History of Science Fiction
Who doesn't know about science fiction? Usually futuristic, science fiction speculates about alternative ways of life made possible by technological change. Like fantasy, and often associated with it, science fiction envisions alternative worlds with believably consistent rules and structures, set apart somehow from the ordinary or familiar world of our time and place. Distinct from fantasy, however, science fiction reflects on technology to consider how it might transform the conditions of our existence and change what it means to be human. Science fiction could be an expression of only modern technological, scientific, industrial society, appearing when preindustrial societies are transformed by an industrial revolution. Science fiction can be traced back to the early 1800s, when Mary Shelley wrote the novel, Frankenstein. This novel is often credited as being the first work of science fiction. Other early works of science fiction include Jules Verne’s novel, 20,000 Le...
