News from Nowhere; Or, An Epoch of Rest
by William Morris
A weary Victorian socialist, William Guest, falls asleep after a lively political discussion and awakens in a utopian future England where capitalism has been abolished and society lives in harmony with nature and each other. He journeys up the Thames, learning about this new world and how it came to be through conversations with its inhabitants, ultimately grappling with the question of whether this vision is attainable.
William Guest
A man of late middle age (around 56 years old), presumably the author himself in a dream-like state. He is a socialist, educated, and prone to losing his temper and engaging in philosophical self-reproach. He has a keen eye for architectural detail and social dynamics. He is initially bewildered and astonished by the future world, representing a typical 19th-century intellectual burdened by societal problems.
Dick Hammond
A handsome young man, dark-haired and berry-brown of skin, well-knit and strong, and clearly used to physical work. He has a pleasant and friendly look. His dress is simple but of fine dark blue cloth. He's cheerful, practical, and somewhat traditional, especially for his society, though deeply committed to its values. He's Old Hammond's great-grandson and Clara's lover/husband. He enjoys manual labor, particularly rowing and haymaking, and has a great appreciation for beauty, especially in nature and good building.
Old Hammond
Dick's great-grandfather, a 'little old man' who is over 105 years old, with an apple-dried-like face, dressed in threadbare blue serge. Despite his age, he possesses immense energy for conversation and a vast, detailed knowledge of history, especially the 'Change' and the 'times of transition.' He lives amidst books and artifacts at the British Museum, serving as the primary intellectual voice of the future.
Clara
A very beautiful young woman, 'no careful line on her face, her skin smooth as ivory, her cheeks full and round, her lips red as roses.' She is shapely, well-knit, thoroughly healthy-looking and strong. Originally appears 'decidedly pretty' and 'as fresh as may be,' and in Ch. III is implicitly the pretty woman who claims to be 42 but looks 20. She wears light silk embroidered gowns and is associated with domestic grace and beauty.
Ellen
A slim, light-haired, grey-eyed young woman, with her face, hands, and bare feet tanned brown by the sun. She wears light silk, gaily embroidered. She possesses a peculiar, almost 'wild' beauty that makes her seem more 'unfamiliar' and interesting than other women William meets. She is spirited, intelligent, passionate, and keenly perceptive, quickly deducing William's origins.
Robert the Weaver
Dick's friend, sandy-haired, rather pale, and not stout-built. His face, though, has the characteristic happy and friendly expression. He is an intellectual, interested in mathematics, history (especially of the 19th century), and machine printing, despite lacking manual dexterity compared to Dick. He wears a gayer version of the typical future dress.
Henry Johnson
A tall, dark-haired, exceedingly handsome man, whose surcoat is copiously and elegantly embroidered with gold, earning him the nickname 'Golden Dustman' or 'Boffin' (after a Dickens character). He moves with a 'somewhat haughty mien' but is kindly in expression. He is a dustman by profession, but writes 'reactionary novels' and enjoys elaborately dressing up.
Annie
One of the young women working at the Hammersmith Guest House. She is described as frank, kind, and seems to get 'honest pleasure' from everything and everyone. She has a sweet and clear voice, suitable for singing.
Ellen's Grandfather
An old man who is Ellen's grandfather, living with her at a cottage near Runnymede. He grumbles, preferring the supposed 'adventure' and 'competition' of past ages over the 'petty' and 'dull' contentment of the present. He is a 'literary man' and avid reader of old books (like Thackeray). He can be testy but shows kindness, especially to Ellen, and deep interest in historical arguments.
Walter Allen
Dick's friend, a man of about forty; tall, black-haired, very kind-looking and thoughtful, but with a shade of melancholy on his face. He is somewhat abstracted and inattentive due to a recent tragic event in his household.
Henry Morsom
An old but very bright and intelligent man from Wallingford. He has an extraordinary detailed knowledge of the ancient history of the countryside and the period of 'the Change.' He specializes in the transition from machine production to handicraft, acting as an antiquary and local historian.
Philippa
A rather little woman, about forty, who is the head carver among the 'Obstinate Refusers.' She is intently focused on her work, carving low reliefs of flowers and figures. She was recently ill, and finds renewed health and immense delight in her work, to the point of not wishing to stop for anything else.
Servile Old Man
An old man who appears 'strangely contrasting' with the joyous people of the future. He looks old (but William realizes he's probably only around fifty), with a rugged, grimed face, dull, bleared eyes, bent body, thin calves, and dragging feet. His clothing is a mixture of 'dirt and rags.' He exhibits both goodwill and 'much servility.'
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