H.G. Wells' The Crystal Egg and the Road to The War of the Worlds

Herbert George Wells, maybe the most renowned science fiction writer, is best known for his revolutionary novels like The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine. Among his contributions to the genre is the short story The Crystal Egg, published in 1897. Though often overshadowed by his aforementioned novels, this tale is particularly fascinating for its thematic and conceptual ties to The War of the Worlds, published just a year later. Together, these stories reflect Wells’ vision of Mars as a symbol of cosmic mystery and a glimpse into humanity’s potential weaknesses.

In The Crystal Egg, Wells introduces readers to Mr. Cave, the owner of a London curiosity shop. Hidden among the shelves is an unusual artifact: a crystal egg. Mr. Cave discovers that when observed under certain conditions, the egg reveals supernatural visions of an alien landscape with strange buildings and otherworldly creatures. Although Mr. Cave is spellbound by the egg’s revelations, those around him dismiss his findings, and this makes him isolated from others. The story ends ambiguously, with the egg vanishing under doubious circumstances, leaving us readers to puzzle together the true nature of the egg and its revelations.

While The Crystal Egg stands as a self-contained narrative, its depiction of Mars serves as a prelude to The War of the Worlds. Both stories present Mars as a realm of advanced, non-human beings. In The Crystal Egg, the glimpses of the planet suggest a thriving, alien civilization. These visions align thematically with the Martians in The War of the Worlds, who invade Earth with their technological superiority.

This overlap raises intriguing questions: Could the crystal egg be a form of Martian technology, a device for surveillance or communication? In The War of the Worlds, Wells describes the Martians as scientifically advanced beings who monitor Earth before their invasion. The egg, with its ability to project images of Mars, could be a part of this spying effort, suggesting a broader narrative connection between the two works.

A recurring theme in both The Crystal Egg and The War of the Worlds is the act of observation. In the former, Mr. Cave becomes an observer of an alien world through the egg, his curiosity driven by the thrill of the unknown. While, in The War of the Worlds, Earth becomes the object of observation as the Martians decide to conquer it. This reflects Wells’ broader commentary on human arrogance. In The Crystal Egg, the dismissal of Mr. Cave’s discovery mirrors humanity’s tendency to overlook the extraordinary when it cannot be defined by conventional means. Similarly, in The War of the Worlds, humanity’s sense of superiority is shattered by the Martians’ overwhelming millitary power, showing our fragile place in the cosmos.

Wells’ portrayal of alien technology in both stories expresses his imaginative genius. The crystal egg itself is a speculative device, a portal to another world that foreshadows concepts like virtual reality. In The War of the Worlds, the Martians wield heat rays and advanced war machines, embodying a technological gap that renders humanity powerless. Both works explore the potential consequences of encountering civilizations far more advanced than our own.

Moreover, The Crystal Egg introduces Mars not merely as a distant planet but as a world like our own. Its portrayal of alien life is less threatening than in The War of the Worlds, but still invites readers to consider the diversity and complexity of extraterrestrial life.

While The Crystal Egg and The War of the Worlds can be seen as independent works, their shared motifs suggest that Wells was crafting a vision of Mars and the wider universe in his mind. The former serves as a testimony to humanity’s thirst for discovery and its attitude toward the extraordinary, while the latter depicts the existential threat posed by an advanced alien race. Together, they form a basis for us to consider the vulnerability and the limits of human understanding.