The History of Mr. Polly · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The History of Mr. Polly by H. G. Wells.
Chapter 1
I: Beginnings, and the Bazaar
Mr. Polly, suffering from indigestion and discontent, sits on a stile and reflects on his miserable life, his failing shop, and his strained marriage. The chapter then flashes back to his youth as an apprentice at Port Burdock Bazaar, where he formed a close friendship with Platt and Parsons, the 'Three Ps,' and first experienced the stirrings of romantic and intellectual curiosity.
Chapter 2
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 3
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 4
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 5
IV
Mr. Polly enjoys the idyllic setting of the Potwell Inn, admiring ducklings and learning to punt under the plump woman's guidance. He meets a young girl who warns him about Uncle Jim, a violent man who has driven away other visitors and threatens to harm Mr. Polly.
Chapter 6
V
Mr. Polly learns about Uncle Jim, the menacing nephew of the plump woman who runs the Potwell Inn. She reveals that Uncle Jim is a violent and extortionate figure who terrorizes her, steals her money, and corrupts her granddaughter. Mr. Polly considers the threat but hesitates to get involved.
Chapter 7
The Dismissal of Parsons
Parsons, a window dresser at the Port Burdock Bazaar, is dismissed after a dramatic confrontation with Mr. Garvace. Parsons had been experimenting with a bold, unconventional window display, but Mr. Garvace orders it removed. When Parsons refuses and locks himself in the window, Mr. Garvace forces him out and fires him on the spot. Mr. Polly watches the scene with fascination and later feels a deep sense of loss at Parsons' sudden departure.
Chapter 8
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 9
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 10
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 11
III: Cribs
After Parsons leaves Port Burdock, Mr. Polly finds the town dreary and work a bore. He quits his job, stays with a married cousin, and searches for work in London. He moves from situation to situation, never quite fitting in, and begins to suffer from indigestion and a sense of failure. He finds a temporary congeniality in Canterbury, but is dismissed after a sailing mishap leads to a misunderstood remark. He returns to the London job market, increasingly despondent and trapped.
Chapter 12
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 13
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 14
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 15
Mr. Polly an Orphan
Mr. Polly's father dies suddenly, leaving him a small inheritance of furniture, an insurance policy, and £395. Mr. Polly attends the funeral, where he is surrounded by relatives including the Johnson family, the Larkins sisters, and Uncle Pentstemon. The chapter explores his reflections on his father's life and his own feelings of inadequacy and detachment.
Chapter 16
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 17
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 18
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 19
IV
Mr. Polly enjoys the idyllic setting of the Potwell Inn, admiring ducklings and learning to punt under the plump woman's guidance. He meets a young girl who warns him about Uncle Jim, a violent man who has driven away other visitors and threatens to harm Mr. Polly.
Chapter 20
V
Mr. Polly learns about Uncle Jim, the menacing nephew of the plump woman who runs the Potwell Inn. She reveals that Uncle Jim is a violent and extortionate figure who terrorizes her, steals her money, and corrupts her granddaughter. Mr. Polly considers the threat but hesitates to get involved.
Chapter 21
Mr. Polly Takes a Vacation
After being dismissed from his job, Mr. Polly uses a small legacy to take a holiday. He stays with the Johnsons, buys a bicycle and books, and begins exploring the Surrey countryside. He frequently visits his Larkins cousins in Stamton, where he grows close to Miriam, Annie, and Minnie. During a solitary ride, he encounters a young woman climbing over a wall, sparking a romantic interest.
Chapter 22
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 23
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 24
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 25
IV
Mr. Polly enjoys the idyllic setting of the Potwell Inn, admiring ducklings and learning to punt under the plump woman's guidance. He meets a young girl who warns him about Uncle Jim, a violent man who has driven away other visitors and threatens to harm Mr. Polly.
Chapter 26
V
Mr. Polly learns about Uncle Jim, the menacing nephew of the plump woman who runs the Potwell Inn. She reveals that Uncle Jim is a violent and extortionate figure who terrorizes her, steals her money, and corrupts her granddaughter. Mr. Polly considers the threat but hesitates to get involved.
Chapter 27
VI
Mr. Polly settles into life at the Potwell Inn, bonding with the plump woman and little Polly, but his peace is shattered when Uncle Jim confronts him in the lane, threatening violence and demanding he leave the inn.
Chapter 28
VII
Mr. Polly sits under fir trees, wrestling with the decision to return to the Potwell Inn and confront Uncle Jim or to walk away. He rationalizes that the quarrel is not his, but ultimately feels compelled to fight for what he perceives as beauty and honor, turning back toward the inn.
