The Invisible Man · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells.
Chapter 1
The Strange Man's Arrival
A mysterious stranger arrives at the Coach and Horses inn in Iping during a snowstorm, heavily wrapped and carrying a small portmanteau. He demands a room and fire, paying generously. Mrs. Hall, the innkeeper, is puzzled by his refusal to remove his hat and coat, and later discovers his face is entirely bandaged except for his nose, with blue goggles hiding his eyes. He eats with a serviette over his mouth, speaks through a muffler, and seems sensitive about his appearance. He inquires about transporting luggage from Bramblehurst station, but rebuffs Mrs. Hall's attempts at conversation, especially about accidents and bandages. He remains in the parlour until evening, smoking and pacing, occasionally muttering to himself.
Chapter 2
Mr. Teddy Henfrey's First Impressions
Teddy Henfrey, the clock-jobber, arrives at the Coach and Horses to repair the parlour clock and encounters the bandaged stranger. The stranger's unsettling appearance and secretive manner disturb Henfrey, who later spreads suspicion about the guest to Mr. Hall. Mrs. Hall, though initially impressed by the stranger's claim of being an experimental investigator, grows uneasy, and Mr. Hall resolves to investigate further.
Chapter 3
The Thousand and One Bottles
The stranger's luggage arrives in Iping, consisting of trunks, books, and numerous crates filled with glass bottles and scientific equipment. After being bitten by Fearenside's dog, he rushes upstairs, and Hall glimpses a strange sight before being shoved out. The stranger obsessively unpacks his bottles and begins working, growing increasingly agitated and secretive. Fearenside later speculates that the stranger is piebald, having seen black skin through the torn clothing.
Chapter 4
Mr. Cuss Interviews the Stranger
Mr. Cuss, the village doctor, driven by curiosity, invents an excuse to interview the mysterious stranger at the inn. During the conversation, the stranger reveals a story about a burning prescription, and when he extends his arm to demonstrate, Cuss sees that the sleeve is empty. The stranger then pinches Cuss's nose with an invisible hand, sending the terrified doctor fleeing to the vicar, Mr. Bunting, to recount the bizarre encounter.
Chapter 5
The Burglary at the Vicarage
In the early hours of Whit Monday, Mrs. Bunting wakes to the sound of bare feet and wakes her husband, the Rev. Mr. Bunting. He investigates and hears someone fumbling at his study desk. Armed with a poker, he confronts the intruder, but the room appears empty despite clear signs of burglary—an open drawer, a lit candle, and missing gold coins. A sneeze in the passage and the slamming of the back door suggest the invisible presence has escaped, leaving the Buntings bewildered.
Chapter 6
The Furniture That Went Mad
Mr. and Mrs. Hall discover the stranger's room empty, his clothes and bandages left behind. As they investigate, the furniture in the room comes to life, attacking them and driving them out. The Halls and neighbors, including Mr. Sandy Wadgers, gather to discuss the strange events, but the stranger reappears, descends the stairs, and slams the parlor door in their faces, refusing to explain.
Chapter 7
VII: The Unveiling of the Stranger
The chapter details the escalating confrontation between the invisible stranger and the villagers of Iping. After a morning of isolation and tension, the stranger is confronted by Mrs. Hall over his unpaid bill. The situation intensifies when Mr. Hall returns with Constable Jaffers and a warrant for burglary. In the ensuing struggle, the stranger strips off his clothes, revealing his invisibility to the horrified crowd. A chaotic brawl erupts, during which the invisible man escapes, leaving Jaffers injured and the village in panic.
Chapter 8
In Transit
Gibbons, an amateur naturalist, is resting on the downs when he hears the sound of a man coughing, sneezing, and swearing nearby, yet sees nothing. The voice, unmistakably that of a cultivated man, moves away toward Adderdean. Disturbed by this inexplicable phenomenon, Gibbons abandons his tranquility and hurries down to the village.
Chapter 9
Mr. Thomas Marvel
Mr. Thomas Marvel, a tramp, is sitting by the roadside contemplating a pair of boots when he is startled by a disembodied voice. The voice belongs to the Invisible Man, who reveals himself and enlists Marvel as his helper, threatening him with violence if he refuses. Marvel, terrified and amazed, agrees to assist the Invisible Man in obtaining clothes and shelter.
Chapter 10
X: Mr. Marvel’s Visit to Iping
After the initial panic over the Invisible Man subsides, Iping returns to its Whit Monday festivities, though a lingering unease remains. Mr. Marvel arrives, acting suspiciously, and is observed by Mr. Huxter. Marvel sneaks into the yard of the Coach and Horses, emerges with stolen items, and flees. Huxter gives chase but is mysteriously tripped and knocked unconscious.
Chapter 11
In the Coach and Horses
Mr. Cuss and Mr. Bunting examine the Invisible Man's diary in the inn's parlour, but are interrupted by Mr. Marvel's entry. After he leaves, the Invisible Man confronts them, forcing them to submit to his demands for clothing and his books.
Chapter 12
XII: The Invisible Man Loses His Temper
The chapter describes the chaos in Iping as the Invisible Man, enraged, attacks townspeople, destroys property, and causes a general panic. Mr. Marvel escapes with the stolen books and clothes, while the villagers flee and hide. The Invisible Man rampages through the street, breaking windows and cutting telegraph wires, before vanishing.
Chapter 13
At Port Stowe
Mr. Marvel sits nervously outside an inn in Port Stowe, carrying stolen books and money. He is approached by a mariner who tells him the newspaper story about the Invisible Man's rampage in Iping. Marvel tries to dismiss it as a hoax but is visibly agitated, and the invisible Griffin forces him to retract his claims. The chapter also reveals that money has been mysteriously disappearing from local businesses, ending up in Marvel's pockets.
