Miya Pearson
When the Sleeper Wakes is a dystopian science fiction novel by H.G. Wells, first published in serial form between 1899 and 1903. The story centres on Graham, a Victorian man who falls into a coma after taking a drug to cure his insomnia and wakes up 203 years later in a transformed London. The novel explores themes of power, revolution, and social inequality. It has inspired other works of fiction, including the 1973 film Sleeper by Woody Allen and the British dystopian television series Blake's 7. The full text of When the Sleeper Wakes is available online and as a free ebook, offering readers a glimpse into a future that may seem both familiar and unsettling.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Author | H.G. Wells |
| Year of first publication | 1899 |
| Genre | Dystopian science fiction |
| Publication format | Serial, book |
| Main character | Graham |
| Story setting | Late 21st to early 22nd century London |
| Story plot | A man sleeps for 203 years and wakes up in a transformed London, becoming the richest man in the world |
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What You'll Learn
- The protagonist, Graham, falls asleep in 1897 and wakes up 203 years later in 2100
- Graham discovers he is the richest man in the world and the owner of most of the planet
- The world is now ruled by an oppressive elite known as the White Council
- Graham is saved from the White Council by rebels led by Ostrog, who want him to lead their revolution
- Graham becomes a figurehead leader while Ostrog holds the real power
The protagonist, Graham, falls asleep in 1897 and wakes up 203 years later in 2100
In 1897, Graham, a Victorian man suffering from insomnia, takes a drug that he hopes will help him sleep. The drug works a little too well, and Graham falls into a deep slumber, a coma, from which he does not wake for 203 years.
When Graham finally wakes up in the year 2100, he is disoriented. The people around him are alarmed; they had not expected him to wake up. Word spreads that the "Sleeper" has awakened, and a mob gathers, demanding to see him. Graham's questions go unanswered, and he is placed under house arrest.
Graham slowly learns that he has become the richest and most powerful man in the world. Legally, he owns most of the planet. He also discovers that there are now only four huge cities in Britain, all powered by windmills, and that agriculture has become fully industrialised and automated, with no one living in the countryside or small towns anymore.
Rebels led by Ostrog help Graham escape from his house arrest. They believe that Graham's leadership is necessary for their revolution against the White Council, which has been exploiting the lower classes. Graham reluctantly agrees to help, although he is unsure of who to trust. He soon finds himself in the midst of a march against the White Council, which is attacked by state police. In the confusion, Graham gets separated from the revolutionaries and meets an old man who tells him about the evils of the White Council and their investment of Graham's wealth to gain control of industries and political entities worldwide.
As the revolution unfolds, Graham becomes a figurehead leader, with Ostrog retaining the true power. Graham leads a carefree life, developing an interest in aeroplanes and learning how to fly. However, his illusion of a perfect world is shattered when he realises that the revolution has changed nothing for the lower classes, who continue to be dominated and exploited. Ostrog's true motives are exposed, revealing his desire for personal power.
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Graham discovers he is the richest man in the world and the owner of most of the planet
In the year 1897, Graham, a Victorian man suffering from chronic insomnia, decides to take a drug that will help him sleep. The drug is so effective that Graham falls into a coma and wakes up 203 years later in the year 2100.
Upon waking, Graham is disoriented. The people around him are alarmed and word spreads that the "Sleeper" has awakened. A mob gathers around the building, demanding to see the fabled Sleeper. Graham's caretakers refuse to answer his questions and place him under house arrest.
Graham eventually learns that he is the legal owner and master of most of the world. He is now the richest man in the world. The White Council wants Graham dead and attempts to assassinate him. However, rebels led by the revolutionary Ostrog help him escape. Ostrog tells Graham that the people need his leadership to rise against the White Council. Unconvinced but eager to escape captivity, Graham agrees to join them.
Graham soon finds himself in the midst of a burgeoning revolution. The workers, led by Ostrog, are rising up against the White Council that enslaves them. During a march, the state police attack the revolutionaries, and in the confusion, Graham gets separated from the group. He meets an old man who tells him about the Sleeper—a figure allegedly created by the White Council to brainwash the population. The White Council invested Graham's wealth to buy up industries and political entities across the world, abolishing the existing world order, including Parliament and the monarchy in Great Britain.
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The world is now ruled by an oppressive elite known as the White Council
The world depicted in H.G. Wells' 1899 dystopian novel, "When the Sleeper Wakes" (also known as "The Sleeper Awakes") is ruled by an oppressive elite known as the White Council. The protagonist, Graham, falls into a coma and wakes up 203 years later in a transformed London, discovering that he has become the richest man in the world and legally owns most of the planet.
