Environmental Themes in Utopian and Dystopian Literature

Literary/ Cultural Context Essay

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Ecological Utopias

A utopia may be defined as an ideal place in which a society and its policies, promote the wellbeing of all inhabitants. In contrast, a dystopian society is full of fear and danger, one where human wellbeing is significantly imperilled. An ecological utopia, meanwhile, tends to promote an appreciation of nature and its beauty, and may be modelled on the biblical Garden of Eden. However, ecological dystopias serve to warn of the risks posed by the devastation of nature. This essay chronicles the development of ecological themes, both utopian and dystopian, from the sixteenth century to the present day.

A utopia may be defined as an ideal place in which a society and its policies, promote the wellbeing of all inhabitants. In contrast, a dystopian society is full of fear and…

2716 words

Citation: Agis, Fazila Derya. "Environmental Themes in Utopian and Dystopian Literature". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 November 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=19525, accessed 26 November 2024.]

19525 Environmental Themes in Utopian and Dystopian Literature 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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