Visions of the Future: The 1860s- Foreshadowing

The world was expanding. Technology was expanding. War was expanding. The seeds of the conflicts that would mark the next century were being sown even as early as the 1860s.

History:

After a decade marked almost entirely by conflict, it is relieving to look into history and see the end of a war. In 1860, the Second Opium war between China and Great Britain came to a conclusion. However, the 1860s were hardly a decade of widespread peace. The United States waged a bloody civil war from 1861 to 1865. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, stagnating the nation’s already slow advance towards peace and restoration. In 1864, the Austro-Prussian war began. This was only a small part of the ill-will and resentment that was festering in Europe, which would eventually escalate into the widespread terror of World War I.

Science:

(Mendeleev and his periodic table)

The 1860s saw many advances in the organization and implementation of the sciences. For example, in this decade, Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev organized one of the earliest versions of today’s periodic table of the elements, (yes, it actually was invented in Russia!). Also, Gregor Mendel developed his laws of genetic inheritance. International science exhibitions came into popularity during the 1860s, with one taking place in London in 1862, and another in Paris in 1867.

Many previously invented technologies came into everyday usage. For example, the transatlantic telegraph was installed in 1866, and the United States’ Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869.

As for new inventions, Alfred Nobel invented dynamite in 1867, (it will forever amuse me that the guy who invented dynamite has a peace prize named after him), and an early submarine was developed in 1869.

Stories:

I consider there to have been three main periods in the first 100 years of science fiction. The first period was marked by several writers who were mainly Romanticist in their philosophy. Think of the early stories by Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, and others. This period came to an end around the 1850s-60s. The next period was dominated by one author in particular, a modernist Frenchman named Jules Verne. Maybe you’ve heard of him. The Vernian age of science fiction (is that too dramatic? Because I like it), lasted approximately from the 1860s to the 1880s, when he began to be upstaged by one H.G. Wells.

In 1863, Verne published a follow-up novel to his short story “A Voyage in a Balloon”. Five Weeks in a Balloon had a similar theme and plot to the 1851 lighter-than-air adventure, but with an expanded scope. In 1865, Jules Verne published one of his most popular and fascinating stories, From the Earth to the Moon. It told the story of a group of gun-enthusiasts in Baltimore who invented a space-gun, with which they propelled themselves towards the moon. This story predates the actual moon-landing by over a hundred years, and bears an eerie resemblance to the actual event. For example, Verne launched his characters into space from a base in Florida. The Apollo 11 mission started at the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Verne’s calculations for the cannon were very nearly accurate, but the muzzle would have needed to be much longer to achieve actual space flight.

Though Jules Verne was most definitely the most influential sci-fi author of the time, he was not the only one. In 1868, Edward F. Ellis published the first science fiction dime novel, The Steam Man of the Prairies, a quintessential story in the budding Edisonade genre. This genre was inspired by prolific American inventor, Thomas Edison, and usually starred boy-geniuses and their wacky inventions.

In 1869, Edward Everett Hale published The Brick Moon, the first work of fiction to feature an artificial satellite populated by humans.

Worldview:

It is fascinating to note how much the early 20th century was impacted by the events, ideas, and innovations of the 1860s. For example, the seeds for one of the most destructive ideologies in the past century, Communism, were sown in 1867, when Karl Marx first published his thoughts on society in Das Kapital.

The world would never be the same after the 1860s. The stage was set, and the drama that would consume the next century was already in motion.

Thanks for reading! I’ll be back tomorrow with a very special post. It will be my one year anniversary of writing this blog, as well as my 50th post. It will deviate from our trek through sci-fi history, (though trekking will most definitely be involved), but I think it will still be pretty fun. I hope you can join me. As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Keep on glowing in the dark,

Elora  

Top 5 Tuesday- Movies Based on 19th Century Sci-fi

When you think of Frankenstein's monster, do you see a mental picture of a green, hulking creature with a long forehead, and a bolt through its head? How about H.G. Wells’ Time Machine? Do you imagine the machine looking like a wooden, Victorian sled with an intricately designed disc on the back? If you do, you’ve probably been influenced by the movie adaptations of some of sci-fi’s early classics. The best of these films were just as iconic as the books they portrayed, and helped add to the cultural recognition of the stories.

Here are five of the very best film adaptations of 19th century sci-fi. This list is in chronological order of the production dates of the films.

1.Frankenstein (1931)-

This classic of cinema brought the vision of the green-skinned, long-faced monster into the public imagination- mostly due to the efforts of makeup director James P. Pierce. It was directed by James Whale, and starred Colin Clive as Frankenstein, and Boris Karloff as the monster. Though it may not have followed the plot laid out in Shelley’s novel, it captured the thematic heart of the story.

2. The Invisible Man (1933)-

This innovative film was also directed by James Whale. Based on H.G. Well’s 1897 thriller, it starred Claude Rains as the scientist whose creation drove him to insanity.... and invisibility.

