Last and First Men · Chapter
Earth and Mars explained
The chapter explores the spiritual and psychological decline of the Second Men after centuries of Martian raids, leading to a loss of faith in cosmic significance and a descent into madness and nationalism.
What happens
The chapter explores the spiritual and psychological decline of the Second Men after centuries of Martian raids, leading to a loss of faith in cosmic significance and a descent into madness and nationalism. Meanwhile, the Martian colony undergoes a spiritual renaissance, distinguishing mentality from radiation, but is ultimately destroyed by the home planet. Humanity, in a final desperate act, unleashes a deadly virus that annihilates both the Martian colony and most of humanity, plunging the Earth into a third dark age.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Redemption
The Second Men's attempt to find cosmic beauty in their tragedy fails, leading to despair and self-destruction.
Cosmic Indifference and Meaning
The chapter questions whether cosmic events are significant or a 'meaningless rigmarole', reflecting the theme of cosmic indifference.
Technology and Its Dangers
The human bacteriologist's creation of a deadly virus leads to the annihilation of both species, highlighting the dangers of technology.
Humanity and the Other
The Martians are portrayed as a rival intelligence, and the chapter explores the conflict and lack of sympathy between the two species.
Characters to notice
- The Second Men
The Second Men are the central focus, experiencing a spiritual crisis and eventual self-destruction.
- The Martians
The Martians are the antagonists, whose colony undergoes a renaissance but is ultimately destroyed by the home planet.
- The Narrator
The narrator provides a detailed account of the events and the psychological states of both species.
- The First Men
The First Men are referenced as a contrast to the Second Men's more refined but fragile nature.
Key passages
“they had overreached themselves, broken every muscle (so to speak) and incapacitated themselves for any further effort.”
They had pushed themselves too far and were now unable to continue.
Describes the Second Men's exhaustion after centuries of conflict.
“It was the obscure sense of this defeat that had poisoned them.”
The vague feeling of failure had corrupted them.
Explains the psychological impact of their failed spiritual quest.
“The whole population had accepted this advice.”
Everyone had followed this guidance.
Refers to the spiritual leaders' advice to embrace the disaster as a religious experience.
“But as the centuries passed and the disasters were repeated, men began to fear that their forefathers had deceived themselves.”
Over time, people started to suspect that their ancestors had been fooling themselves.
Highlights the growing doubt about the validity of their spiritual experience.
“It is remarkable that a purely religious disaster should have warped even the delight of lovers in one another’s bodies, actually taken the flavour out of food, and drawn a veil between the sunbather and the sun.”
It's strange that a spiritual crisis could affect even physical pleasures and simple joys.
Illustrates the pervasive effect of the spiritual crisis on all aspects of life.
“The colonial super-individual inspired only the diamond crusade, and the attempt to extirpate the terrestrial intelligence, or radiation.”
The colonial collective mind only motivated the diamond crusade and the effort to destroy Earth's intelligence.
Describes the limited and destructive goals of the Martian colonial mind.
