203 years, waking up in a transformed London where he is the richest man in the world |
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What You'll Learn
Graham's insomnia and the drug-induced coma
In the 1899 dystopian science fiction novel *When the Sleeper Wakes*, H.G. Wells introduces the reader to Graham, an Englishman living in London in 1897. Graham is an insomniac, and his worsening condition leads him to take drugs to help him sleep. Unfortunately, the drugs have the opposite effect, and Graham falls into a deep coma.
Graham's story is one of the drug-induced comas, as he sleeps for 203 years, waking up in the year 2100. During his coma, the world has transformed, and he finds himself in a new alternate reality. Graham discovers that his money has been placed into a trust, and the trustees, known as the White Council, have used his wealth to establish a vast political and economic world order. As a result, Graham wakes up to find himself the richest man in the world and the legal owner and master of most of the Earth.
Upon waking, Graham is disoriented, and those around him are alarmed, as they did not expect him to wake up. A mob gathers, demanding to see the fabled Sleeper. Graham's questions are left unanswered, and he is placed under house arrest. Rebels led by Ostrog help Graham escape, believing that his leadership is necessary to rise against the White Council. Graham is unconvinced but goes along with the rebels.
At a massive gathering, the workers prepare to march against the White Council but are attacked by state police. In the chaos, Graham becomes separated from the revolutionaries and meets an old man who tells him the story of the Sleeper. The White Council, the old man explains, used Graham's wealth to buy up industries and political entities, establishing a plutocracy and sweeping away parliament and the monarchy. The Sleeper, according to the old man, is a fictional figure used to manipulate the population.
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Awakening to a transformed London
In the dystopian novel, 'When the Sleeper Wakes', Graham, a Victorian man and insomniac, takes a drug that helps him sleep. He slips into a coma and wakes up 203 years later in a transformed London.
Graham is disoriented upon waking up and alarmed by the people around him. He overhears whispers of "The Sleeper" and a crowd gathers, demanding to see the Sleeper. He is placed under house arrest and learns that he is now the legal owner and richest man in the world, with ownership of most of the planet. The White Council wants him 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 reluctantly agrees to help, but he is unsure of who he can trust.
During a march, the state police attack the revolutionaries, and in the chaos, Graham becomes separated from the group. He meets an old man who tells him about the Sleeper and the White Council's evil deeds. The old man believes the Sleeper is a made-up figure used by the Council to brainwash the population. Graham discovers that while he was asleep, the world has transformed into a plutocracy, abolishing the British Parliament and monarchy.
Graham's carefree life ends when he realises the revolution has not changed the plight of the lower classes, who are still dominated and exploited. He confronts Ostrog, who admits to using the revolution and Graham to seize power for himself. Graham's bird's-eye view of the city reveals a changed landscape: all agricultural work has become automated and run by the cities, and everyone lives and works in one of four massive, windmill-powered metropolises.
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The Sleeper's wealth and power
In the dystopian novel "When the Sleeper Wakes," Graham, the main character, falls into a coma and sleeps for 203 years, from 1897 to 2100. During this time, his wealth accumulates through compound interest on his own money and the fortunes left to him by his richer solicitor cousin and a man named Isbister. By the time he wakes up, he has unknowingly become the richest and most powerful man in the world, legally owning most of the planet.
The White Council, the ruling body that has invested his wealth to gain political control and buy up industries, now wants him dead. Rebels led by Ostrog help Graham escape, and they convince him to become their figurehead leader in the revolution against the White Council. Ostrog manipulates Graham into serving as a puppet ruler while he retains power. Graham's wealth and power are thus largely symbolic, as he is unaware of the full extent of his influence and is easily controlled by those around him.
Graham's newfound wealth and power give him a unique perspective on the world. He learns to fly airplanes and sees from the sky that agriculture has become industrialized, with all of England's countryside replaced by four massive, windmill-powered cities. However, his privileged position does not shield him from the harsh realities of the lower classes, who are still dominated and exploited under Ostrog's rule.
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The White Council and the rebels
In the year 1897, Graham, a Victorian man suffering from insomnia, takes a drug that he hopes will help him sleep. The drug induces a coma that lasts for 203 years. When Graham wakes up in the year 2100, he is disoriented and alarmed to find himself in a transformed London. He discovers that he has become the richest man in the world.
The White Council, the ruling body that has invested Graham's wealth to gain control of industries and political entities worldwide, wants him dead. They attempt to assassinate him, but rebels led by the revolutionary Ostrog help him escape. Ostrog and the rebels convince Graham to join their cause, and he soon finds himself at the centre of a burgeoning revolution. The workers, led by Ostrog, are rising up against the White Council, which has enslaved them.
During a march against the White Council, the state police attack the revolutionaries. In the confusion, Graham gets separated from the group and meets an old man who tells him about the evildoings of the White Council. The old man believes that the Sleeper is a made-up figure used by the Council to brainwash the population.
After the police attack, the rebels gain the upper hand, and Graham and Ostrog reunite. They want the Sleeper to assume the role of leader, and Graham agrees, becoming a puppet ruler while Ostrog retains power. Graham leads a carefree life, developing an interest in aeroplanes and learning how to fly. However, he eventually learns from Helen Wotton that the revolution has changed nothing for the lower class, who are still dominated and exploited. Ostrog admits to Graham that the lower classes are still oppressed, but he defends the system. It becomes clear that Ostrog only wanted power for himself and used the revolution and Graham to achieve his goals.
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The pseudo-revolution
The pseudo-nature of the revolution lies in the fact that it is merely a power grab by one faction, led by Ostrog, to overthrow the existing rulers, the White Council. The true purpose of the revolution, to improve the lives of the lower classes, is not achieved. Ostrog becomes the de facto ruler, with Graham as a figurehead. The lower classes are still dominated and exploited, and Ostrog defends this system.
During the revolution, Graham is separated from the rebels and meets an old man who tells him about the Sleeper. The Sleeper is a mythical figure, a symbol used by the White Council to brainwash the population. The Sleeper's wealth has been used by the Council to buy up industries and political entities worldwide, consolidating their power.
Graham, as the Sleeper, becomes a figurehead leader, while Ostrog holds the real power. Graham enjoys a carefree life, learning to fly airplanes and seeing the changes in his country from above. He discovers that all agriculture has become automated and run by the cities, with everyone living and working in four massive, windmill-powered cities.
However, Graham's illusion of power and happiness is shattered when Helen Wotton reveals that the revolution has changed nothing for the lower class. Ostrog admits that the lower classes are still exploited, but justifies the system. Graham realizes that he has been used by Ostrog to gain power, and the pseudo-revolution has only served to replace one ruling faction with another, without any real change.
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Frequently asked questions
'When the Sleeper Wakes' is a dystopian science fiction novel by H.G. Wells, first published in serial form in 1899. It is about a man who sleeps for 203 years and wakes up in a transformed London, where he has become the richest man in the world.
The main character's name is Graham.
When Graham wakes up, he is disoriented and alarmed. He gradually realises that he has slept for 203 years and that he now owns most of the world. He is placed under house arrest and learns that the people want him to lead a revolution against the White Council.
The rebels are led by a man named Ostrog, who helps Graham escape from the White Council, who want him dead. Ostrog manipulates Graham into becoming a puppet ruler while he holds the real power.
No, but there have been attempts to make a film adaptation. In the late 1960s, George Pal wanted to make a film of the novel and offered to buy the rights from American International Pictures. However, no film resulted from this deal.
