H.G. Wells’s 1895 novel, The Time Machine, depicts the far future evolution of humanity into two distinct species: the Eloi and the Morlocks. This division, often interpreted through the lens of social Darwinism prevalent in Wells’s time, reflects anxieties about class stratification and the potential consequences of unchecked industrialization. While not explicitly termed “racial” in the novel’s language, the clear biological and social distinctions between the Eloi and the Morlocks raise questions about the future of humanity and the potential for evolutionary divergence to create new forms of social hierarchy.
The novel’s portrayal of these divergent human descendants serves as a powerful social commentary. It explores the potential dangers of unchecked technological advancement and the widening gap between social classes. By depicting the Eloi’s childlike innocence and the Morlocks’ subterranean savagery, Wells prompts reflection on the ethical and social implications of progress and the potential for humanity to devolve both physically and morally. Understanding this bifurcation offers insights into late Victorian anxieties surrounding social change and the long-term consequences of industrial society.
