47 pages • 1-hour read
The Last Man
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Symbols & Motifs
The Plague
The plague is the most significant symbol of the novel, reflecting the theme of Humanity Versus Nature as it wrecks the human race and its civilizations. Though few but Lionel see the plague as something that has the potential to end the human race, others begin to realize toward the end of the novel that all attempts to stop it will be fruitless. The plague is thus a symbol for both the power of nature and the inevitability of the future.
Even in the early months of the plague, Lionel Verney notes its equalizing effects, mentioning how the wealthy have had to learn the skills of the poor to stay alive and that “there was nothing to prevent each from assuming possession of his share” (351) of the riches of the deceased aristocracy. As The Last Man is told from the point of view of the past, it is unclear whether any future generations of humans will repopulate the earth or learn from Lionel’s story that they have no power against the forces of nature.
Memorialization of the Dead
The memorialization of the dead is an important motif in The Last Man. Even before he is entrusted with the last memories of humanity, Lionel is careful to make sure those who have passed are remembered properly. He buries Raymond and Perdita together in Athens according to their wishes, and gives Evadne a proper burial so she is not forgotten like the other nameless soldiers who died in battle. Lionel also takes Idris and Alfred home to Windsor Castle, memorializing them there the same way he would have if there had not been a plague. He and Adrian carefully bury their fellow emigrants as they begin to die off from the plague, regretting that soon there will be no one left to remember anyone.
Lionel wishes to preserve the memory of human civilization, including those like Raymond who strove for fame and glory. He thus memorializes the last members of humanity by writing a book about them, in turn making sure someone can remember him after the last person on earth is gone.
The Arts
Several characters, especially Lionel, regard the arts as an important symbol of human civilization. Lionel argues, “no man’s faculties could be developed, no man’s moral principle be enlarged and liberal, without an extensive acquaintance with books” (174). At the end of the novel, he even tries to encompass the story of human existence by writing down his experiences and those of the last humans.
After the onset of the plague, the arts become a reminder of the lives and civilizations that have been lost. In London, people distract themselves from the plague by going to the theatre. At one performance of Macbeth, Lionel is particularly struck by the similarities between his feelings and those of the characters on stage, who are also dealing with the deaths of their friends and families. When the emigrants from England arrive in Switzerland, they are astonished to hear music, as it reminds them of how the world once was. The few remaining humans seek out art once they begin their travels through Italy, feeling drawn to relics of the past and comforted by them. Lionel grieves for the lost arts nearly as much as he does the lost human lives, seeing them as a representation of humanity and its greatest achievements.
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