3. War of the Worlds (1953)-

Not only was this quintessential alien invasion novel a success when H.G. Wells published it in 1898, and a sensation when Orson Welles sent it out on the airwaves, but it also made an impact on the world of cinema. Directed by Byron Haskin (surprisingly not named Wells), and starring Gene Barry, and Ann Robinson, it amazed movie viewers with its startling special effects, and sympathetic look at the human protagonists.

4. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)-

Directed by Richard Fleischer, and starring Kirk Douglas, James Mason, and Paul Lukas, this classic Disney film brought Jules Verne’s undersea adventure to life in vibrant technicolor.

5. The Time Machine (1960)-

Directed by George Pal, and starring Rod Taylor (and a beautiful and iconic time machine model), this film updated the classic tale to play to the hopes and fears of the space age audience, all the while retaining H.G. Wells’s (yes, him again), inventive concepts of the future.

What classic sci-fi films have shaped the way you view the books they came from? What else should I have put on this list? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Also, the next post on this blog will be my fiftieth, and I will post it on the year anniversary of Potassium With a Capital K. It’s going to deviate a bit from our sci-fi history series, but it should still be fun. I’m very excited. Thanks for reading!

Keep on glowing in the dark,

Elora

Visions of the Future: The 1850s- Out of Ashes

The 1850s were a time of war, rumblings of war, and discontent. Birthed out of this strife and catastrophe were new schools of thought, new ideas about life that would leave a mark not only on science fiction, but also on all of society. The aftereffects of the events and ideas of the 1850s are still very prevalent on our stories, culture, and lives today.

History:

Wars and internal conflicts plagued the world, and these wars were only a foreshadowing of the things that were to come in the following century. From 1854-56, Russia struggled against the Ottoman Empire, France, Britain, and the Italians for denominational rights in the Holy Land in the conflict known as the Crimean War. Beginning also in 1854, and lasting through the rest of the decade, were the “Bleeding Kansas” skirmishes that preceded the American Civil War. In 1856, Great Britain launched into the second Opium War against China over their dysfunctional diplomatic and trade relations.

Science:

In spite of the bloodshed of this decade, many scientific discoveries were made. For example, during the 1850s, a scientist named John Snow was able to track an outbreak of Cholera to its source, and the discipline of epidemiology was born. In Germany, the first fossils considered to have belonged to “cave men” were discovered in the Neanderthal Caves. Also, amateur astronomer Richard Christopher Carrington researched the existence and effects of solar flares. Inventor Elisha Otis developed his safety elevator during this time period, which would lead to the rise (yes, a pun), of skyscrapers in the decades that followed.

Stories:

During the 1850s, a French author who would come to make a tremendous impact on science fiction was growing in popularity. In 1851, Jules Verne published a short story called “A Voyage in a Balloon”. The story expressed the wonders and terrors of lighter-than-air travel, and foreshadowed later novels he would write, such as Five Weeks in a Balloon, Around the World in Eighty Days, and even Robur the Conqueror. The story was the first of Verne’s writings to be translated into English, and was only a glimpse at the madcap, whimsical adventures he would introduce into the science fiction genre in years to come.

In 1858, science fantasy writer Fitz James O’Brien published the book, The Diamond Lens, about a girl who lived in a molecule-sized world in a drop of water. Though containing some fantasy elements, it introduced the idea of the microcosm, which would later become associated more closely with science fiction.

Worldview:

1859 saw the publication of a book that sent shockwaves through society which we still feel today. An Englishman named Charles Darwin published a book on his ideas about the development of the natural world entitled “On the Origin of Species”. The book introduced ideas such as natural selection, and biological evolution, which have totally transformed not only natural science, but also philosophy, psychology, theology, and a host of other disciplines in the century-and-a-half since its publication.

Out of the ashes and ruins of war and destruction rose some of the most influential authors, ideas, and advances that we have seen in the past two centuries.

Keep on glowing in the dark,
Elora

Top-5 Tuesday- Memorable Sci-fi Characters of the 1800s

If you hadn’t guessed already, I have a special fondness in my heart for good fictional characters. Though sci-fi historically has been a genre more of speculation than of character arcs, the best science fiction stories have been able to develop their ideas as well as their protagonists, antagonists, and side characters. I just discussed one of the most iconic characters in all of science fiction on Saturday, but today we are going to take a look at the characters who connected readers to the earliest science fiction stories.

Let’s get to it!

5. Hank Morgan (A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain)-

An early adventurer through time, Hank Morgan, the titular Connecticut Yankee, bumbles his way through the past, trying to conform the Medieval world to his own standards of civilization. As bad as that sounds, how many of us wouldn’t do the same under similar circumstances?

4. The Time Machine/The Time Traveller (The Time Machine by H.G. Wells)-

Can a time machine be a character? Just take the issue up with your local Doctor Who fan, and I think you’ll be convinced. The Victorian sensibilities and personality of the title character of this book has sparked many an imagination, and inspired many an imitator, especially after it was brought to the silver screen in the 1960s adaptation of Wells’ classic. However, the adventurous protagonist, The Time Traveller, provides the heart of the story and the machine, and evokes a sense of wanderlust for other times in readers.

