# XV explained — Metropolis

> Chapter companion for Metropolis by Thea von Harbou.

## What happens

The mob, led by the false Maria, condemns the machines to death and attacks Grot, the machine guard. The false Maria then sabotages the Heart-machine, causing it to race uncontrollably. Meanwhile, the real Maria remains trapped in Rotwang's house, terrified after witnessing Joh Fredersen attack Rotwang. She hears the city's alarm and discovers Rotwang's body with his metal hand on the trapdoor. She escapes through the trapdoor into the City of the Dead, where the earth trembles and the stones seem to come alive.

## Themes in this chapter

### Class Division and Exploitation

The mob's hatred of the machines and the guard Grot symbolizes the exploited workers' rage against the oppressive system that treats them as expendable.

### Dehumanization by Technology

The false Maria's cold, mechanical smile and her sabotage of the Heart-machine illustrate technology's capacity for destruction and dehumanization.

### Rebellion and Revolution

The mob's violent condemnation of the machines and their attack on Grot represent a revolutionary uprising against the ruling class.

## Character check-ins

### Grot

Grot throws himself before the Heart-machine to defend it from the mob, but is seized and dragged away.

### Maria

The real Maria is trapped in Rotwang's house, terrified after witnessing Joh Fredersen attack Rotwang. She hears the city's alarm and escapes through the trapdoor into the City of the Dead.

### Joh Fredersen

Joh Fredersen attacks Rotwang, grabbing him by the throat and dragging him away, leaving Maria alone in the room.

### Rotwang

Rotwang is attacked by Joh Fredersen and later found lying motionless on the floor near the trapdoor, his metal hand clutching it.

### Freder

Maria thinks of Freder in her fear and prayer.

## Key lines

> We've passed sentence upon the machines! We have condemned the machines to death! The machines must die—to hell with them!

The mob declares the machines guilty and demands their destruction.

_The false Maria incites the mob to destroy the machines._

> The heart of Metropolis, Joh Fredersen's city, began to run up a temperature, seized by a deadly illness

The Heart-machine overheats and malfunctions, endangering the entire city.

_The false Maria's sabotage causes the machine to race uncontrollably._

> She felt the coldness of death proceeding from this hand.

Maria senses that Rotwang's metal hand is lifeless and cold.

_Maria touches Rotwang's metal hand, realizing he is dead or unconscious._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metropolis_se/chapters/xv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metropolis_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metropolis_se/chapters