The History of Science Fiction

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The History of Science Fiction
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The Beginnings

• The first recorded work of literature is The Epic
  of Gilgamesh.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from
  Mesopotamia about a mythological king.
• It contains a major flood scene.

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Gilgamesh

• This flood scene can be seen as resembling a work
  of apocalyptic science fiction.
• The idea of apocalypse is a common theme in
  science fiction.
• We will be covering the theme of apocalypse in a
  later unit.

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There have been several works of literature that
contain fantastic elements

• Icarus
• Beowulf
• The Divine Comedy by Dante
• The Tempest by Shakespeare
• Works by Arabic mathematicians
• One Thousand and One Nights
• Thomas Mores Utopia (the idea of utopia will be
  explored in a future unit)

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Inspirations

• These piece of fantastic literature proved to be
  inspiration to future sci fi writers.
• The influence of these earlier works can be seen
  in contemporary science fiction.

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First Novel

• Mary Shelleys Frankenstein is widely considered
  to be the first true science fiction novel.
• Published in 1818
• About a scientist who creates a monster out of
  dead body parts.
• Deals with theme of man messing with things best
  left to god.

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The First Great Writers

• Jules Vern
• Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1869)
• Jules Verne is considered the worlds first
  full-time science fiction novelist (L. Sprague
  de Camp)
• H.G. Wells
• The Time Machine (1895)
• The War of the Worlds (1898)

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Pulp Magazines1920s and 1930s

• Definition of pulp
• A mixture of cellulose material, such as wood,
  paper, and rags, ground up and moistened to make
  paper.
• A publication, such as a magazine or book,
  containing lurid subject matter.

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Popular Magazines

• Amazing Stories (started in 1926)
• Exclusively science fiction stories
• Writers who wrote for Amazing Stories also wrote
  for western, crime, mystery, and military story
  publications
• Weird Tales (mostly fantasy)

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Modernist Writing

• Modern writing refers to writing that happened
  after (or sometimes during) WWI.
• Modernist writing explored new ways of
  storytelling.
• Writers wrote about alien cultures, expanding
  time, distortion, individuality, alienation, and
  questioning reality.

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The War of the Worlds

• http//history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/a/warofworl
  ds.htm

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John W. Campbell

• In the late 30s, John W Campbell became the new
  editor of Astounding Science Fiction
• Was bff with a group of writers who called
  themselves the Futurians Isaac Asimov, Damon
  Knight, Frederik Pohl, and others.
• Mr. Campbell helped promote sci fi which quickly
  found great popularity in the U.S.
• Helped foster in the Golden Age of Science Fiction

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The Golden Age

• The 1940s and the 1950s are considered the
  golden age of science fiction.
• Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert A.
  Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard
• Campbell was a demanding editor who demanded
  higher standards in science fiction writing.

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Golden Age and Film

• During the early 50s science fiction films
  became wildly popular
• Invasion of the Body Snatcher
• Them!
• The Thing
• The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

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New Wave60s and 70s

• Aliens were seen as playful not just mean
• Frank Herbets Dune focused on the mystical and
  religious beliefs of a future galaxy.
• Science Fiction began to melt with social
  commentary, religion, and spirituality.
• Lots of experimentation.
• Stanley Kubricks movies like 2001 A Space
  Odyssey, Doctor Strangelove, and A Clockwork
  Orange, explored the visual appeal of sci fi.

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Cyberpunk1980s and 1990s

• Personal computers
• Rebellion
• Hacking
• Focused on punks and their imagined future
  underworld
• Science Fiction lost its optimism
• Matrix
• Orson Scott Card

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Space Opera

• Space opera is a subgenre of speculative fiction
  or science fiction that emphasizes romantic,
  often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or
  entirely in space, generally involving conflict
  between opponents possessing powerful (and
  sometimes quite fanciful) technologies and
  abilities. Perhaps the most significant trait of
  space opera is that settings, characters,
  battles, powers, and themes tend to be very
  large-scale.
• -wikipedia

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• Star Wars is a Space Opera

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Contemporary Sci Fi

• Issues terrorism, plasma, bio-terrorism, medical
  outbreaks, plagues, disease, environmental,
  terrorist, global warming/cooling, pollution,
  natural resources, cell phones, hybrids, MP3
  players, stem cell research, robots, genetic
  engineering

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Main Point

• Science Fiction follows trends in science and
  technology, as well as historic and global
  issues.

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Power of Science Fiction
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Where

• U.S
• South America Magic Realism
• Industrialized Nations
• Europe