The War of the Worlds · Character
The Artilleryman
A shaken soldier who survives the Martian rout and later proposes a futile underground resistance scheme to the narrator.
supporting
First appearance: ix the fighting begins
As a supporting figure in The War of the Worlds, The Artilleryman is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
A soldier who survives the Martian attack, recounts the Heat-Ray massacre and the destruction of Woking, and seeks refuge in the narrator's house.
The Artilleryman appears in The War of the Worlds as supporting figure.
The Artilleryman first appears in 0012 ix the fighting begins.
With Henderson (social): Henderson and the Artilleryman meet briefly during the early stages of the invasion, sharing information about the Martian threat. With The Curate (social): The Artilleryman and the Curate have a brief, tense meeting where the Artilleryman dismisses the Curate's religious hysteria. With Miss Elphinstone (social): Miss Elphinstone and the Artilleryman have a single, fleeting encounter during the evacuation, with no significant interaction.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
4 connectionsA slice of how The Artilleryman sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Social
- Other
Character groups
- Early victims of invasion
- Protagonist
Explore ties, sentiment, and clusters while you read
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
In this chapter, the narrator reaches his emotional and psychological nadir as he wanders through a corpse-lit…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Henderson
social · ambivalent
Henderson and the Artilleryman meet briefly during the early stages of the invasion,… How this plays out →
- The Curate
social · negative
- Miss Elphinstone
social · ambivalent
- Henderson
social · ambivalent
Henderson and the Artilleryman meet briefly during the early stages of the invasion,… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See The Artilleryman in ix the fighting beginsIn the story
The Artilleryman appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- XI: At the Window
- XII: What I Saw of the Destruction of Weybridge and Shepperton
- The Man on Putney Hill
- Wreckage
- X: The Epilogue
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for The Artilleryman unlock in the free preview.
See The Artilleryman in ix the fighting begins