Utopias, Dystopias Utopias, Dystopias and Science Fictionand Science Fiction

Sir Thomas Sir Thomas MoreMore

Utopia EutopiaUtopia Eutopia

► ““No Place”No Place”►Model of the good Model of the good

societysociety

► Unrealistic Unrealistic daydreamdaydream

► ““The Good Place”The Good Place”► Ambiguity of termsAmbiguity of terms

►Dream placeDream place

UtopiasUtopias

►Typically a visitor arrivesTypically a visitor arrives►Geographical isolationGeographical isolation►Temporal isolationTemporal isolation►Wish to appear realistic and realizableWish to appear realistic and realizable►Problem today: the world has shrunkProblem today: the world has shrunk

Utopian or Dystopian SatireUtopian or Dystopian Satire

►RidiculeRidicule►No solutionNo solution

►Sir Thomas More, Sir Thomas More, 1478-15351478-1535

SatireSatire

►Gulliver’s TravelsGulliver’s Travels ►ErewhonErewhon

► Jonathan Swift, Jonathan Swift, 1667-17451667-1745

Aspects of UtopiasAspects of Utopias

►SocialismSocialism►Democracy – dictatorship?Democracy – dictatorship?►ReligionReligion►War – powerWar – power►TechnologyTechnology►Work – leisureWork – leisure

WorksWorks

►Thomas More – Utopia, 1516Thomas More – Utopia, 1516►Francis Bacon – New Atlantis, 1605Francis Bacon – New Atlantis, 1605► Jonathan Swift – Gulliver’s Travels, 1726Jonathan Swift – Gulliver’s Travels, 1726►Mary Shelley – Frankenstein, 1818Mary Shelley – Frankenstein, 1818►Samuel Butler – Erewhon, 1872Samuel Butler – Erewhon, 1872►William Morris – News from Nowhere, William Morris – News from Nowhere,

18901890►H.G.Wells – The Time Machine, 1895H.G.Wells – The Time Machine, 1895► The War of the Worlds, 1898The War of the Worlds, 1898

UtopiaUtopia, Thomas More, Thomas More

What are the main criticisms of the existing What are the main criticisms of the existing British society? British society?

a)a)CourtiersCourtiers

b)b)The justice system and punishment in The justice system and punishment in EnglandEngland

c)c) The noblemen and their exploitationThe noblemen and their exploitation

d)d)The Enclosure movementThe Enclosure movement

e)e)The King and his ambitionsThe King and his ambitions

f)f) Avarice and GreedAvarice and Greed

Questions Questions UtopiaUtopia, Thomas , Thomas MoreMore

►1) Give a brief outline of the basic 1) Give a brief outline of the basic characteristics of Utopiacharacteristics of Utopia

►2) What is the role of men, women, 2) What is the role of men, women, and children?and children?

►3) Which of these characteristics 3) Which of these characteristics appeal to you and which do not? Why / appeal to you and which do not? Why / why not?why not?