The History of Mr. Polly
The story revolves around a middle-aged man who feels trapped in his mundane life and marriage. He dreams of escaping to a more exciting existence but lacks the courage to take action. The narrative explores themes of identity, freedom, and the human desire for change.
By H.G. Wells · First published 1910 · Genre: Comedy, Bildungsroman, Social Commentary · 10 chapters · 84,334 words
First lines
I
"Hole! " said Mr. Polly, and then for a change, and with greatly increased emphasis: "Ole! " He paused, and then broke out with one of his private and peculiar idioms. "Oh! Beastly Silly Wheeze of a Hole!"
What this Textopian page supports
The History of Mr. Polly is listed on Textopian as a novel by H.G. Wells, dated 1910 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: H.G. Wells
- Date: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Bildungsroman, Social Commentary, Adventure, Satire
- Length: 84,334 words
- Structure: 10 chapters, 2,054 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The History of Mr. Polly by H.G. Wells
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The History of Mr. Polly?
- How does this novel by H.G. Wells fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Comedy — The book is primarily a comedic novel, focusing on the humorous and often absurd life of the protagonist.
- Bildungsroman — It follows the personal development and growth of the main character, Mr. Polly, throughout his life.
- Social Commentary — The narrative provides insights into the social and economic conditions of early 20th-century England.
- Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a journey of self-discovery and change, which includes various adventures and misadventures.
Tags
Coming-of-age · Satire · Social commentary · Autobiographical fiction · Tragicomedy · Novel of manners · English literature · Early 20th century · Realism · Anti-conformity · Self-discovery · Marriage
Contents
- Beginnings, and the Bazaar
- The Dismissal of Parsons
- Cribs
- Mr. Polly an Orphan
- Mr. Polly Takes a Vacation
- Miriam
- The Little Shop at Fishbourne
- Making an End to Things
- The Potwell Inn
- Miriam Revisited