# II: Behaviour of the Condemned explained — Last and First Men

> Chapter companion for Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon.

## What happens

The Last Men confront the imminent solar catastrophe with serene acceptance, transforming grief into ecstatic contemplation. They undertake two tasks: disseminating seeds of a new humanity across the stars and influencing past minds through a newly discovered power, all while maintaining a stoic commitment to their final duty.

## Themes in this chapter

### Cosmic Indifference and Meaning

The Last Men find meaning in their fate despite the universe's indifference, transforming grief into ecstasy.

### Immortality and Death

The chapter deals with the end of humanity and the attempt to preserve life through seeds, confronting mortality directly.

### The Limits of Knowledge

The Last Men discover a power to influence past minds, challenging conventional understanding of time and causality.

## Character check-ins

### The Last Men

Facing their doom, they experience a racial trance and resolve to spread life seeds and influence the past.

### The Narrator

Describes the collective emotions and tasks of the Last Men, including the plan for dissemination and the power to influence past minds.

### The First Men

Mentioned as part of the human past that the Last Men seek to understand and admire.

## Key lines

> The discovery of this doom kindled in us unfamiliar emotions.

Learning of our impending destruction stirred new feelings within us.

_Opening line sets the tone of confronting mortality._

> Grief was now transfigured wholly into ecstasy.

Our sorrow turned completely into joy.

_Highlights the transformation of emotional response to doom._

> We are now setting about the forlorn task of disseminating among the stars the seeds of a new humanity.

We are beginning the hopeless mission of spreading the seeds of a new human race among the stars.

_Describes the primary future-oriented task._

> We have long been able to enter into past minds and participate in their experience.

For a long time, we have been able to enter and share in the experiences of past minds.

_Introduces the ability to interact with the past._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/ii-behaviour-of-the-condemned
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/last_and_first_men_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters