News from Nowhere · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for News from Nowhere by William Morris.
Chapter 1
Discussion and Bed
The narrator attends a League meeting where a heated but good-tempered discussion about the future of a fully-developed new society takes place among six participants with divergent Anarchist views. After the meeting, he travels home discontentedly via the underground railway, muttering a wish to see the new world. Upon reaching the riverside near his home, the beauty of the winter night lifts his spirits, and he goes to bed with a vague hope for peace and goodwill. He wakes in a preternaturally sharp state, reflecting on his life's muddles, and later falls asleep again, only to awake into surprising adventures that he decides to narrate in the first person.
Chapter 2
II: A Morning Bath
The narrator awakens on a summer morning, disoriented to find the season changed from winter to early June. He goes for a swim in the Thames and is astonished by the transformation of the riverbanks: the industrial works are gone, replaced by beautiful houses and a graceful stone bridge. He meets a friendly waterman, Dick, who offers to guide him through this new world, and they are joined by Bob, who will take over Dick's work.
Chapter 3
The Guest House and the Breakfast Therein
The narrator lingers to admire the Guest House, built on the site of his old dwelling, and is struck by its beautiful architecture and frescoes. Inside, three young women greet him warmly and serve a simple but delicately prepared breakfast. During the meal, the narrator reads an inscription commemorating the former lecture-room of the Hammersmith Socialists, which deeply moves him. He introduces himself as 'Guest' and engages in conversation about Epping Forest, revealing his age and prompting astonishment from the weaver Robert. The chapter highlights the unanxious happiness, good temper, and timeless youthfulness of the people, as exemplified by a woman who looks twenty but is forty-two.
Chapter 4
IV: A Market by the Way
The narrator and Dick travel through Hammersmith, now transformed into a pastoral landscape with beautiful houses and gardens. They arrive at a splendid market square featuring a magnificent hall and an octagonal theatre. The narrator is struck by the beauty and joy of the people, particularly a dark-haired woman in green, and remarks on the absence of poor or rough people, which Dick finds puzzling. Dick suggests they visit his great-grandfather for better understanding.
Chapter 5
Children on the Road
The Guest and Dick travel through Kensington, observing the transformed Houses of Parliament used as a market and manure store, and then enter Kensington Wood. They encounter many children living in tents and playing freely. Dick explains that children learn practical skills like swimming, cooking, and thatching, and pick up languages naturally through immersion, while formal schooling as the Guest knew it no longer exists.
Chapter 6
VI: A Little Shopping
The Guest and Dick visit Piccadilly, now a market street with elegant arcades and guesthouses. The Guest, feeling out of place in his rough clothes, considers shopping for new attire but is dissuaded by Dick, who wants to preserve him as a curiosity for his antiquarian great-grandfather. They enter a booth where a young girl cheerfully provides the Guest with tobacco and a beautifully crafted pipe, illustrating the transformed, non-commercial nature of this future society. The chapter includes a discussion on the historical 'disease of Idleness' and a brief, somber mention of a recent love-related tragedy.
Chapter 7
VII: Trafalgar Square
The narrator and Dick travel through a transformed London, passing gardens, orchards, and a banded-workshop. They encounter a road-mending gang working joyfully, and later arrive at Trafalgar Square, now an orchard. The narrator recalls a violent historical protest there, which Dick and an old man find hard to believe. They discuss the National Gallery and the value of decorative crafts.
Chapter 8
An Old Friend
The Guest and Dick continue their journey through London, passing Long Acre and other transformed streets, before arriving at the British Museum. They stop at the Museum Market, where Dick seems distracted, possibly hoping to meet someone. They then proceed to visit Dick's great-grandfather, Old Hammond, who lives in the Museum.
Chapter 9
IX: Concerning Love
The Guest and Dick visit Old Hammond, who discusses the nature of love and relationships in the new society, emphasizing sincerity, freedom from conventional rules, and the absence of legal or social coercion in matters of the heart. The chapter also reveals that Dick and Clara, who had previously separated, are reunited.
Chapter 10
X: Question and Answers
The Guest continues his conversation with Old Hammond, asking detailed questions about the transformation of the manufacturing districts, smaller towns, villages, and London. Hammond explains how the old industrial centers have disappeared, how villages were revived after the change, and how the slums of London have been cleared and commemorated. He contrasts the degraded past with the happy, beautiful present, and describes the annual May-day festival called 'The Clearing of Misery.'
Chapter 11
XI: Concerning Government
The Guest and Old Hammond discuss the nature of government in the 19th century, concluding that it was essentially a system of law-courts and police designed to protect the rich from the poor, and that in the new society, such government is unnecessary because the whole people is the parliament and tyranny has ended.
Chapter 12
XII: Concerning the Arrangement of Life
The Guest and Old Hammond discuss the absence of civil and criminal law in the new society. Hammond explains that crime, especially violent crime, was rooted in private property, family tyranny, and the view of women as property. With those abolished, transgressions are rare and treated as errors among friends, not as crimes requiring punishment. Atonement is made through remorse and apology, not legal penalties. The society relies on habit and goodwill rather than coercion. Hammond also describes how market regulations exist by general consent without enforcement, and how many people find joy in administration and organization.
Chapter 13
XIII: Concerning Politics
The Guest asks Old Hammond how society manages politics in the new world. Hammond replies with a smile that they are well off because they have no politics, and suggests the Guest should put that answer in a chapter by itself, like Horrebow's 'Snakes in Iceland.'
Chapter 14
XIV: How Matters Are Managed
The Guest and Old Hammond discuss how society manages collective decisions without formal government. Hammond explains that matters of common interest are settled by majority vote at local Motes, with extensive discussion and opportunities for minority views. He contrasts this with the old political system of rival nations and permanent hostile parties, arguing that now differences are about practical matters of fact, not ideology. He also addresses the Guest's concerns about the tyranny of the majority, asserting that in a free and equal society, the minority usually yields voluntarily.
Chapter 15
XV: On the Lack of Incentive to Labour in a Communist Society
The narrator and Old Hammond discuss the nature of work in the new society. Hammond explains that all work is now pleasurable, done for the reward of life and creation, not for monetary gain. He contrasts this with the nineteenth century, where goods were made to sell rather than to use, and machines were perfect but their products worthless. The chapter explores how the abolition of buying and selling, the focus on genuine use, and the freedom to do what one does best have made work a sought-after pleasure rather than a burden.
Chapter 16
XVI: Dinner in the Hall of the Bloomsbury Market
The Guest, along with Dick, Clara, and Old Hammond, enjoys a simple yet exquisite dinner in the grand hall of the Bloomsbury Market. The conversation turns to the subject of art and literature, with Clara questioning why modern life is rarely depicted in paintings and poems. Old Hammond and Dick discuss the human preference for the strange and childlike imagination in art, celebrating the return to a childlike state in their utopian society.
Chapter 17
How the Change Came
Old Hammond explains to the Guest the historical process leading to the great social transformation. He describes the failure of State Socialism, the growing organization of the working classes, the resistance of the capitalists, and the eventual crisis that forced the change. The chapter details the legislative struggles, the rise of the Combined Workers, and the declaration of war between classes.
Chapter 18
XVIII: The Beginning of the New Life
The Guest continues his conversation with Old Hammond, who describes the aftermath of the civil war and the establishment of the new society. He explains how the destruction of wealth during the war was necessary for the birth of a new world, and how the spirit of the new age is one of delight in the life of the world. He discusses the gradual emergence of art as a necessary part of labor, the abolition of commercialism, and the happiness that comes from living in a free and beautiful world.
Chapter 19
XIX: The Drive Back to Hammersmith
The Guest, Dick, and Clara leave Old Hammond after a deep conversation. The Guest feels uneasy about returning to his own time, while Clara and Dick try to reassure him. They discuss the beauty of people's clothing and the Guest's outdated perspective. Clara insists on finding him proper attire for their upcoming journey.
Chapter 20
The Hammersmith Guesthouse Again
The narrator returns to Hammersmith with Dick and Clara, where they are warmly welcomed by Boffin, the weaver, Annie, and others. A festive evening ensues with fine wine, music, and storytelling under the moonlight. The narrator reflects on the pleasure of the present without the burdens of the past, though a lingering fear about waking in a new world troubles him.
Chapter 21
XXI: Going Up the River
The Guest wakes to a beautiful sunny morning and dresses in handsome blue clothes, feeling a boyish holiday excitement. He meets Annie and other girls sweeping the hall, then enjoys a dainty breakfast on the terrace with Annie. Dick and Clara join him, both finely dressed for the hay-harvest, and they discuss the joy of working in the hayfield. Annie bids the Guest farewell with a kiss, and he, Dick, and Clara set off up the river in a pretty boat, with Boffin and the weaver waving them off. The Guest reflects on the contrast between the graceful hayfield workers of the new world and the gaunt, listless figures he remembers from the past.
Chapter 22
XXII: Hampton Court and a Praiser of Past Times
The narrator, Dick, and Clara journey up the Thames, stopping at Hampton Court for dinner and a stroll through its ancient rooms. They continue to Runnymede, where an old man invites them to his flower-filled cottage. Over supper, the old man praises the competitive spirit of past ages and the literature it produced, sparking a debate with Ellen, who passionately defends the present world of beauty, meaningful work, and direct experience over the 'loathsome' books of the past.
Chapter 23
XXIII: An Early Morning by the Runnymede
The narrator wakes early and explores the riverside and hayfield, observing the idyllic life of the new society. A debate with the old grumbler about the past versus present ensues, with Ellen passionately defending the modern world's freedom and beauty. The chapter ends with a lighthearted fairy-tale comparison by Dick, and the narrator's quiet unease about his place in this world.
Chapter 24
XXIV: Up the Thames: The Second Day
The narrator, Dick, and Clara continue their journey up the Thames. They stop at the house of Dick's friend Walter Allen, who reveals a tragic love triangle that ended in a violent death. The group then visits Bisham and other historic sites, reflecting on the changes in society. The chapter ends with them arriving at Walter Allen's house near Maple-Durham meads.
Chapter 25
XXV: The Third Day on the Thames
The group continues their journey up the Thames, discussing the fate of the homicide from the previous night. Walter plans to find a lonely habitation for the man, while Clara offers a psychological perspective on his grief. They pass through locks and observe the rural landscape, noting the abundance of wildlife and the villagers' deep knowledge of nature. The chapter contrasts the old world's obsession with invention with the new world's appreciation for beauty and simplicity.
Chapter 26
XXVI: The Obstinate Refusers
The narrator, Dick, Clara, and Walter encounter a group of builders and carvers who have chosen to continue their work on a stone house rather than join the haymaking festival. The carver Philippa, recovering from illness, is deeply absorbed in her craft, and the group good-humoredly calls themselves the 'Obstinate Refusers.' After a brief exchange and a toast, the party leaves them to their work.
Chapter 27
XXVII: The Upper Waters
The journey continues up the Thames, with discussions on the transition from machine-based labor to pleasurable handicraft after the Great Change. The party meets Ellen again, who joins them, and they pass through Oxford and Godstow, observing the beautiful landscape and communal life.
Chapter 28
XXVIII: The Little River
The group continues their journey up the upper Thames. Ellen and the Guest share a boat, and she reveals her impending move to Cumberland, expressing a bittersweet farewell to the river. The Guest confesses his past life in the old world, and Ellen admits she has been drawn to him because he is not of their time. She hints at a future proposal.
Chapter 29
A Resting-Place on the Upper Thames
The narrator, Dick, Clara, and Ellen stop for a midday rest on a beautiful bank of the Upper Thames. They observe the landscape, which is treated as a garden for pleasure and livelihood, and discuss the ugliness of pre-Equality rich men's dwellings. Ellen articulates the idea that the sordidness of the poor was worked into the adornment of the rich, causing art to die out. She expresses a desire to understand the past and to pass on essential knowledge to her future children.
Chapter 30
The Journey's End
The narrator and Ellen continue their journey up the river, discussing the historical mismanagement of waterways under capitalism and contrasting it with the present harmonious and beautiful stewardship. They are greeted by a group of friends at their destination, and the narrator reflects on the transformation from a miserable past to a joyful present.
Chapter 31
XXXI: An Old House Amongst New Folk
The Guest and Ellen visit an old house together, exploring its rooms and garden. Ellen expresses her deep love for the earth and the house, which she sees as a relic of the past now harmoniously integrated into the present. The Guest falls into a reverie contrasting the past and present, and Ellen gently warns him against dreamy musing, urging him to embrace the new world's life of repose amidst energy.
Chapter 32
The Feast's Beginning … The End
Dick leads the Guest to a festive haymaking feast held in a small church, where they swim in the river and discuss the joy of living in harmony with the seasons. The Guest reflects on the contrast between this world's passionate love of earth and the old world's view of life as something to be borne. The chapter ends with a vision of fellowship and hope, urging the Guest to carry the memory back to his own struggling time.
Chapter 33
Endnotes
The endnotes provide clarifications and annotations on terms and locations mentioned in the main text, such as the aesthetic use of 'elegant' and the beauty of mills along the Thames.
