Article #36-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The war of the worlds, by H. G. Wells

I.
THE EVE OF THE WAR.

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century
that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences
greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied
themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and
studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might
scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of
water. With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe
about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire
over matter. It is possible that the infusoria under the microscope do
the same. No one gave a thought to the older worlds of space as sources
of human danger, or thought of them only to dismiss the idea of life
upon them as impossible or improbable. It is curious to recall some of
the mental habits of those departed days. At most terrestrial men
fancied there might be other men upon Mars, perhaps inferior to
themselves and ready to welcome a missionary enterprise. Yet across the
gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the
beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic,
regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their
plans against us. And early in the twentieth century came the great
disillusionment.

The planet Mars, I scarcely need remind the reader, revolves about the
sun at a mean distance of 140,000,000 miles, and the light and heat it
receives from the sun is barely half of that received by this world. It
must be, if the nebular hypothesis has any truth, older than our world;
and long before this earth ceased to be molten, life upon its surface
must have begun its course. The fact that it is scarcely one seventh of
the volume of the earth must have accelerated its cooling to the
temperature at which life could begin. It has air and water and all
that is necessary for the support of animated existence.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells**

1. Context of the Source

H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds (1898) is a foundational work of science fiction that explores the invasion of Earth by Martians. Written during the late Victorian era—a time of British imperial dominance, scientific advancement, and growing anxieties about humanity’s place in the universe—the novel reflects contemporary fears of invasion (e.g., German militarism) and the fragility of human civilization. Wells, a socialist and critic of imperialism, uses the Martian invasion as a metaphor for colonialism, reversing the roles of conqueror and conquered.

This opening passage sets the stage for the novel by establishing the hubris of humanity and the unseen threat from beyond Earth.

2. Themes in the Excerpt

A. Human Arrogance and Complacency

The passage begins with a sarcastic tone, mocking humanity’s blind confidence in its dominance:

"No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched... by intelligences greater than man’s..."

Humans are compared to "infusoria" (microscopic organisms)—tiny, unaware creatures under a microscope, oblivious to the greater forces observing them.
The phrase "infinite complacency" reinforces the idea that humans, like the "infusoria," assume their supremacy without question.
The irony lies in the fact that while humans dismiss the possibility of intelligent life on Mars, the Martians are actively planning an invasion, viewing Earth with "envious eyes."

B. The Illusion of Human Superiority

Wells critiques anthropocentrism (the belief that humans are the most important entities in the universe):

"Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes..."

The Martians are described as intellectually superior to humans in the same way humans are superior to animals.
The phrase "vast and cool and unsympathetic" suggests a detached, calculating intelligence—unlike human emotions, the Martians are ruthless and logical, foreshadowing their brutal invasion.
This role reversal (humans as prey rather than predators) challenges Victorian assumptions about colonialism and progress.

C. The Fragility of Civilization

The passage hints at the imminent collapse of human dominance:

"And early in the twentieth century came the great disillusionment."

The word "disillusionment" suggests a sudden, violent awakening—humanity’s belief in its security is about to be shattered.
This foreshadows the catastrophic events of the novel, where human technology and military might prove useless against the Martians.

D. Scientific and Evolutionary Perspectives

Wells grounds his fiction in then-contemporary science:

"The planet Mars... revolves about the sun at a mean distance of 140,000,000 miles..."

He references the nebular hypothesis (the idea that planets form from collapsing gas clouds), suggesting Mars is older and more evolved than Earth.
The description of Mars as "scarcely one seventh of the volume of the earth" implies that its resources are depleted, motivating the Martians to invade.
This reflects Social Darwinism—the idea that civilizations must expand or perish, mirroring European imperialism.

3. Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

A. Irony & Foreshadowing

Dramatic Irony: The reader knows (from the narrator’s perspective) that Earth is being watched, while the characters (humanity) remain ignorant.
Foreshadowing: The "great disillusionment" hints at the coming invasion, creating suspense.

B. Simile & Metaphor

"As a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures in a drop of water":
- Humans are reduced to insignificant, observed specimens, emphasizing their vulnerability.
"Minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish":
- A hierarchical metaphor—just as humans dominate animals, the Martians dominate humans.

C. Tone & Mood

Sarcastic & Detached: The narrator’s mocking tone ("infinite complacency") underscores human foolishness.
Ominous & Unsettling: Phrases like "envious eyes" and "drew their plans against us" create a sense of impending doom.

D. Scientific Realism

Wells uses pseudo-scientific explanations (e.g., Mars’ distance, the nebular hypothesis) to make the invasion seem plausible, blending science fiction with speculative realism.

4. Significance of the Passage

A. A Critique of Imperialism

The Martian invasion mirrors European colonialism—just as Britain conquered "inferior" nations, the Martians see humans as resources to exploit.
The passage reverses the power dynamic, forcing readers to sympathize with the colonized.