Chapter 29
VI: Miriam
Mr. Polly, reeling from humiliation and seeking comfort, returns to the Larkins family after a ten-day absence. During a walk in the park with Miriam, he impulsively proposes marriage and a shared shop life, sealing the engagement with a kiss. Back home, he confronts the financial reality of his dwindling savings and, with Johnson's help, grimly calculates the costs of setting up a shop, feeling trapped by his promise.
Chapter 30
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 31
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 32
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 33
IV
Mr. Polly enjoys the idyllic setting of the Potwell Inn, admiring ducklings and learning to punt under the plump woman's guidance. He meets a young girl who warns him about Uncle Jim, a violent man who has driven away other visitors and threatens to harm Mr. Polly.
Chapter 34
V
Mr. Polly learns about Uncle Jim, the menacing nephew of the plump woman who runs the Potwell Inn. She reveals that Uncle Jim is a violent and extortionate figure who terrorizes her, steals her money, and corrupts her granddaughter. Mr. Polly considers the threat but hesitates to get involved.
Chapter 35
VI
Mr. Polly settles into life at the Potwell Inn, bonding with the plump woman and little Polly, but his peace is shattered when Uncle Jim confronts him in the lane, threatening violence and demanding he leave the inn.
Chapter 36
VII
Mr. Polly sits under fir trees, wrestling with the decision to return to the Potwell Inn and confront Uncle Jim or to walk away. He rationalizes that the quarrel is not his, but ultimately feels compelled to fight for what he perceives as beauty and honor, turning back toward the inn.
Chapter 37
The Private War Begins
Mr. Polly returns to the Potwell Inn to find the plump woman in distress after Uncle Jim's drunken rampage. He confronts Uncle Jim, first with a bottle, then a paddle, and finally a broom, driving him into the river. After a tense standoff, Uncle Jim escapes across the millstream, vowing revenge, while Mr. Polly secures the inn.
Chapter 38
VII: The Little Shop at Fishbourne
Mr. Polly has been a shopkeeper in Fishbourne for fifteen years, a period that felt both tedious and fleeting. He and Miriam live in cramped, inconvenient rooms behind the reluctant little shop, which barely pays. Miriam is earnest but practically incapable, and she grows to think Mr. Polly lazy. He spends his time reading books—old, dusty volumes he hides from her—which transport him from the dreary routine of shopkeeping to worlds of adventure and beauty. He reads travelogues, novels, and histories, dreaming of far-off lands, but finds no kindred spirit to share his joy. The chapter captures his growing discontent and his hunger for vivid experience.
Chapter 39
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 40
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 41
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 42
IV
Mr. Polly enjoys the idyllic setting of the Potwell Inn, admiring ducklings and learning to punt under the plump woman's guidance. He meets a young girl who warns him about Uncle Jim, a violent man who has driven away other visitors and threatens to harm Mr. Polly.
Chapter 43
V
Mr. Polly learns about Uncle Jim, the menacing nephew of the plump woman who runs the Potwell Inn. She reveals that Uncle Jim is a violent and extortionate figure who terrorizes her, steals her money, and corrupts her granddaughter. Mr. Polly considers the threat but hesitates to get involved.
Chapter 44
VI
Mr. Polly settles into life at the Potwell Inn, bonding with the plump woman and little Polly, but his peace is shattered when Uncle Jim confronts him in the lane, threatening violence and demanding he leave the inn.
Chapter 45
VII
Mr. Polly sits under fir trees, wrestling with the decision to return to the Potwell Inn and confront Uncle Jim or to walk away. He rationalizes that the quarrel is not his, but ultimately feels compelled to fight for what he perceives as beauty and honor, turning back toward the inn.
Chapter 46
VIII: Making an End to Things
Mr. Polly meticulously plans his suicide and a fire to fake his death, intending to secure insurance money for Miriam. After a tense Sunday, he sets the fire but is unexpectedly rescued. He becomes a local hero, and later realizes he forgot to cut his throat, deciding to continue living.
Chapter 47
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 48
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 49
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 50
IV
Mr. Polly enjoys the idyllic setting of the Potwell Inn, admiring ducklings and learning to punt under the plump woman's guidance. He meets a young girl who warns him about Uncle Jim, a violent man who has driven away other visitors and threatens to harm Mr. Polly.
Chapter 51
V
Mr. Polly learns about Uncle Jim, the menacing nephew of the plump woman who runs the Potwell Inn. She reveals that Uncle Jim is a violent and extortionate figure who terrorizes her, steals her money, and corrupts her granddaughter. Mr. Polly considers the threat but hesitates to get involved.
