The Time Machine by H.G. Wells - A Complete summary

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About the author

Herbert George Wells, one of the greatest Victorian novelists was born on 1866 and he died on 1946. He was a great novelist, sociologist, historian and journalist. He can be rightly called as the father of science fiction. He is well known for his scientific romances. He is a visionary and early pioneer of science fiction.

Introduction

This Novella the Time Machine was H. G. Well’s first novel. It was published in 1895. It was originally serialized in National observer, under the title “The Time Traveller” in 1894. It belongs to the science fiction genre. It is an earliest example of science fiction. Actually this work is a novella. A novella is much shorter than a novel and little larger than a short story.

This novella the Time Machine has been adapted into films. We have two films; one in 1960 and another one in 2002. This novella is the first example of using machines for time travel. This novella mainly focuses on social inequality and justice and it also talks about the relationship between science and society. The author gives the effect of industrialization in this novella. Many social and political ideas are also reflected in this novella.

The setting of this Novella is near the Thames River in south Kingston. The story opens in 1895. Since it’s a time traveler novella we have shift in time.

The main characters of this Novella are the unnamed “Time Traveller”, the narrator Mr. Hillyer. And we have Eloi and Marlock. Eloi and Marlocks are two fictional post-human races that were first created by H.G.Wells in this Novella. Weena is one among the Elois. And Marlocks are the antagonist of this novella. They are ape-like creatures.

Chapter  1: Introduction. The whole story is from the narrators point of view. However the Time Traveller will narrate his own story regarding his time travel. We have few guests in the Time Traveller’s house. The guests are the narrator, Filby, a psychologist, provincial mayor and a medical man. Filby gets a prominent place among the guests. He raises a lot of questions to the Time Traveller and moreover the guests have a good opinion on Filby than on the Time Traveller.

The Time Traveller was discussing with the guest about the dimensions. He said that there is not just three dimension but there are four dimension and the fourth dimension is time. He said that one can move forward and backward in time. The guest could not understand him. They even laugh at him. They thought that the Time Traveller is involved in some kind of trick. While they were talking the Time Traveler took a miniature sized time machine which is made up of ivory and crystal from his pocket.

Chapter II: The Machine: The miniature sized time machine was larger than a small clock. The Time Traveler placed it on the table. there were lighted candles on the table. The guests were so eager to know what it is and how it is going to be operated. The Time Traveler described the time machine. he said that the two levers in the time machine are to move forward and backward in time. The Time Traveler made the psychologist to operate the time machine. Once the psychologist pulled the lever, the time machine vanished. The candles that were upon the table were blown out.

The guests were quite amazed they asked why they could not see it. The Time Traveler said that since it moves 100 times faster they could not see it. The Time Traveler took the guests to the laboratory. There he showed the guest a larger sized time machine. the guests were dumb found on seeing it, They could not believe in their eyes. They thought that time travelling is not at all possible. 

 

-------Happy Learning----- 

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