B. A Warning About Human Hubris

The excerpt challenges Victorian optimism about progress and empire, suggesting that humanity is not the pinnacle of evolution.
It reflects fin-de-siècle anxieties (fear of decline, technological vulnerability) that would later influence 20th-century dystopian fiction.

C. Influence on Science Fiction

Wells pioneered the "alien invasion" trope, later seen in works like Independence Day and War of the Worlds (2005).
His realistic, scientific approach set a standard for hard science fiction.

5. Key Takeaways from the Text Itself

Humanity is not as powerful as it believes—the Martians are superior in intellect and technology.
Civilization is fragile—the "great disillusionment" suggests that human dominance can be suddenly overturned.
The universe is indifferent—the Martians are "unsympathetic," acting out of self-interest, much like colonial powers.
Science and progress do not guarantee safety—despite human advancements, they are helpless against an external threat.

Conclusion

This opening passage of The War of the Worlds serves as a chilling prologue, establishing the themes of hubris, imperialism, and existential threat that define the novel. Through irony, scientific realism, and ominous foreshadowing, Wells critiques human arrogance while crafting a terrifyingly plausible invasion scenario. The excerpt remains powerful because it forces readers to confront their own vulnerability—a message that resonates even in modern discussions of AI, climate change, and cosmic threats.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s comparison of humanity to "infusoria under the microscope" functions primarily as a:

A. literal scientific analogy to explain the biological inferiority of humans relative to Martians.
B. rhetorical device to underscore the fragility of human self-perception and the arbitrariness of assumed dominance.
C. metaphorical critique of Victorian-era microscopy as a flawed tool for understanding extraterrestrial life.
D. narrative technique to establish the Martians’ technological superiority in observational methods.
E. satirical jab at the scientific community’s overreliance on empirical evidence to dismiss cosmic threats.

Question 2

The phrase "intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic" is most effectively interpreted as conveying:

A. the Martians’ emotional detachment as a product of their advanced evolutionary stage, rendering them incapable of moral judgment.
B. a Darwinian inevitability in which superior species inherently lack empathy for inferior ones, justifying their actions.
C. the narrator’s admiration for the Martians’ rational precision, contrasting with humanity’s chaotic emotional responses.
D. a warning about the dangers of unchecked intellectualism, which the passage suggests leads to amorality in any species.
E. a chilling inversion of colonial rhetoric, where the "civilized" invaders are devoid of the sentimental justifications humans use for conquest.

Question 3

The passage’s shift from speculative scientific description ("The planet Mars... revolves about the sun") to ominous narrative declaration ("came the great disillusionment") serves to:

A. undermine the credibility of astronomical science by juxtaposing it with apocalyptic fiction.
B. highlight the irrelevance of human knowledge in the face of an incomprehensible extraterrestrial threat.
C. create a false sense of objectivity before revealing the narrator’s subjective dread, amplifying the passage’s unsettling effect.
D. demonstrate how empirical data can predict catastrophic events if interpreted correctly.
E. critique the Victorian obsession with classification by showing how even "facts" fail to prepare humanity for the unknown.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the passage’s tone and its thematic concern with imperialism?

A. The tone of detached irony mirrors the Martians’ own perspective, forcing the reader to adopt the gaze of the colonizer and confront its inherent cruelty.
B. The sarcastic mockery of human complacency aligns with anti-colonial propaganda, explicitly condemning British expansionism as morally bankrupt.
C. The clinical descriptions of Mars serve as a neutral counterpoint to the emotional language about human vulnerability, creating cognitive dissonance.
D. The ominous foreshadowing functions as a literary equivalent to the "white man’s burden," recasting invasion as a tragic but necessary civilizing mission.
E. The shift from scientific detachment to narrative urgency reflects the Victorian fear of reverse colonization, where the empire’s subjects become its destroyers.

Question 5

The "great disillusionment" is most thematically resonant with which of the following ideas?

A. The inevitable collapse of all civilizations when confronted with superior intelligence, a cyclical pattern in cosmic history.
B. The failure of religious institutions to prepare humanity for existential threats beyond theological frameworks.
C. The triumph of materialism over idealism, as the Martians’ physical superiority renders human philosophy obsolete.
D. The shattering of a collective myth—here, the belief in human exceptionalism—that sustains societal cohesion until its sudden rupture.
E. The paradox of progress, wherein scientific advancement simultaneously enables and blinds humanity to its own vulnerability.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: B

Why B is most correct: The "infusoria" comparison is a rhetorical device that exposes the arbitrariness of human dominance. Wells uses the microscope analogy to highlight how humanity’s self-perceived supremacy is as fragile and unexamined as that of microorganisms. The passage does not engage in literal biological comparison (A) or critique microscopy (C), nor does it focus on Martian technology (D) or satirize scientists (E). Instead, it undermines anthropocentrism by positioning humans as unwitting subjects of observation, much like colonial "specimens" under imperial scrutiny.