Marriage

Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.7

Word count: 857K words
Chapters: 86

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Marriage by H. G. WellsAuthor: Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Feb 20, 2011

Editor's review

Marriage is a social novel by H. G. Wells that explores the institution of marriage, relations between the sexes, and individual freedom. Wells is best known for his science fiction and novels of ideas, but here he turns to an institutional question embedded in everyday life, using his characters' emotional choices and circumstances to present late Victorian and early twentieth-century English society's complex attitudes toward marriage. The book's value lies in refusing to treat marriage as a private matter: it examines it within the tension between social norms, economic conditions, and individual desire, so that readers see how institutions shape people's choices and how individuals seek a self within them. The narrative carries Wells's characteristic speculative bent, with argument and plot interwoven, and will appeal to readers interested in English literature, social history, and gender questions. As you read, pay attention to the clashes of ideas in the characters' dialogue and to the author's implicit critique of the customs of his time. As a public-domain ebook, it is easy to dip into and well suited as a text for discussing how ideas about marriage have changed.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in English literature and the social novel
Readers concerned with the institution of marriage and gender questions
Those studying shifts in late Victorian social attitudes
Readers who want to see Wells beyond his science fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer strong plots and fast pacing
Readers expecting Wellsian science-fiction premises
Readers with little patience for extended argumentative passages

Reading tips

Learn a little about English marriage law and custom in Wells's time before beginning
Treat the clashes of ideas in dialogue as the focus, taking brief notes as you read
Read alongside other English social novels to compare how marriage is handled
Pause after each chapter to consider the author's stance on institutions and personal relationships

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this a science fiction novel by Wells?

No. Wells is famous for his science fiction, but Marriage is a social novel about the institution of marriage, relations between the sexes, and individual freedom, with no science-fictional premise. Do not expect future technology or alien themes; focus instead on how characters choose and argue under institutional constraints.

How difficult is the English? Is it suitable for non-native readers?

This is a public-domain English text written in early twentieth-century literary English, with long sentences and passages of argument, so it poses a challenge for non-native readers. It is best attempted by those with at least intermediate reading ability; you might use an annotated edition or read a Chinese translation first for the plot, then return to the original for the language and argument.

What background knowledge is helpful before reading?

It helps to know something about English social customs, marriage law, and the position of women from the late Victorian period to the early twentieth century. Wells lived through a time of intellectual change, and his work often has a polemical edge. Readers familiar with contemporary public debate about marriage, divorce, and gender roles will more easily grasp the pointed references in the characters' talk.

Is this book suitable for book-club discussion?

Yes. The book raises many debatable views on marriage and individual freedom, and the characters' choices leave room for interpretation. A club could discuss questions such as whether institutions should intervene in private feeling and how individuals can remain autonomous within norms, but participants should be warned that the book is argumentative and should finish the assigned chapters beforehand.

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About the author

Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946 Author

H. G. Wells (Herbert George, 1866–1946) was a renowned British author best known for his science fiction and socially engaged works. The collection holds 76 of his works, including The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Red Room, and The Door in the Wall, and Other Stories, as well as the historical survey The Outline of History. His science fiction often starts from scientific premises and explores technological loss of control, human weakness, and social crisis, with bold imagination and clear narration; The Outline of History reflects his approachable, well-structured writing for general readers. Public information is limited, so biographical details are not elaborated here, but his works show a mastery of novels, short stories, and popular history, and his influence on later science fiction is profound.