The Island of Dr Moreau

The Island of Doctor Moreau is a meditation on Darwinian thought in the late Victorian period, exploring the possibility of civilization as an artificial product imposed on inherently savage human nature. The protagonist Edward Prendick finds himself stranded on an island with the notorious Doctor Moreau, whose experiments on the island’s humans and animals result in unspeakable horrors. The Introduction gives particular emphasis to Wells’ hostility towards religion as well as his thorough knowledge of the Darwinian thought of his time. Appendices provide passages from Darwin and Huxley which are closely related to Wells’ early writing; in addition, excerpts from other writers illustrate late-nineteenth century anxieties about social degeneration.