The War of the Worlds Characters

A man who tells the story of the Martian invasion. The narrator describes himself as a “professed and recognized writer on philosophical themes.” He is an intellectually curious, open-minded person who possesses more scientific knowledge… read analysis of The Narrator

A soldier who operates one of the large guns used to fight the Martians. When the horse he’s riding falls into a ditch, the gun he and his comrades are manning is exploded by a… read analysis of The Artilleryman

A religious man who has spent his life working for the church. The curate is inconsolable in his grief over the Martian invasion, utterly unable to fathom why such a terrible fate has come upon… read analysis of The Curate

A medical student who lives in London, and whose story the narrator provides as a way of showing readers the impact of the Martians throughout England. Upon hearing about the invasion, the narrator’s brother decides… read analysis of The Narrator’s Brother

An astronomer who first tells the narrator about the strange explosions seen on Mars in the days leading up to the alien invasion. Ogilvy invites the narrator one night to view the anomaly through his… read analysis of Ogilvy

A woman the narrator’s brother meets while fleeing London. When the narrator’s brother first encounters her, Mrs. Elphinstone and her sister-in-law, Miss Elphinstone, are being attacked and robbed by three men. The narrator’s brother… read analysis of Mrs. Elphinstone

The landlord of an inn and bar called the Spotted Dog. The innkeeper owns a horse and dogcart, both of which he lends to the narrator for two pounds on the condition that both be… read analysis of The Innkeeper

A journalist from London, whom Ogilvy encounters on the road after first seeing the Martian cylinder. Henderson is the first person to actually believe Ogilvy about the cylinder, and he hurries to see for himself… read analysis of Henderson