Speculative modernists--that is, British and American writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror during the late 19th and early 20th centuries--successfully grappled with the same forces that would drive their better-known literary counterparts to existential despair. Building on the ideas of the 19th-century Gothic and utopian movements, these speculative writers anticipated literary Modernism and blazed alternative literary trails in science, religion, ecology and sociology. Such authors as H.G. Wells and H.P. Lovecraft gained widespread recognition--budding from them, other speculative…mehr
Speculative modernists--that is, British and American writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror during the late 19th and early 20th centuries--successfully grappled with the same forces that would drive their better-known literary counterparts to existential despair. Building on the ideas of the 19th-century Gothic and utopian movements, these speculative writers anticipated literary Modernism and blazed alternative literary trails in science, religion, ecology and sociology. Such authors as H.G. Wells and H.P. Lovecraft gained widespread recognition--budding from them, other speculative authors published fascinating tales of individuals trapped in dystopias, of anti-society attitudes, post-apocalyptic worlds and the rapidly expanding knowledge of the limitless universe. This book documents the Gothic and utopian roots of speculative fiction and explores how these authors played a crucial role in shaping the culture of the new century with their darker, more evolved themes.
William Gillard teaches creative writing and literature at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and is the author of six books. He lives in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Inhaltsangabe
Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Introduction 1. Utocalypse All Will Be Well: The Utopian Roots of Speculative Modernism The Screw Turns: Bleak Reality Murders Optimism Anti-Utopians: The Individual Versus Society Conclusion 2. Shadows at the Turn Gothic Origins of Speculative Modernism Gothic Extensions: Doppelgängers to Vampires Ghosts and the Unexplained Conclusion 3. This Island Earth: Nature vs. Speculative Modernists Science Will Bend Nature to Serve Humanity: The Utopian Perspective There Are Things We Can Never Know: The Purple Cloud and the Limits of Science Beyond This Place and Time: The Natural World Will Outlast Us Weaponizing Nature: Understanding the Non-Human World in Order to Destroy It Conclusion 4. Worlds Beyond What Do We Really Have to Offer? They Want What We Want "We're Down; We're Beat": Humanity's Defeat Conclusion 5. Machinocracy A Species in Distress: Machines Will Save Humanity Sand in the Gears: Machines Can't Save Us Building the Perfect Gun: Machines Will Kill Us All Conclusion 6. Divine Secrets The Benevolent Universe: Spiritual Rewards for the Speculative Modernist Cruel Reality: Monsters Lurking Beyond the Veil The Neutral Universe: Our Truth Lies Within Ourselves Conclusion 7. We Are Fortunately Flawed Sherlock Holmes: Ego and Ultra-Rationalism Tarzan: Natural Law and the Laws of Man Buck Rogers: Future Perfect King Kull: Governing by Axe Conan the Cimmerian: Blood on Steel Jirel of Joiry: Darkness and Light Conclusion Epilogue The Editorial Tastemakers The Book Publishers Who Made the Old New Again Conan as Chronicle Chapter Notes Works Cited Index
Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Introduction 1. Utocalypse All Will Be Well: The Utopian Roots of Speculative Modernism The Screw Turns: Bleak Reality Murders Optimism Anti-Utopians: The Individual Versus Society Conclusion 2. Shadows at the Turn Gothic Origins of Speculative Modernism Gothic Extensions: Doppelgängers to Vampires Ghosts and the Unexplained Conclusion 3. This Island Earth: Nature vs. Speculative Modernists Science Will Bend Nature to Serve Humanity: The Utopian Perspective There Are Things We Can Never Know: The Purple Cloud and the Limits of Science Beyond This Place and Time: The Natural World Will Outlast Us Weaponizing Nature: Understanding the Non-Human World in Order to Destroy It Conclusion 4. Worlds Beyond What Do We Really Have to Offer? They Want What We Want "We're Down; We're Beat": Humanity's Defeat Conclusion 5. Machinocracy A Species in Distress: Machines Will Save Humanity Sand in the Gears: Machines Can't Save Us Building the Perfect Gun: Machines Will Kill Us All Conclusion 6. Divine Secrets The Benevolent Universe: Spiritual Rewards for the Speculative Modernist Cruel Reality: Monsters Lurking Beyond the Veil The Neutral Universe: Our Truth Lies Within Ourselves Conclusion 7. We Are Fortunately Flawed Sherlock Holmes: Ego and Ultra-Rationalism Tarzan: Natural Law and the Laws of Man Buck Rogers: Future Perfect King Kull: Governing by Axe Conan the Cimmerian: Blood on Steel Jirel of Joiry: Darkness and Light Conclusion Epilogue The Editorial Tastemakers The Book Publishers Who Made the Old New Again Conan as Chronicle Chapter Notes Works Cited Index
Es gelten unsere Allgemeinen Geschäftsbedingungen: www.buecher.de/agb
Impressum
www.buecher.de ist ein Internetauftritt der buecher.de internetstores GmbH
Geschäftsführung: Monica Sawhney | Roland Kölbl | Günter Hilger
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Batheyer Straße 115 - 117, 58099 Hagen
Postanschrift: Bürgermeister-Wegele-Str. 12, 86167 Augsburg
Amtsgericht Hagen HRB 13257
Steuernummer: 321/5800/1497
USt-IdNr: DE450055826