The War of the Worlds (Dramatized) characters

Appears from the start

An unnamed writer living near Woking with his wife. Thoughtful, observant, and interested in science, he becomes the principal witness to the Martian arrival and describes the invasion from his own limited point of view.

Appears from the start

A respected astronomer and acquaintance of the narrator who observes unusual flashes on Mars. His scientific curiosity makes him one of the first people in England to take an interest in the strange events.

First appears in chapter 2

A London journalist living near Woking. Ogilvy wakes him after the first cylinder lands, hoping Henderson can help spread news of the extraordinary object on Horsell Common.

First appears in chapter 4

The Astronomer Royal, summoned to examine the cylinder on Horsell Common. He joins the small group of experts and local officials trying to understand the object and communicate with whatever is inside it.

First appears in chapter 4

The beings that emerge from the cylinder on Horsell Common. They come from Mars and have bodies, movements, and needs unlike those of humans; at first, the watching crowd can only guess at their intentions.

First appears in chapter 7

The narrator's wife, who shares his home near Woking. She listens to his early account of the cylinder and depends on him as the growing danger begins to disrupt their ordinary life.

First appears in chapter 10

A soldier separated from his unit during the first fighting. Exhausted and shaken, he tells the narrator how the Martian machines overwhelmed the troops sent against them.

First appears in chapter 13

A clergyman the narrator encounters while fleeing the devastated country around Weybridge. The destruction has badly shaken his faith and self-control, but for the moment the two men travel together in search of safety.

First appears in chapter 14

A medical student in London whose experiences provide a second view of the invasion. As reports from Surrey reach the capital, he recognizes the danger and tries to escape the spreading panic.

First appears in chapter 16

A young married woman encountered by the narrator's brother during the flight from London. Separated from her surgeon husband, she travels with her sister-in-law and struggles to preserve their horse and carriage amid the crowds.

First appears in chapter 17

The commander of a Royal Navy torpedo ram protecting refugee ships off the English coast. As civilians try to cross the water, he takes his vessel directly toward the approaching Martian fighting machines.