Utopian and dystopian fiction
Utopian and dystopian fiction
More than 400 utopian works in the English language were published prior to the year 1900, with more than a thousand others appearing during the 20th century. This increase is partially associated with the rise in popularity of science fiction and young adult fiction more generally, but also larger scale social change that brought awareness of larger societal or global issues, such as technology, climate change, and growing human population. Some of these trends have created distinct subgenres such as climate fiction, young adult dystopian novels, and feminist dystopian novels.
Utopian fiction in general
Utopian Literature sets itself aside as a literature form of utopian thought and desire. Its characteristics can be described as the thought of a better or ideal society compared to current society, these ideas being formed into a literary medium, the overall concept of utopian ideas encourages the reader to act towards bettering their current society or moves them to understand and recognize current issues critically, and that utopian thought emerges from the desire for a better life and society.
Utopian fiction in general
The word utopia was first used in direct context by Thomas More in his 1516 work Utopia). The word utopia resembles both the Greek words outopos ("no place"), and eutopos ("good place").
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