11 An outline of British literature

HERBERT GEORGE WELLS 1866-1946

• One of the most important followers of Dickens – critically realistic novels

• One of the main founders of science fiction

• Wrote about potential disastrous consequences from the rapid technological progress

• His most notable works are: The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon

• The Time Machine – a novel; has the warning message that if man does not solve his interpersonal and class conflicts, progress will lead to total degeneration and finally the extinction of the human race. The Time Machine popularises the concept of time travel a vehicle of the same name. The term "time machine", coined by Wells, is now universally used to refer to such a vehicle. Wells also introduced the idea of time being the "fourth dimension", as well as an early example of the Dying Earth subgenre. The time traveller travels to a paradisiacal world of small peaceful humanoid creatures called Eloi. Unfortunately, his time machine gets stolen by underground ape-like creatures called Morlocks. While escaping Morlocks, his Eloi friend, Weena, gets killed. He then travels through time and makes couple of stops. He then travels 30 million years into the future. The air is very thin, and the only sign of life is a black blob with tentacles. He then returns, exhausted, to the present time. The next day, he leaves again, but never returns.

• The Invisible Man - the Invisible Man of the title is Griffin, a scientist who theorises that if a person's refractive index (CZ = index lomu) is changed to exactly that of air and his body does not absorb or reflect light, then he will be invisible. He successfully carries out this procedure on himself, but cannot become visible again, becoming mentally unstable and as a result.

• The War of the Worlds - It describes the experiences of an unnamed narrator who travels through the suburbs of London as the Earth is invaded by Martians. It is the earliest story that details a conflict between mankind and an alien race.

• The First Men in the Moon - the novel tells the story of a journey to the moon by the two protagonists, the poor businessman Mr Bedford and the brilliant but eccentric scientist Dr. Cavor. They find the moon inhabited by an extraterrestrial civilization - they call them "Selenite". Mr Bedford returns to Earth. However, Cavor is captured by the Selenites and his fate is never revealed.

AGATHA CHRISTIE 1890-1976

• British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays

• Best remembered for her 80 detective novels (especially those featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple) and her successful West End theatre plays

• Was born in Torquay, Devon

• According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Christie is the best-selling writer of books of all time and, with W. Shakespeare, the best-selling author of any kind

• Christie is the most translated individual author

• During the First World War she worked at a hospital as a nurse; later (WWII) worked in a pharmacy (it influenced her work – many of the murders in her books are carried out with poison)

• Most well-known works: Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, The Murder at the Vicarage

• Almost all of Christie’s books are whodunits, focusing on the British middle and upper classes

• Usually, the detective either stumbles across the murder or is called upon by an old acquaintance, who is somehow involved. Gradually, the detective interrogates each suspect, examines the scene of the crime and makes a note of each clue, so readers can analyse it and be allowed a fair chance of solving the mystery themselves.