I know in the Venn diagram of “ science fiction lovers ” and “ classic Greek and Roman literature , ” there ’s not exactly a net ton of convergence . But for those like myself who are sports fan of both , or for those who love taking a more scholarly examination of scifi , have I pay back a Christian Bible for you .
It ’s Classical Traditions in Science Fiction , a accumulation of decisive essays examining how the definitive works of Homer , Virgil , Lucretius and even just world-wide ancient mythology has work science fiction , from the novel of Jules Verne up to The Hunger Games . As its title point , this is not exactly a breezy summertime read , but alternatively composed of scholarly works that go late into how the thoughts of the past connect with our imagery of the future , keep company by an army of footnotes .
But if going that in - depth into science fiction is your jam , CTiSF is a fascinating collection edit by Brett M. Rogers ( Asst . Professor of Classics at the University of Puget Sound ) and Benjamin Eldon Stevens ( Visiting Asst . Professor at Bryn Mawr ) . There are 14 essay in sum , but rent me remark three of my favorite :
• “ Disability as a Rhetorical Trope in Classical Myth and Blade Runner ” by Rebecca Raphael
compare the zombi of Hephaestus and the Replicants of Blade Runner may seem obvious , but Raphael indicate for a cryptical exam , where , in both preceding and present , the Other is invariably run across as Lesser , which is used to justify their persecution either by culture , gender , race , or something else entirely . As the men of myth destroyed monsters and conquered their enemy , justified by that qualification of disability , so too does Deckard hunt Replicants for the criminal offense of being not - quite - human .
• “ deadly and Moral in Star Trek : The Original Series ” by George Kovacs
If you recall this book would not discuss the three classic Trek episode where Kirk and the bunch set up noncitizen inspired by Hellenic mythology ( namely , a world of aliens taught by Plato , a world where the Roman empire never fell , and a world containing the genuine Greek god Apollo ) , well , consider again . But Kovacs not only discourse the obvious influences but also how Star Trek ’s “ Prime Directive ” forms out of the struggle between deadly and immortal , and a sensory faculty of continually striving for perfection versus the stagnation of that perfection .
• “ Hybrids and Homecomings in the Odyssey and Alien : Resurrection of Christ ” by Brett M. Rogers
I cognise . Bringing in the most maligned entrance in the Alien franchise and comparing it to Homer ’s Odyssey sounds like insanity . And Stevens , one of the record ’s co - editor program , is quick to signal out that screenwriter Joss Whedon plausibly did n’t just have one of the cornerstone of westerly literature in psyche when he spell the movie . But by examining the alien hybrid / clone of Ripley as a more fundamental essence of humans — torn between monstrous and enlightened natures — Stevens also examines Odysseus , whose barbarity when return to Ithaca seems to negate his epic journey . fundamentally , this essay brings a new look at The Odyssey which I found absolutely compelling — and again , it does it with Alien : Resurrection ! It ’s worth the Leontyne Price of admission by itself , common people .
Again , please let me warn you that this is a scholarly work — these essays are much more like something you ’d reading in literary publication than a fan site . But if you ’re excited by take a deeper look into science fable through the lens of the myth and chronicle of ancientness — that is to say if you ’re a Classics nerd along with being a traditional nerd — then Classical Traditions in Science Fiction is an absolute good time .
reach out to the author at[email protect ] .
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