The Lost Worlds Romance: From Dawn Till Dusk (Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy) [Hardcover]

Allienne R. Becker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 1992 | ISBN-10: 0313261237 | ISBN-13: 978-0313261237

During the first part of the nineteenth century, the Lost Worlds Romance, a new literary form, appeared in which an explorer, most often a scientist, made a voyage to what was then considered to be a remote part of the earth where he discovered a fantastic lost world. This book surveys the Lost Worlds Romance from its beginnings as it evolved from travel literature and utopian fiction to its eclipse when there were no more unexplored corners of the earth and it took to the stars, evolving into modern Science Fiction. Interestingly, these romances reflect the developing natural and social sciences of the times in which they were written. The themes of evolution, teleportation, human longevity, euthanasia, other dimensions, reincarnation, uses of radium, utopian and dystopian societies, among many others, play a prominent part in the discussion of these works. Darwin, Marx, and Freud are shown to have especially influenced the authors of these romances. The book also demonstrates that at a time when the sexual mores of mainline fiction were fairly repressed, writers of the Lost Worlds Romance were permitted much liberty with the erotic imagination. The treatment given to women in these romances is explored.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Covers a broad spectrum and most of the major writers who worked in the genre. Most are no longer in print. Hopefully this book will help to spur interest in some of the most overlooked classics in the field.”–Science Fiction Chronicle

About the Author

ALLIENNE R. BECKER is Associate Professor in the Department of Foreign Language at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (June 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313261237
• ISBN-13: 978-0313261237
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,793,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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