A Dream of John Ball is a historical novel by William Morris, first serialized in 1886–1887. The story follows a Victorian narrator who mysteriously awakens in fourteenth-century Kent during the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. There, he encounters John Ball, a radical priest fighting alongside Wat Tyler against feudal oppression. Through Ball's passionate sermons questioning social inequality, the novel explores themes of class struggle, justice, and human solidarity. Though the rebellion ultimately fails and Ball faces execution, the narrator finds hope in the enduring spirit of resistance. Morris blends historical romance with socialist ideals, imagining a timeless struggle toward a fairer, more egalitarian world.
