The History of Mr. Polly (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: H. G. Wells
- First Published: 1910
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Love
- Time of Work: Early twentieth century
- Setting: England
- Genres: Long fiction
- Subjects: Self-discovery, Traveling or travelers, Love or romance, Suicide, Twentieth century, Marriage, Alienation, Class consciousness, Emotions, England or English people, Depression, mental, Fire, Merchants
- Locales: England
Characters Discussed
The Historian, an anonymous first-person narrator, brisk, pleasantly jocular, and rather Dickensian. Although he has no part in the action, he provides humorous commentary on it.
Mr. Alfred Polly, a sensitive, dyspeptic petty tradesman, given to romantic dreams, mispronunciation, and pungent phrases. After starting as a draper’s assistant, he was left some money by his father, and acquired a shop and a wife. Fifteen years later, Mr. Polly is bald and chubby, and imagination and good will have been stifled by his neighbors and his wife. He bungles a...
[The entire page is 721 words long]
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