Herbie Murray
H.G. Wells' novel, 'When the Sleeper Wakes', is a fascinating exploration of a Victorian man's journey through time, as he falls asleep in the 19th century and wakes up 203 years later in a vastly different world. The story, first published as a serial between 1899 and 1903, centres around Graham, a man who, through a combination of a hypnotic trance and a sleeping drug, finds himself transported to the year 2100. Upon waking, Graham discovers he has become the richest man in the world due to the exponential growth of his wealth during his long sleep. The novel offers a dystopian vision of London, where the city is mechanized and controlled by a powerful council, and the masses are subjected to a life of labour and subliminal brainwashing. 'When the Sleeper Wakes' provides an intriguing glimpse into Wells' imagination and his predictions of future technology and politics, and has left a lasting impact on science fiction literature and media.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Dystopian science fiction |
| Author | H.G. Wells |
| Publication year | 1899 |
| Revised edition publication year | 1910 |
| Revised edition title | The Sleeper Awakes |
| Protagonist | Graham |
| Plot | A Victorian man falls asleep and wakes up 203 years later to find himself in a transformed London and the richest man in the world |
| Themes | Technology, politics, revolution, brainwashing, social class |
| Film adaptations | No film adaptations were made |
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What You'll Learn
The Sleeper's awakening and disorientation
The Sleeper Awakes (1910) is a revised edition of the original, When the Sleeper Wakes (1899), a dystopian novel by H. G. Wells. The story concerns a Victorian man, Graham, who falls into a mesmeric trance and wakes up 203 years later in a transformed London.
When Graham wakes up, he is disoriented. The people around him are alarmed and do not answer his questions. Instead, they place him under house arrest. Graham is confused and frustrated as he tries to piece together what has happened during his long sleep. He soon learns that he is now the legal owner and master of most of the world due to a fluke of history—two childless industrialists willed their stocks to him, and while he slept, these stocks grew into a vast economic-political cartel.
Graham's awakening causes a stir, and a mob gathers, demanding to see the fabled Sleeper. Rebels led by Ostrog help Graham escape from those who want him dead. Graham reluctantly joins the rebels, finding himself in the midst of a burgeoning revolution against the White Council, who have enslaved the workers. Ostrog uses Graham's awakening to his advantage, mobilizing the people and setting himself up as the new despot. Graham is swept up in events, struggling to make sense of this strange new world and his place within it.
As Graham escapes with the rebels, he sees the extent of the changes that have occurred during his sleep. He learns that there is no more countryside in England, and all agricultural work has been automated and moved to the cities. Everyone now lives and works in one of four massive, windmill-powered metropolises. Graham's disorientation is heightened as he tries to reconcile his memories of the past with this unfamiliar future.
In conclusion, Graham's awakening in When the Sleeper Wakes is a pivotal moment that sets the story in motion. His initial disorientation and confusion mirror the reader's own introduction to this dystopian future. Through Graham's eyes, Wells presents a startling vision of a transformed London, highlighting the disorienting nature of time travel and the potential consequences of prolonged sleep.
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The White Council's power and Graham's ownership of the world
In the 1899 dystopian science fiction novel *When the Sleeper Wakes*, H.G. Wells presents a world in which the "White Council" has amassed vast political and economic power. The story centres on Graham, a Victorian Englishman who, after taking drugs to cure his insomnia, falls into a 200-year coma. During this time, his wealth accumulates through compound interest, and the trustees of his estate, the White Council, exploit this wealth to seize control of industries and political entities across the globe.
Upon awakening in the late 21st to early 22nd century, Graham discovers that he has become the richest man in the world and, by default, the most powerful. Legally, he owns the majority of the planet, a fact that the White Council is keen to conceal. They attempt to assassinate him, but rebels led by Ostrog foil their plans. Ostrog and his followers seek to harness Graham's ownership of the world to legitimise their revolution against the oppressive White Council regime.
The White Council's power is derived from their control of industry and politics. They have established a plutocracy, dismantling existing power structures such as parliament and the monarchy. Their influence is so pervasive that they have reduced the Sleeper, their figurehead, to a mere symbol used to manipulate the population. The Council's power is so absolute that they are able to keep Graham, the true owner of the world, under house arrest without consequence.
Despite Graham's immense wealth and technical ownership of the world, his power is largely theoretical. He is reluctant to join the rebels and is easily manipulated by Ostrog, who uses him as a puppet ruler while retaining power for himself. Graham's power is further diminished when he discovers that Ostrog's revolution has failed to improve the lives of the lower classes. Graham's ownership of the world is, therefore, largely superficial, and he is unable to exert any meaningful control over it.
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The revolution against the White Council
In H.G. Wells's novel, *When the Sleeper Wakes*, Graham, the protagonist, is a man from the 19th century who falls asleep and wakes up 203 years later. He discovers that he is now the richest man in the world, and the White Council wants him dead. This council is a combination of political despots and capitalist exploiters who have invested Graham's money to buy up industries and political entities across the world.
