The Hollow Earth

Before mankind set their sights on outer space, they were curious about the Earth's interior. In fact, nineteenth century saw the rise (in prominence) of Subterranean fiction. This was influenced by the belief that there was a void underneath the Earth's crust, which was waiting to discover.

Back then, not a few don't have an idea that Earth was primarily composed of iron, with smaller amounts of magnesium, silicon, and sulfur. There were traces of oxygen, which meant it was possible to live underneath the planet's surface. But the other elements, sulfur in particular, could be fatal. No one also knew that the planet had a core, which was made up of magma. There would be plate boundaries (between the core and the crust), which would indicate the degree of heat.

Many believers were dreamers with lofty ambitions, with nothing else to do. There were some who used the subterranean world as an allegorical setting. (Think of Dante's Inferno.) Then there was Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

A secret Vril society

Edward Bulwer-Lytton would be remember for his quote, "the pen is mightier than the sword". He came from a privileged background, even held the position of Secretary of State for the Colonies for a year. He was married to Rosina Doyle Wheeler, another prominent literary figure. When Bulwer-Lytton passed away on January 18, 1873, it was declared that it was due to his failing health. Nothing would suggest about "Vril, the Power of the Coming Race", which was published two years before.

It was about a wealthy adventurer who accidentally find his way into the subterranean world. He discovered an utopian society ruled by angel-like beings called Vril-ya. They were descendants of an antedeluvian civilization. They possessed the Vril, a substance that would give them enormous powers. The unnamed adventurer, who was also the novel's narrator, became scared. What if all the resources were depleted? There was no other way but to go up the surface. He also had a suspicion that this wasn't the only community in existence. They could annihilate the human civilization, if necessary.

There was a rumor that Adolf Hitler identified himself with the Vril-ya, such that there were secret Nazi expeditions that probed the existence of a hollow Earth. Maybe Bulwer-Lytton perceived the succession of events that would change Europe. Perhaps he heard this kind of story from a traveler he met. Either way, it exposed man's fear of a more-superior civilization. In fact, many science-fiction authors would confirm it. Not even "Journey to the Center of the Earth", released seven years before "Vril", would dispel it.

Jules Verne's novel brought readers to a place where time stood still, which was only accessible through an extinct volcano. It was another tall tale, but this premise would convince some readers. Perhaps a scientist (or a team of scientists) would come up with a device that allow descent into the crater of an extinct volcano - and go back in one piece.