The White Council is a powerful and oppressive force that has invested Graham's wealth to gain control of industries and political entities worldwide. They have abolished the existing world order, including Parliament and the monarchy in Great Britain, and established a plutocracy. The Council's actions have led to a revolution, with workers rising up against their oppressive rule. Led by the revolutionary Ostrog, the rebels aim to overthrow the White Council and establish a new order.
The White Council wants Graham dead and attempts to assassinate him. However, the rebels rescue him, and Graham reluctantly joins their cause. Despite his reservations, Graham becomes a figurehead leader of the revolution, with Ostrog manipulating him to seize power for himself. Graham's carefree life ends when he realizes that the revolution has not brought meaningful change for the lower classes, who remain dominated and exploited.
The White Council's rule has transformed Britain's landscape. Graham, observing from an airplane, notices that no one lives in the countryside or small towns anymore. All agricultural work has been industrialized and centralized in four massive, windmill-powered cities. The novel presents a dark vision of the future, where the White Council's oppressive rule has led to widespread exploitation and a starkly transformed world.
"When the Sleeper Wakes" explores themes of power, revolution, and social inequality. Wells' narrative, though criticized for its “impossibly timid” and outdated science, has been praised for its human values and non-utopian vision. The novel has influenced various works of science fiction and film, showcasing its enduring impact on dystopian storytelling.
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Graham is saved from the White Council by rebels led by Ostrog, who want him to lead their revolution
In the 1899 dystopian novel When the Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells, Graham, a Victorian man, falls into a coma after taking a drug to help him sleep. He wakes up 203 years later in a transformed London, disoriented and alarmed. He discovers that he is now the richest and most powerful man in the world, legally owning most of the planet.
The White Council wants Graham dead and attempts to assassinate him. However, rebels led by the revolutionary Ostrog help him escape. Ostrog and the rebels want Graham to lead their revolution against the White Council, but Graham is unsure who to trust and is reluctant to join them. He is taken to a massive hall where workers have gathered to prepare for the revolution. They march against the White Council but are attacked by the state police, and in the confusion, Graham gets separated from the revolutionaries.
Graham meets an old man who tells him about the Sleeper. The old man explains that the White Council used the Sleeper's wealth to buy industries and political power worldwide, but he is skeptical that the Sleeper is a real person, believing him to be a symbol used by the Council to brainwash the population. Despite his doubts, the old man wants the Sleeper to assume leadership, and Graham agrees, becoming a puppet ruler while Ostrog holds the true power. Graham's carefree life ends when he realizes that the revolution has not changed anything for the lower class, and Ostrog has only used him to seize power for himself.
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Graham becomes a figurehead leader while Ostrog holds the real power
In the 1899 dystopian novel When the Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells, Graham, a Victorian man, falls into a coma after taking a drug to help him sleep and wakes up 203 years later in a transformed London. He discovers that he is now the richest and most powerful man in the world, legally owning most of the planet.
Upon waking, Graham is met with alarm and confusion by those around him. A mob gathers, demanding to see the "Sleeper". He is placed under house arrest and learns that the White Council wants him dead. Rebels led by Ostrog help him escape, saying that the people need Graham's leadership to rise against the White Council. Ostrog and the rebels want Graham to assume the role of leader, but he is reluctant and unconvinced, serving merely as a figurehead while Ostrog holds the real power.
Graham agrees to this arrangement and leads a carefree life, developing an interest in aeroplanes and learning how to fly. From the air, he sees the extent of the changes that have taken place in his absence. There is no longer any countryside in England, and all agricultural work has been automated and run by the cities. Everyone now lives and works in one of four massive, windmill-powered metropolises.
However, Graham's carefree existence comes to an end when he learns that the revolution has changed nothing for the lower class, who are still dominated and exploited. Ostrog admits that the system is still in place but defends it. It becomes clear that Ostrog has used the revolution and Graham to seize power for himself. Graham, as the Sleeper, is just a figurehead, a symbol used to brainwash and control the population.
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Frequently asked questions
'When the Sleeper Wakes' is a science fiction novel written by H.G. Wells, first serialised in 1899. The story is set in a future dystopian world and explores themes of power, wealth, and the consequences of unchecked technological advancement. The novel follows the protagonist, Graham, as he awakens from a deep sleep to find himself in a world entirely unfamiliar to him.
The story is set in London, in the year 1897, and then fast-forwards to the year 2100. Graham falls into a deep sleep in 1897 and wakes up in the year 2100, discovering that he is the master of the earth. He finds himself in a world ruled by a small elite known as the "White Council," and the common people are oppressed and living in poverty. Graham escapes the people who had placed him under house arrest and meets Ostrog, who leads the rebels. Graham becomes a puppet ruler and eventually learns that the revolution has changed nothing for the lower class.
The title refers to the protagonist Graham, who is referred to as "the Sleeper" as he sleeps for 203 years. The title signifies the moment when Graham wakes up and discovers the future world and his place in it.
