47 pages • 1 hour read
Mary ShelleyThe Last Man
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1826A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Equality of the Human Race
The Last Man explores the commonalities and vulnerabilities of the human race, suggesting that all people are equal to one another. While politics, personal ambitions, and xenophobic beliefs sometimes divide the human societies in the novel, the narrative suggests that such divisions are futile and self-defeating, only serving to weaken humanity further.
Of all the characters, Adrian is the most committed to the ideal of equality. He sees all other humans as his family and tries to treat them as such. Lionel Verney is surprised when, upon meeting him, Adrian views the lowly shepherd boy as the destined friend of a former prince. Adrian disregards his own royal pedigree, becoming a staunch republican who advocates for the good of all English citizens. He only takes power as Lord Protector when England enters a state of crisis during the plague, when no one else wishes to lead the country. He turns Windsor Castle into a refuge for those affected by the plague and urges other wealthy Englishmen to donate to the poor.
Adrain’s firm belief in equality also applies beyond England’s borders, revealing his cosmopolitan outlook. When he goes to war in Greece, Adrian argues that even their enemies “are men; each fibre, each limb is as feeling as our own, and every spasm, be it mental or bodily, is as truly felt in a Turk’s heart or brain, as in a Greek’s” (179, emphasis added). When faced with a battle while governing London, Adrian tells the opposing sides, “Lay down your arms, fellow men! brethren! [...] You are dear to us, because you wear the frail shape of humanity; each one among you will find a friend and host among these forces” (335, emphasis added)—a sentiment he repeats when he quells the fighting between the political factions in Paris. While those around him espouse the ideals of English exceptionalism, England’s former prince treats all of humanity as equals. Adrian embodies the purest idealism in the novel, representing a kinder and more humane view of human society.
However, it is ultimately the plague that represents the clearest proof of humanity’s fundamental equality. The disease does not discriminate between classes, countries, races, or genders, infecting and killing all but Lionel. As the plague continues, Lionel notes its equalizing effects, mentioning how the wealthy have had to learn the skills of laborers to stay alive and that “there was nothing to prevent each from assuming possession of his share” (351) of the riches of the deceased aristocracy. As the plague eradicates all of humanity, Lionel realizes that death is the greatest equalizer of all, exposing how petty and vain all worldly ambitions and rivalries really are.
Humanity Versus Nature
While some of the novel’s characters, such as the worldly Lord Raymond or the power-hungry false prophet of Paris, seek power and control over others and the world at large, The Last Man exposes humankind as essentially frail when faced with the power of the natural world. The plague reveals the vulnerability of human civilization, overwhelming humanity with the force of an unstoppable natural phenomena.
As the plague begins to ravage Europe, Lionel ironically observes, “In the face of all this we call ourselves lords of the creation, wielders of the elements, masters of life and death, and we allege in excuse of this arrogance, that though the individual is destroyed, man continues for ever” (256, emphasis added). While those around Lionel believe that the plague will end and humanity will survive it, Lionel sees what others don’t: that this anthropocentric view of the world is baseless. While the plague wipes out cities and countries, the characters in England are absorbed with politics and exerting power over others, oblivious to the danger. An astronomer named Merrival ignores the plague, instead preferring to study the planets and estimate where the earth will be in thousands of years. The characters’ preoccupations with such trivial matters when in the path of an existential threat represent the vanity and ignorance of the human race.
In the larger scope of the earth, entire civilizations and ways of life soon become extinct. In view of this total destruction, both Raymond’s selfish ambitions and Adrian’s intense idealism come to mean nothing once nature takes over. Even before he is the last remaining person on earth, Lionel recognizes what the rest of human society has failed to learn: that nature is far more powerful than civilization and that “if she put forth but a finger, we must quake” (258).
As humanity and civilization crumble, triumphant nature continues to thrive. The emigrants are cheered by the sublime sight of the mountains and lakes of Switzerland. As Lionel recalls, “Carried away by wonder, I forgot the death of man, and the living and beloved friend near me” (465). As they make their way out of England, the emigrants see how nature has begun to overtake once-populous cities, with grass growing through the pavement, horses running wild, and other animals taking over urban habitats. Through the destruction of humanity, Wollstonecraft Shelley points out how unfounded the belief in human superiority and invincibility really is in comparison to the strength of nature.
The Effects of Isolation
The Last Man explores the harmful effects of isolation, emphasizing the beneficial influence of human affection and community for both individuals and society. As Lionel journeys from lonely shepherd boy to the last surviving human after the plague, his experiences illustrate the miseries of unchecked solitude and reinforce the importance of companionship.
Both the beginning and end of Lionel’s story are defined by his isolation. As an orphan in a small rural village, Lionel grows up without knowing what it is like to belong to a loving family unit. His penchant for crime and violence are the symptoms of his lack of healthy socialization. It is only through Adrian’s friendship that Lionel gradually learns what it means to forge deep and genuine connections with others, allowing him to thrive within human society. When the plague strikes the earth, Lionel is the only human who recovers from the plague, which singles him out as special while also condemning him to ultimately survive all the rest of humanity.
After the deaths of Clara and Adrian, Lionel becomes desperate to find another human survivor. After only a few days on his own, he cannot bear the loneliness and the reminders that there were once people in the cities. He even feels jealous of the animals, who still have companions. However, Lionel refuses to give up hope: He leaves inscriptions about his whereabouts in each place he visits, concluding with the plea, “friend, come! I wait for thee!” (506), which he hopes will lead any other survivor to him. He also memorializes humanity and his own experiences through writing a full account of his life, as he still believes there is a chance someone may one day find what he has written for posterity. The novel closes with Lionel vowing to travel all the coasts of the earth, searching for any sign of remaining human life.
In tying both civilization and individual happiness to the cultivation of connection and community, The Last Man suggests that intense solitude is neither natural nor desirable for a human being. The novel’s ending, while ambiguous and open-ended, implies that so long as Lionel believes there may be another human somewhere on the earth, he can find the strength to endure: His desire for connection will not allow him to give up hope, and it is this desire that enables Lionel to maintain his humanity even in the midst of his solitude.
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By Mary Shelley
