I wonder, said Graham.Ostrog stared.Must the world go this way? said Graham, with his emotions at the speaking point. Must it indeedgo in this way? Have all our hopes been vain?What do you mean? said Ostrog. Hopes?I came from a democratic age. And I find an aristocratic tyranny!Well, - but you are the chief tyrant.Graham shook his head.
In H.G. Wells' "When the Sleeper Wakes," Graham expresses his deep disillusionment with the state of the world upon awakening from a long sleep. He questions whether all of humanity's aspirations have been in vain as he contrasts his earlier democratic ideals with the current oppressive aristocratic rule he sees around him. His emotional turmoil is evident as he grapples with the stark reality of tyranny replacing the hopes of progress.
Ostrog, who serves as a representative of this new order, questions Graham's perspective, prompting a confrontation between them. Graham's refusal to accept his role as the chief tyrant underscores his internal conflict. He cannot reconcile his past beliefs with the present situation, highlighting the tension between personal responsibility and societal structure in a drastically changed world.
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Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
