Last and First Men · Chapter
II: The Ruin of Two Worlds explained
The chapter describes the spiritual decline of the Second Men after centuries of war with the Martians.
What happens
The chapter describes the spiritual decline of the Second Men after centuries of war with the Martians. Their failure to achieve a supreme religious experience leads to a loss of faith and vitality, resulting in social decay and madness. When the Martians launch a final offensive, humanity unites briefly but then resorts to a deadly virus that annihilates both species. The chapter ends with the Second Men's apathy and the collapse of civilization.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Redemption
The Second Men's attempt to see their racial tragedy as a thing of beauty fails, leading to spiritual defeat and despair.
Cosmic Indifference and Meaning
The species questions whether cosmic events are significant or a meaningless rigmarole, poisoning their spirit.
Technology and Its Dangers
The use of a deadly virus as a weapon leads to the annihilation of both the Martians and humanity.
Humanity and the Other
The conflict between the Second Men and the Martians highlights the struggle against an incomprehensible rival.
Characters to notice
- The Second Men
The species suffers a spiritual crisis, leading to social decay and eventual self-destruction.
- The Martians
The Martian colony and home planet are destroyed by the human virus.
- The First Men
Mentioned as a contrast, being too coarse-grained to be ruined by such spiritual troubles.
- The Narrator
Provides a detailed account of the Second Men's decline and the war.
Key passages
“It is almost impossible to describe in a few words the subtle malady of the spirit that was undermining the Second Men.”
The spiritual sickness affecting the Second Men is hard to summarize briefly.
Introduces the central theme of the chapter.
“Spiritually they had overreached themselves, broken every muscle (so to speak) and incapacitated themselves for any further effort.”
They had attempted a spiritual feat beyond their capacity and were left unable to continue.
Explains the cause of their decline.
“Within a few months the Martian colony had vanished, their home planet itself had received the infection, and its population was already aware that nothing could save it.”
The virus wiped out the Martian colony and infected Mars, dooming its population.
Describes the catastrophic outcome of the war.