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The word “derives from Utopia (1515–16), a book written in Latin by the Renaissance humanist Sir Thomas More, which describes a perfect commonwealth” (Abrams & Harpham, 2015).
However, there was in fact a book about utopian society long before More’s Utopia - Republic (4th c. bc). The ancient Greek philosopher Plato described a state that is ruled by philosophers, with political justice and where goods (and women) are owned communally. (Cuddon, 2013) (Abrams & Harpham).
Portrait of Sir Thomas More - Holbein H. (1527)
“A map of the world that does not include Utopia is not worth even glancing at, for it leaves out the one country at which Humanity is always landing. And when Humanity lands there, it looks out, and, seeing a better country, sets sail. Progress is the realisation of Utopias.” - Oscar Wilde
Definition:
Utopian literature depicts an ideal society, a paradise on earth. It narrates a world where social, political and moral aspects reached perfection and all conflicts were resolved.
It is used to point towards current situation and issues, a satire of contemporary world.
Acording to Sargent (2010), there are at least 6 purposes of utopia in literature:
- A fantasy
- Description of ideal society
- Estimation of something to come
- A warning
- Alternative reality
- Something to work forward to
Examples:
Utopia by Thomas More (1515-16)
New Atlantis by Francis Bacon (1627)
Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy (1888)
Island by Aldous Huxley (1962)
Another Now by Yanis Varoufakis (2020)
Disney's movie Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Disney's movie Tomorrowland (2015)
TWC's movie The Giver (2014)
Sources:
Abrams, M. H., & Harpham, G. G. (2015). A Glossary of Literary Terms. Cengage Learning. ISBN-10: 1-285-46506-7
Cuddon, J. A. (2013). A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-4443-3327-5
Holbein, Hans (1527). Portrait of Sir Thomas More [Painting]. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/WQEnBYMfBeoSdg
Jessinac. (2022, December 31). Why is UTOPIAN FICTION so RARE? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkcI1RABwpQ
Sargent, L. T. (2010). Utopianism: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-957340-0
Wilde, O. (1981). The Soul of Man Under Socialism. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1017/pg1017-images.html
Author of the page: Karaskova Klara
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