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![]() What is a Utopia? Development of Utopian Fiction Examples of Utopian Literature - B.C. to 16th Century - 17th to 18th Century - 19th Century - Early 20th Century - Mid 20th Century - Late 20th Century - Alphabetical List E-mail: lukem@lukemastin.com Web-site designed by: Luke Mastin |
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But what distinguishes utopian literature from a political or philosophical treatise is the attempt to weave the discussion of an idealized social set-up into the form of a novel, containing individual characters with whom we can empathise or disapprove, and at least a rudimentary plot progression. Some utopian authors were influenced by the ideas of the 18th Century philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau about an ideal Arcadian society, or Golden Age, which was thought to have existed in ancient times before the development of civilization corrupted it. Henry David Thoreau (and particularly his Walden reflections) were another big inspiration. Some had more overtly political leanings and were influenced by the 19th Century revolutionary writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
Gradually, the distinction between utopian and science fiction literature became increasingly blurred and many, if not most, sci-fi novels contain at least some elements of utopian or dystopian ideas. However, many modern utopias and dystopias are maybe better described as “speculative fiction” rather than science fiction, in that they do not necessarily involve the invention or anticipation of futuristic technologies, merely extrapolations or exaggerations of currently available technologies.
Some utopias are more specific in their focus. For example, there are feminist utopias (such as Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland), ecological utopias (like Ernest Callenbach’s Ecotopia), technological utopias (including Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward and Kurt Vonnegut’s Piano Player), religious utopias (like St. Augustine’s City of God) and communist utopias (such as Efremov’s Andomeda Nebula). ![]() What is a Utopia? | Development of Utopian Fiction | Examples of Utopian Literature | B.C. to 16th Century | 17th to 18th Century | 19th Century | Early 20th Century | Mid 20th Century | Late 20th Century | Alphabetical List |
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