Weena (The Time Machine)

Weena is a fictional character in The Time Machine, a novel written by H. G. Wells in 1895 on the concept of time travel. The story of the novel comprises an unnamed time traveler who reaches 802 701 AD through his time machine. He finds there that the human has been evolved into two species: Eloi, the leisure class; and Morlock, the working class. He finds an Eloi girl named Weena, who he takes to the expedition. Finally, he loses Weena in his battle with Morlocks.

Three films were also made on the story of The Time Machine, in 1960, 1978 and 2002. Weena has been portrayed in different ways in the films. She has been rescued by the time traveler in films, on the contrary to the story of the novel.

In the original novel, the Time Traveler finds Weena in AD 802701. He rescues her from drowning in a shallow, whereas no Eloi attempts to take the initiative. The next day, she presents him a garland of flowers, which she has made especially for him. He takes her on his expedition and decides to take her to his own time, i.e., the Victorian Era. But, in the end Weena faints and is lost in a fire, when the time traveler fights with Morlocks to get his time machine back. The Time Traveler returns to his own time with two strange flowers, which Weena put into his pocket.

In 1960, George Pal directed a film with the same name, which is largely based on the story of the novel; however some significant changes were made. The screenplay of the film was written by David Duncan. The name "George" was given to the time traveler in the film. Traveling through different times, George reaches AD 802701 where he finds a girl drowning in the shallow, and the Elois are indifferent. He rescues her and comes to know her name – Weena. Unlike the novel, George does not leave Weena dead. He rescues the Elois and Weena and eventually returns to the future to be reunited with her. Weena was played by Yvette Mimieux.

Sunn Classic Pictures produced the television film The Time Machine in 1978. Some major changes were made in the story. The time traveler’s name is Dr. Neil Perry in this movie, and he is a scientist of the 1970s. The story takes place in the US instead of the UK. He travels to the far future and befriends Weena, who tells him that the Morlocks take the Elois for an unknown purpose. Perry visits the Morlocks to rescue Weena’s brother. He also teaches the Elois how to defend themselves. Thereafter, he returns to his time after completing his mission. In the end, he again goes to the future to reunite with Weena. Actress Priscilla Barnes played the role of Weena in this movie.

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