Speciation and Social Allegory
A Comparative Analysis of the Posthuman Condition in The Time Machine and Twentieth-Century Indian Science Fiction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70042/eroth/1001227Keywords:
Human, Evolution, India, Posthuman, Utopia, Dystopia, Speculative, ClassAbstract
H.G. Wells' The Time Machine (1895) pioneered science fiction by exploring time travel, dystopian societies, and social critique through the lens of posthuman evolution. This foundational work critiques Victorian class structures via the Eloi and Morlocks, projecting a future where humanity diverges starkly. In contrast, Indian science fiction, exemplified by anthologies like Gollancz Book of South Asian Science Fiction (2021) and Homo Minuscula (2023), envisions alternative futures with a focus on reimagining futures, speculation of co-evolution of living beings, and addressing contemporary societal issues by depicting dystopian futures. This comparative study analyzes how both literary traditions speculate on posthuman societies, addressing themes such as time travel, speciesism, and the role of technology in shaping future societies. It illuminates cultural differences in imagining future worlds and provides insights into global socio-political contexts influencing speculative fiction. By bridging these narratives, the research fills gaps in academic discourse, offering a nuanced understanding of how different societies envision posthumanism and respond to contemporary challenges through speculative fiction.
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References
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