# Ogilvy — The War of the Worlds character guide

> Ogilvy in The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** poor Ogilvy

**First appearance:** 0005-ii-the-falling-star

## Who they are

An astronomer who is among the first to confirm the Martian projectiles and rushes to warn the world before the Heat-Ray silences him.

## Relationships

### [The Curate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/characters/the_curate)

_social_

Ogilvy and the Curate are both present at the initial Martian landing site, though their interactions are limited to that shared event.

### [The Curate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/characters/the_curate)

_social_

Ogilvy and the Curate are both present at the initial Martian landing site, though their interactions are limited to that shared event.

## In the story

### [The War of the Worlds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/the-war-of-the-worlds)

Ogilvy is among the first to investigate the cylinder and is killed by the Martians' Heat-Ray.

### [Book I: The Coming of the Martians](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/book-i-the-coming-of-the-martians)

Ogilvy is among the first to investigate the cylinder and is killed by the Martians.

### [The Eve of the War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/i-the-eve-of-the-war)

Ogilvy, the well-known astronomer, invites the narrator to observe Mars and speculates about volcanic activity or meteor showers, dismissing the idea of Martian inhabitants signaling Earth.

### [II: The Falling Star](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/ii-the-falling-star)

Discovers the cylinder, realizes it is artificial, and alerts others.

### [On Horsell Common](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/iii-on-horsell-common)

Present at the pit directing excavations, asks the narrator to contact Lord Hilton.

### [IV: The Cylinder Opens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/iv-the-cylinder-opens)

Present at the pit, calls for the crowd to keep back.

### [V: The Heat-Ray](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/v-the-heat-ray)

Part of the deputation approaching the Martians with a white flag; presumed killed by the heat-ray.

### [VI: The Heat-Ray in the Chobham Road](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/vi-the-heat-ray-in-the-chobham-road)

Part of the ill-fated advance; telegraphs for soldiers before being killed.

### [VII: How I Reached Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/vii-how-i-reached-home)

Mourned by the narrator, who fears Ogilvy may be dead on the common; his earlier scientific explanations are recalled.

### [IX: The Fighting Begins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/ix-the-fighting-begins)

Mentioned as 'poor Ogilvy' among the dead on the common.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/characters/ogilvy
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/characters