# The Fifth Men — Last and First Men character guide

> The Fifth Men in Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** the Fifth Men, Evanescence The Fifth Men, The Cult of Evanescence The Fifth Men, the long-lived Fifth Men

**First appearance:** 0051-iii-the-fifth-men

## Snapshot

A long-lived species who chose mortality over immortality, cultivating a cult of evanescence and finding beauty in the very fact that individuals must die.

## Who they are

The Fifth Men live fifty thousand years, long enough to gather the cosmos into their souls, yet they refuse immortality when they could have it. Their distinctive tension is between love's demand that the beloved live forever and a hard-won recognition that such a demand is a betrayal of something larger — the music of the race, the life of the whole. They matter because they represent a turning point in human consciousness, where death is not a tragedy to be overcome but a condition to be embraced, shaping the spiritual trajectory of all subsequent species.

## In the story

### [III: The Fifth Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/iii-the-fifth-men)

The newly created species, designed to be a transitional type with enhanced abilities.

### [IV: The Culture of the Fifth Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/iv-the-culture-of-the-fifth-men)

The focus of the chapter, detailing their advanced culture, telepathic abilities, and artistic/scientific achievements.

### [The Last Terrestrials](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/xii-the-last-terrestrials)

Central focus of the chapter; their culture, mortality, and philosophical struggles are explored.

### [I: The Cult of Evanescence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/i-the-cult-of-evanescence)

The central focus of the chapter; their culture and philosophy are explored in depth.

### [Exploration of Time](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/ii-exploration-of-time)

The species that develops and perfects the technique of supra-temporal experience, using it to explore the past.

### [III: Voyaging in Space](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/iii-voyaging-in-space)

The central species of this chapter, facing an existential crisis and undertaking ambitious space exploration and terraforming projects.

### [IV: Preparing a New World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/iv-preparing-a-new-world)

The current human species, faced with the monumental task of relocating to Venus and the moral burden of destroying the Venerians.

### [Humanity on Venus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/xiii-humanity-on-venus)

The original settlers on Venus, whose world-order is destroyed by plagues and decline, leading to the emergence of new species.

### [I: Taking Root Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/i-taking-root-again)

Their world-order is destroyed, and they degenerate into new species on Venus.

### [I: Bird’s-Eye View](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/i-bird-s-eye-view)

The Fifth Men are noted as a brilliant species that was wakening into true humanity before being crushed by misfortune.

### [XV: The Last Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/xv-the-last-men)

Mentioned as having sought the experience of cosmic beauty deliberately.

### [Introduction to the Last Human Species](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/i-introduction-to-the-last-human-species)

Mentioned as the origin of the three minute organs on the outermost finger of the Last Men.

### [II: Childhood and Maturity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/ii-childhood-and-maturity)

The Land of the Young is described as reminiscent of the Wild Continent of the Fifth Men, a preserved wilderness for youthful adventure.

### [III: A Racial Awakening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/iii-a-racial-awakening)

Also mentioned as seeking the experience of 'cold beauty' deliberately.

### [XVI: The Last of Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/chapters/xvi-the-last-of-man)

Mentioned as part of the past human species that the Last Men seek to understand and admire.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/characters/the_fifth_men
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/last_and_first_men_se/characters