The old man explains that the Sleeper is a figure created by the White Council to brainwash the population. He believes that the Sleeper is merely a symbol and does not actually exist. However, the people see the Sleeper as a messianic figure who will lead them to a better future. The revolutionaries want the Sleeper to assume the role of leader, and Graham reluctantly agrees, becoming a puppet ruler while Ostrog retains the true power.
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Ostrog's rise to power and true nature
In H.G. Wells's "When the Sleeper Wakes", Ostrog's rise to power is facilitated by a series of events that begin with Graham's awakening. Graham, having slept for 203 years, finds himself to be the legal owner of most of the world's industries and political entities. This sudden shift in power dynamics puts him at odds with the White Council, who want him dead. It is in this context of turmoil and leadership vacuum that Ostrog, a revolutionary "boss", steps in.
Ostrog's true nature is revealed through his actions and intentions. Firstly, he is a skilled manipulator, using Graham's awakening to his advantage to mobilise the people and overthrow the existing power structure. He presents himself as a champion of the workers, leading them in a revolution against the oppressive White Council. However, Ostrog's primary motivation is his own thirst for power. He exploits Graham's influence and position as a figurehead to establish himself as the new despot, effectively using Graham as a puppet ruler.
Ostrog's true colours are further exposed when Graham confronts him about the plight of the lower classes. Despite leading a revolution that promised change, Ostrog admits that the lower classes remain dominated and exploited under his rule. This revelation underscores Ostrog's true nature as a power-hungry opportunist who is willing to manipulate and deceive to achieve his goals.
Ostrog's rise to power, therefore, can be attributed to his ability to navigate chaotic circumstances and exploit others. He takes advantage of Graham's unexpected emergence and the ensuing power vacuum to position himself as a revolutionary leader. However, his true nature as a self-serving despot becomes evident when he fails to bring about the changes he promised and instead maintains a system of domination and exploitation. Ostrog's character serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of power unchecked and the potential for revolutionary ideals to be corrupted by personal ambition.
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The future of London and Britain
H.G. Wells' novel, "When the Sleeper Wakes", offers a fascinating glimpse into a possible future for London and Britain. The novel, published in 1899 and later revised in 1910, depicts a London of the future—specifically, the year 2100—that is vastly different from the city of its time.
In the novel, the protagonist, Graham, a Victorian man, falls asleep and wakes up 203 years in the future. He finds himself in a London that is a mechanized city of polished steel and glass, a stark contrast to the London of his time. This future London is controlled by a powerful council, a combination of political despots and capitalist exploiters, who have abolished the existing world order, including Parliament and the monarchy. The novel presents a future where the countryside no longer exists, and all agricultural work has been automated and handled by the cities. The people now live and work in one of four massive, windmill-powered metropolises. This London of the future is a place where the masses are herded along an elaborate public transport system to long hours of mindless work, with no privacy or property. Their children are raised by state-run mechanical "mothers," and their thoughts and actions are controlled through constant brainwashing.
The novel also highlights the social and economic disparities present in this future. Graham, due to a series of events, becomes the legal owner and master of most of the world. He is now the richest man in the world, with his wealth and influence spanning across the globe. This wealth is a result of compound interest on his bank accounts and the growth of stocks willed to him, which were controlled and managed by a board of trustees while he was asleep. This accumulation of wealth and power sets Graham up as a figurehead and a symbol for the people, who are led by revolutionaries like Ostrog, seeking to overthrow the ruling council.
The novel's depiction of a future London and Britain, with its mechanized cities, abolition of the existing world order, and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, presents a dystopian vision. It serves as a warning and a critique of the potential consequences of unchecked capitalism, technological advancement, and social inequality.
While "When the Sleeper Wakes" may have been written over a century ago, its themes and ideas remain relevant today. It invites readers to contemplate the potential future of London and Britain if societal and structural issues go unaddressed. It encourages a reflection on the role of technology, the distribution of power and wealth, and the importance of individual freedom and privacy.
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Frequently asked questions
The central theme of the novel is the concept of a dystopian future and social inequality.
The novel was first published in serial form between 1899 and 1903. In 1910, Wells expanded the story into a full-length novel titled 'The Sleeper Awakes'.
The protagonist of the novel is Graham, a Victorian man who falls asleep and wakes up 203 years later.
Graham, a radical pamphleteer and insomniac, falls asleep in 1897 and wakes up 203 years later in a dystopian future ruled by a small elite known as the "White Council". He discovers that due to compounded interest on his investments, he has become the richest and most powerful man in the world, and the owner of most of the planet. He becomes embroiled in a revolution against the White Council, led by the rebels headed by Ostrog.
The title refers to the protagonist Graham, who is known as "the Sleeper" after he wakes up from his 203-year slumber. The title signifies the moment when Graham awakens to a future world that is vastly different from the one he knew, and where he has become a symbol of power and wealth.
