Evie Summers
When the Sleeper Wakes, written by H.G. Wells, is a dystopian, science fiction novel set in the year 2100. The story follows Graham, a 19th-century insomniac who, after taking drugs to cure his insomnia, falls into a deep coma and sleeps for over 200 years. Upon waking up in a transformed London, Graham discovers that he has become the richest man in the world, with his wealth accumulated through compound interest. The novel explores themes of politics, power, and social dominance, as Graham navigates a future where his wealth has been used to establish a new world order. Despite some critics calling the novel dated, it remains a seminal work of science fiction and has influenced various other works of science fiction.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Author | H.G. Wells |
| Genre | Dystopian, Science Fiction |
| Year of Publication | 1899 |
| Revised Version | 1910 |
| Main Character | Graham |
| Story | Graham, an insomniac, sleeps for 200 years and wakes up to find himself the richest man in the world |
| Theme | Future of technology, politics, and society |
| Reception | Praised for its prophetic technological inventions and radical political ideas |
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What You'll Learn
- The Sleeper Wakes is a revised version of When the Sleeper Wakes, published in 1910
- The protagonist, Graham, falls asleep in the 1890s and wakes up 200 years later
- He discovers he owns most of the world and is the most powerful man
- He joins a revolution against the White Council, led by Ostrog
- Ostrog betrays Graham and the revolution, becoming a dictator
The Sleeper Wakes is a revised version of When the Sleeper Wakes, published in 1910
The Sleeper Wakes is a revised version of H.G. Wells's When the Sleeper Wakes, published in 1910. The original novel, When the Sleeper Wakes, was first published as a serial in The Graphic (London) and Harper's Weekly (New York) between 1899 and 1903, and then in book form in 1899.
The Sleeper Wakes expands on the original story, following the same basic framework but with additional detail and context. In Wells's own words, the earlier version was "written under considerable pressure", and he hoped to revise it before it was published. Unfortunately, he fell ill and was unable to make any changes before its initial publication.
The novel is a dystopian, science fiction work set in the future, in the year 2100. It centres on Graham, a Victorian man who falls into a deep coma after taking drugs to cure his insomnia. He wakes up 203 years later in a transformed London, where he has become the richest man in the world due to compound interest on his bank accounts. Over the years, a group of trustees called the "White Council" has used his wealth to establish a vast political and economic world order.
The Sleeper Wakes explores themes of power, politics, and social dominance, as Graham navigates a world that has drastically changed during his long sleep. It is considered a seminal work of science fiction, with prophetic technological inventions and radical political ideas that continue to resonate with readers today.
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The protagonist, Graham, falls asleep in the 1890s and wakes up 200 years later
In H.G. Wells' dystopian novel, *When the Sleeper Wakes*, the protagonist, Graham, is a 19th-century insomniac who falls asleep in 1897 and wakes up 200 years later in a transformed London. Graham's story begins in the late 1890s, a time when he is suffering from worsening insomnia. To cure his sleeplessness, he decides to take a drug that has the opposite effect, causing him to fall into a deep coma.
Graham's story is one of time travel, as he sleeps for 200 years, waking up in the year 2100. During his long sleep, his wealth has accumulated beyond his imagination through compound interest on his bank accounts. When he finally wakes, he discovers that he is the richest man in the world and the owner of half the planet. His wealth has been placed in a trust, and over the years, the trustees, known as the "White Council", have used his money to establish a vast political and economic world order.
Upon waking, Graham is disoriented and alarmed by his surroundings. The people around him are also disturbed by his awakening, and a mob gathers, demanding to see the legendary "Sleeper". Graham is met with silence when he asks questions and is instead placed under house arrest. He learns that, from a legal perspective, he owns most of the world, and the White Council wants him dead. Rebels led by Ostrog help him escape, and he finds himself caught up in a revolution against the White Council. Ostrog becomes the true leader, with Graham as his puppet ruler.
Graham's carefree life ends when he discovers that the revolution has changed nothing for the lower classes, who are still dominated and exploited. Ostrog has used the revolution and Graham to gain power for himself. Graham takes an interest in aeroplanes and learns to fly, witnessing first-hand the drastic changes that have occurred during his sleep. England's countryside has disappeared, with all agricultural work now automated and run by the cities. The population is now concentrated in four huge, windmill-powered cities.
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He discovers he owns most of the world and is the most powerful man
In H.G. Wells' dystopian novel, *When the Sleeper Wakes*, Graham, the main character, discovers that he has become the richest and most powerful man in the world after sleeping for over two hundred years. Graham was a 19th-century insomniac who decided to take drugs to cure his worsening insomnia but instead fell into a deep coma. During his sleep, his wealth accumulated beyond his imagination due to compound interest on his bank accounts.
