Anti-war in “The War and Socialism” and “A Dream of Armageddon” by Susan F.

“The War and Socialism” by H.G. Wells is a very petite, thin pamphlet published by the Clarion Press. Measuring around 7 inches in length and 4.5 inches in width, this pamphlet easily fits in hand to be perused, passed out, or transported. On the first page, the pamphlet boasts a modest price of 1 penny, indicating that this piece was widely affordable to be purchased, broadly accessible, and could be distributed to the general masses. I believe that the affordable pricing serves as an intentional choice to make the contents written in these pamphlets available to a broad audience. There are also no pictures or drawings in the pamphlet; the aesthetics are very simple and the main focus is set on the text.

H.G. Wells is a 19th century English author known for his forward thinking and modern views of the world. “The War and Socialism” by H.G. Wells establishes Wells’ anti-war views, which contextualizes the violent war in “A Dream of Armageddon.” In “The War and Socialism,” Wells starts off by immediately denouncing war and conflict, wanting “to end not simply a war, but the idea of war” (Wells 2). Likening war to a “waste of mankind,” Wells spends a considerable amount of time in the pamphlet not only critiquing war but also presenting calls to action to spread anti-war ideas. Wells emphasizes and reiterates that every person has the power to stop the ideas of war: “there is work for every man who writes or talks and has the slightest influence upon another creature” (Wells 8). Wells reinforces this idea by having “The War and Socialism” printed on an affordable and easily accessible pamphlet, which allows Wells’ anti-war ideas to reach the minds of a broad audience.

Although there is no date on the pamphlet to indicate when it was published, through reading the contents, “The War and Socialism” seems to be written during World War I. “The War and Socialism” is rooted in reality, harnesses a direct tone, and conveys strong messaging to propel Wells’ ideas for anti-war to the general public. This tone is especially important during a time of violence. On the other hand, “A Dream of Armageddon,” published in 1901, is an artistic fictional narrative written in lofty and winding language. Published before World War I, “A Dream of Armageddon” is able to use a whimsical framework, rather than urgent directness, to convey Wells’ message. The differences between the two works align with the backdrop of the times in which they were published.

Wells conveys his anti-war messaging in “A Dream of Armageddon” through dreams, which aligns with his call to action in “The War and Socialism.” In “A Dream of Armageddon,” a man recounts his dream of falling in love with a woman in Capri; this beautiful relationship is tragically ended due to the atrocities of modern warfare. I believe that Wells chose to deliver the horrors of death and war in “A Dream of Armageddon” through dreams because all people, regardless of their backgrounds, age, or experiences, understand the feeling of a dream. A dream is something so delicate, intimate, and personal, and so using it as a vessel to deliver a harsh reality strikes a chord in the reader; Wells uses such depth to have audiences internalize his message. In “The War and Socialism,” this is exactly what Wells wants for the pamphlet readers to do: “spread this idea, repeat this idea, and impose upon this war the idea that this war must end war” regardless how big or small our means are (Wells 5). Wells is bringing his own words into action with his work in “A Dream of Armageddon”; he is showing and encouraging readers that even shared experiences such as dreams can be used in the effort to spread the idea of peace.

Moreover, given that Wells’ view on war is piercingly clear in “The War and Socialism,” his characterizations of war in “A Dream of Armageddon” as the disruptor of love is the focus of the story, instead of the other aspects presented about the war. By using war to disrupt and rip apart a beautiful and pristine initial love story, Wells emphasizes that desirable things such as love are futile and inescapable in the face of war. In “A Dream of Armageddon,” when the narrator is first introduced to the man with the dream, he is characterized with the words “motionless,” “ill,” “vacantly,” and “spiritless.” Right from the beginning, this man is described as lifeless. I argue that based on Wells’ staunch anti-war position, Wells begins “A Dream of Armageddon” with a solemn portrayal of the man in order to emphasize the sadness that comes with war to the reader. The focus is on the horrors of war, rather than the futuristic planes or the opposing sides of the conflict. Now, after reading “The War and Socialism,” I understand that the love story within the dream in “A Dream of Armageddon” is not merely attention-grabbing or outlandish; rather, it is used to communicate to audiences Wells’ ultimate goal, to end war.