Chapter 14
XV: The Man Who Was Running
Dr. Kemp, working in his study on a scientific paper, observes a panicked man running down the hill toward Burdock. The man, later identified as Mr. Marvel, is fleeing in terror, and his frantic dash spreads alarm through the town as people realize the Invisible Man is pursuing him.
Chapter 15
In the Jolly Cricketers
Mr. Marvel bursts into the Jolly Cricketers inn, terrified and claiming the Invisible Man is after him. The patrons, including a policeman, a cabman, a barman, and an American with a black beard, barricade the doors. The Invisible Man attacks, smashes a window, and forces his way into the bar parlour, dragging Marvel into the kitchen. A chaotic struggle ensues, with the men trying to capture the unseen assailant. The Invisible Man escapes into the yard, and the American fires five revolver shots into the darkness, but no body is found.
Chapter 16
Dr. Kemp's Visitor
Dr. Kemp is visited by the Invisible Man, who reveals himself as Griffin, a former acquaintance from University College. Griffin explains his condition and seeks Kemp's help, while Kemp grapples with the reality of invisibility and the danger it presents.
Chapter 17
The Invisible Man Sleeps
Exhausted and wounded, the Invisible Man secures his sleeping quarters in Kemp's home, locking Kemp out of his own bedroom. Kemp, left alone, grapples with the reality of invisibility and reads newspaper accounts of the Iping rampage, realizing the Invisible Man is both mad and dangerous. He begins to consider betraying Griffin and writes a note to Colonel Adye.
Chapter 18
XIX: Certain First Principles
Kemp confronts Griffin about the smashed glass and the revelation of his secret. Griffin explains the scientific principles behind invisibility, including the manipulation of refractive index and the discovery of a method to make living tissue transparent. He recounts his years of research, his frustration with academic constraints, and his eventual theft from his father to fund his work.
Chapter 19
At the House in Great Portland Street
Griffin recounts to Kemp his experiments in invisibility, including the process of making himself invisible, the accidental discovery of the effect on a cat, the destruction of his apparatus, and the arson he committed to cover his tracks. He describes his isolation, his father's funeral, and his growing sense of detachment from humanity.
Chapter 20
In Oxford Street
Griffin recounts his disastrous first venture into London as an invisible man. Initially exhilarated by his power, he quickly encounters a series of calamities: a collision with a soda-water syphon carrier, a violent encounter with a cabman, and the painful realization that invisibility does not protect him from the cold or the mud that reveals his footprints. He is chased by a dog, a Salvation Army crowd, and a group of curious onlookers who spot his muddy footprints. After a frantic escape, he discovers his lodging is on fire, destroying his clothes, apparatus, and resources.
Chapter 21
In the Emporium
Griffin recounts his first night as an invisible man in London, seeking shelter in the Omnium department store. He describes his initial plan to steal clothes and money, his discovery of the store's resources, and his eventual escape after being discovered by shop assistants. The chapter ends with his realization that the emporium is hopeless and his decision to leave.
Chapter 22
In Drury Lane
Griffin recounts to Kemp the difficulties of being invisible in London, including the need for shelter, food, and clothing. He describes his journey to a theatrical costumier's shop in Drury Lane to procure a disguise, and his tense, stealthy interactions with the shopkeeper.
Chapter 23
The Plan That Failed
Griffin reveals his plan to establish a reign of terror by dominating a town like Burdock, but Kemp, having secretly alerted the police, attempts to trap him. A struggle ensues, Griffin escapes, and Colonel Adye is injured in the chaos.
Chapter 24
The Hunting of the Invisible Man
Kemp urgently explains to Adye the danger posed by the invisible man, Griffin, and they organize a manhunt involving dogs, food lockdowns, and powdered glass to capture or stop him.
Chapter 25
The Wicksteed Murder
After fleeing Kemp's house in a blind fury, the invisible man disappears for several hours, during which the countryside mobilizes against him following Kemp's proclamation. He resurfaces in the afternoon, murdering Mr. Wicksteed with an iron rod in a seemingly senseless attack near a gravel pit. The chapter explores possible motives for the murder and describes the growing manhunt, as the invisible man becomes a hunted fugitive, losing heart for nearly twenty-four hours before regaining his resolve.
Chapter 26
The Siege of Kemp's House
Kemp receives a threatening letter from the Invisible Man declaring the start of a reign of terror and marking Kemp as his first victim. Kemp prepares his house for a siege and attempts to summon help, but the Invisible Man intercepts his messages and begins systematically destroying Kemp's windows. Colonel Adye arrives but is disarmed and forced back. The Invisible Man breaks into the house with an axe, leading to a violent confrontation with Kemp and two policemen. In the chaos, Kemp escapes through a window, leaving the police to deal with the aftermath.
Chapter 27
The Hunter Hunted
Dr. Kemp flees from the Invisible Man, seeking refuge from neighbor Mr. Heelas, who refuses him entry. Kemp races downhill toward the town, pursued by Griffin. A crowd of townspeople, including navvies and a tram conductor, joins the chase and eventually subdues Griffin in a violent struggle. As Griffin dies, his body slowly becomes visible, revealing a young, albino man. His corpse is carried into the Jolly Cricketers, ending his tragic and destructive life.
Chapter 28
Epilogue
The epilogue reveals the fate of the Invisible Man's story and the three manuscript books containing his secrets. The landlord of the inn near Port Stowe, who is Mr. Marvel, now keeps the books hidden in a locked drawer. He periodically studies them, dreaming of unlocking their secrets, while Dr. Kemp continues to search for them in vain.