When Graham finally wakes up in the year 2100, he finds himself in a transformed London, where he has become the legal owner and master of most of the world. His wealth has been placed into a trust, and the trustees, known as the "White Council," have used his money to establish a new world order, investing in industries and political entities to gain control and influence. Graham's unexpected awakening alarms those around him, and he is met with a mob demanding to see the fabled "Sleeper." Instead of answering his questions, they place him under house arrest, and he learns that the White Council wants him dead.
Rebels led by Ostrog help Graham escape, and they encourage him to join their revolution against the White Council. Graham is reluctant, unsure of who to trust, but he eventually agrees to become their figurehead leader. Ostrog retains the power, manipulating Graham and using the revolution to gain control. Graham leads a carefree life, developing an interest in aeroplanes and learning how to fly. From the air, he sees the true extent of the changes in his country—all agriculture is now run like industry, and everyone lives and works in one of four huge, windmill-powered cities.
Despite some considering the novel to be "dated" due to its time of writing, Wells' work remains impressive in its predictions and resonance with readers today. The novel is praised for its exploration of human values and its portrayal of a unique dystopian future, one that continues to capture the interest of sci-fi lovers and Wells fans.
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He joins a revolution against the White Council, led by Ostrog
In the novel When the Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells, Graham, the main character, is an insomniac living in London in the year 1897. He decides to take drugs to cure his worsening insomnia but ends up falling into a deep coma. Graham then sleeps for 203 years, waking up in a completely transformed London in the year 2100, where he has become the richest man in the world.
Upon waking up, Graham is alarmed to find that the people around him are disoriented and seem to have never expected him to regain consciousness. He is soon put under house arrest and learns that he is the legal owner of most of the world. The trustees of his wealth, known as the "White Council", have used his money to establish a vast political and economic world order.
The White Council wants Graham dead and attempts to assassinate him. However, rebels led by the revolutionary leader Ostrog help him escape. Ostrog tells Graham that the people need his leadership to rise against the White Council, and Graham reluctantly joins their cause.
Graham 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 evils of the White Council and their use of his wealth to gain power.
Graham returns to Ostrog and the revolutionaries, who want him to assume the role of leader. Graham agrees, becoming a puppet ruler while Ostrog retains power. Graham's carefree life comes to an end when he realizes 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. It becomes clear that Ostrog only wanted power for himself and used Graham and the revolution to achieve his goals.
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Ostrog betrays Graham and the revolution, becoming a dictator
In H.G. Wells' When the Sleeper Wakes, Graham, a 19th-century insomniac, falls into a deep sleep for 200 years. During his sleep, his wealth accumulates, and he becomes the richest man in the world. When he wakes up in the year 2100, he discovers that he owns half the world.
Upon waking, Graham is met with alarm and confusion from those around him. He is placed under house arrest and learns that he is the legal owner and master of most of the world. Rebels led by Ostrog help Graham escape, and they encourage him to lead a revolution against the White Council, who have used his wealth to establish a new world order. Ostrog becomes Graham's ally, but their relationship is marked by betrayal and manipulation.
Graham discovers that the world has transformed drastically during his sleep. London, in particular, is a gleaming steel and glass metropolis, with everything automated and mechanized. Agriculture has moved towards an automated model, and everyone lives and works in one of four massive, windmill-powered cities. Graham takes an interest in aeroplanes and learns to fly, witnessing firsthand the dramatic changes that have occurred.
However, Ostrog's true intentions are revealed when Helen Wotton informs Graham that the revolution has changed nothing for the lower class, who remain dominated and exploited. Ostrog admits that he only wanted power for himself and has used Graham and the revolution to achieve his dictatorial ambitions. Graham, who was content to be a figurehead leader, is betrayed by Ostrog's admission. Ostrog retains power, manipulating Graham to serve his own interests and solidifying his position as a dictator.
The novel, therefore, explores themes of power, revolution, and betrayal, set in a dystopian future where big business rules the world. Despite its technological inaccuracies, the story remains engaging and resonant, showcasing Wells' prophetic vision and skill as a pioneer of science fiction.
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Frequently asked questions
When the Sleeper Wakes is a dystopian novel about a man who sleeps for 200 years, waking up in a transformed London where he has become the richest man in the world.
When the Sleeper Wakes was written by H.G. Wells.
When the Sleeper Wakes was first published in serial form between 1899 and 1903. In 1910, Wells expanded the story into a full-length novel.
When the Sleeper Wakes explores themes of wealth, power, and social and political dominance. It also touches on the idea of a future where big business runs the world.