Chapter 52
IX: The Potwell Inn
Mr. Polly, having escaped his old life, arrives at the Potwell Inn and finds a new sense of freedom and possibility. He becomes entangled in a violent struggle with Uncle Jim for control of the inn, engaging in a series of confrontations that test his courage and resourcefulness.
Chapter 53
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 54
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 55
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
Chapter 56
IV
Mr. Polly enjoys the idyllic setting of the Potwell Inn, admiring ducklings and learning to punt under the plump woman's guidance. He meets a young girl who warns him about Uncle Jim, a violent man who has driven away other visitors and threatens to harm Mr. Polly.
Chapter 57
V
Mr. Polly learns about Uncle Jim, the menacing nephew of the plump woman who runs the Potwell Inn. She reveals that Uncle Jim is a violent and extortionate figure who terrorizes her, steals her money, and corrupts her granddaughter. Mr. Polly considers the threat but hesitates to get involved.
Chapter 58
VI
Mr. Polly settles into life at the Potwell Inn, bonding with the plump woman and little Polly, but his peace is shattered when Uncle Jim confronts him in the lane, threatening violence and demanding he leave the inn.
Chapter 59
VII
Mr. Polly sits under fir trees, wrestling with the decision to return to the Potwell Inn and confront Uncle Jim or to walk away. He rationalizes that the quarrel is not his, but ultimately feels compelled to fight for what he perceives as beauty and honor, turning back toward the inn.
Chapter 60
The Private War Begins
Mr. Polly returns to the Potwell Inn to find the plump woman in distress after Uncle Jim's drunken rampage. He confronts Uncle Jim, first with a bottle, then a paddle, and finally a broom, driving him into the river. After a tense standoff, Uncle Jim escapes across the millstream, vowing revenge, while Mr. Polly secures the inn.
Chapter 61
IX
Mr. Polly prepares for Uncle Jim's return at the Potwell Inn, devising defensive strategies. Three campers arrive and inadvertently thwart Uncle Jim's attack, ducking him. After the campers leave, Uncle Jim returns drunk and aggressive during a busy afternoon, causing a chaotic scene that disrupts the tea service and frightens customers.
Chapter 62
Chapter X
Mr. Polly learns that Uncle Jim has been sentenced to three months in prison for stealing a hatchet, and despite the threat of violence, resolves to stay at the Potwell Inn.
Chapter 63
XI
Mr. Polly's idyllic three months at the Potwell Inn are overshadowed by the looming threat of Uncle Jim. As the respite ends, Mr. Polly buys a rook rifle for protection. On a night in October, a literary man named Warspite discovers Mr. Polly hiding in a ditch near the churchyard, claiming Uncle Jim has shot at him. They find the damaged rifle near a monument and proceed to the Potwell Inn, which has been ransacked. The landlady is locked upstairs with her grandchild. Mr. Polly's room is in disarray, his clothes gone, and signs of a struggle evident. The policeman Blake resolves to find Uncle Jim.
Chapter 64
XII
After the Night Surprise, Uncle Jim disappears and does not return for an extended period. Months pass, then a year, and eventually two and a half years. The plump woman and Mr. Polly briefly wonder what has become of him, but the anxiety fades with time.
Chapter 65
Miriam Revisited
Five years after arriving at the Potwell Inn, a healthier and plumper Mr. Polly reflects on his past while fishing. He feels remorse for deserting Miriam, though not for arson. He returns to Fishbourne to find Miriam and Annie running a tea shop under the name 'Polly & Larkins'. Annie tells him that Mr. Polly was found drowned, and the insurance money funded the business. When Miriam sees him, she recognizes him instantly, but Mr. Polly insists he is not coming back, claiming to be a 'Visitant from Another World'.
Chapter 66
I
Mr. Polly, now a plumper and healthier man, sits fishing at the Potwell Inn about five years after his arrival. He reflects on his past, including his arson and desertion of Miriam, feeling regret only for the latter. He has transformed the inn with paint and the famous 'Omlets' sign, finding contentment in his new life.
Chapter 67
II
Mr. Polly, disguised with a beard, returns to Fishbourne and discovers that Miriam has been living as a widow after his presumed drowning. He visits her tea shop, learns from Annie that Miriam started the business with the insurance money, and realizes his earlier remorse was misplaced as he feels the old antagonism return. He decides to leave again, confirming he will not come back.
Chapter 68
III
Mr. Polly sits with the fat woman at the Potwell Inn, contemplating the mystery of life during a serene evening. He reflects on his past, including his marriage to Miriam, his encounter with Uncle Jim, and his own actions like setting fire to a house. He expresses a fatalistic view of life, suggesting that happiness and goodness are not achieved through effort but through an inherent character that others respond to.