3.  Captain Nemo (Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne)-

This Indian prince turned mad inventor is the early science fiction equivalent of Captain Ahab from Moby Dick. However, this crazed captain’s vengeful intentions are turned toward the British Empire rather than a white whale. With a thirst for revenge, and remorse over the deaths of his crew, Captain Nemo set a precedent for many a great antihero.

2. Frankenstein and His Monster (Frankenstein by Mary Shelley)-

A classic example of confused name, the sympathetic creation in Mary Shelley’s classic is often tagged with the name of his creator, and when mad scientist Victor is mentioned, images of his monster. Both the tormented young scientist, and his forsaken creature, however, are well-developed characters who earn the investment readers put into their story.

1. Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson)-

Jekyll/Hyde is a classic and fascinating dichotomization of human nature. Good vs. evil, power vs. weakness, cruelty vs. compassion- these are all things we are forced to wrestle with. Robert Louis Stevenson presents this struggle in a literal way through a character/characters we simultaneously root for and despise.

What do you think? Who else belongs on this list? What are your favorite early sci-fi characters. I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Thanks for reading!

Keep on glowing in the dark,

Elora

Character Analysis, Mr. Spock

It was the opening day of my show when I found out about Leonard Nimoy’s passing. I shared some brief words on social media, that day, then expounded on them on my radio show, SpaceTime, that Tuesday. This post is going to be very similar to what I said on SpaceTime. However, it is my first time organizing my thoughts on paper. So, I hope you enjoy this exploration of the character arc of Spock.

How does a character created for a rejected 1960s television pilot become a respected figure in a 2013 blockbuster? How does a an alien from an early sci-fi show that got cancelled after three seasons become a household name- a part of our modern mythology? I’m sure every creative wants to know.

As impossible as it may seem, we find this transformation in the character of Spock. I’m going to briefly explore Spock’s character arc from “The Cage” to Star Trek Into Darkness, and see what has made Leonard Nimoy’s Spock one of the most loved sci-fi characters of the past fifty years.

When we first meet Spock in the unaired Star Trek pilot “The Cage”, he hasn’t quite grown into the stoic-yet-conflicted, logical first officer we know and love. Beginning in 1966, when he is brought back onto the show with Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy , he represents the intellectual side of the holistic human portrayed by these three men. I discussed the relationship and conflict between them in this past post.

Though Spock represents one aspect of a complete human, as part of the main trio, he also represents a complete human in and of himself. Though Spock is only half-human, he shows the very human struggle between logic and emotion very clearly. Do I listen to my heart or my mind?

While Captain Kirk has to struggle over who on the outside to listen to- Spock (logic), or McCoy (emotion)- Spock has to choose who on the inside to listen to- his human (emotional) half, or his vulcan (logical) half.

This is a struggle that we as humans can all relate to, and it is the struggle we see all throughout The Original Series.

The Animated Series, as goofy as it is, sees the same basic relationship between the three main characters, and the same internal struggle in Spock. However, we also get a peek into Spock’s early experiences that let to his development in TOS in the episode, “Yesteryear”. (Also, there is a seventy-foot Spock clone out there somewhere, that the reboot series should totally revisit. Just saying).

In The Motion Picture, Spock has made his decision. He is going to purge himself of all emotion through the kolinahr ritual. But he fails. This failure plunges him back into the turmoil he experienced in the original series, and he casts his lot with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew once again. It really seems like he’s happier that way, though.

By The Wrath of Khan, Spock has learned to accept the dichotomy of his existence. He is logical and emotional- Vulcan and Human. He can not dismiss or repress either side of himself. Then, of course, he dies. When his soul is reunited with his body in The Search for Spock, he has to start from scratch.

In the beginning of The Voyage Home, we see a Spock who does not find any relevance in retraining the human part of himself. However, by the end of the movie, he sees the importance of rescuing Chekov from the hospital, even if it is not the most logical move.

The Final Frontier...happened. Alright, ok. Bear with me. Even though Star Trek V isn’t very good, there is an important character moment for Spock- it doesn't even involve gravity boots. His weird half-brother Sybok shows him his greatest pain, a scene which demonstrates the dichotomy between his humanity and his vulcanness. Spock, however, has already come to terms with his deepest pain. He was able to once again reconcile the logic and emotion deep down inside of him.

In Star Trek VI, Spock faces the consequences of his own failure. The young Vulcan officer Valeris, whom he trained to be his successor, turns out to be a warmonger and a spy. Despite this mistake, is Spock still relevant and useful?

It would appear so. In the 2009 Star Trek reboot, Leonard Nimoy’s Spock serves as a mentor and and a counselor to the alternate versions of both Kirk and Spock. His advice to new Spock- to follow his heart and not just his head, not just his head- mirrors the journey Prime Spock took throughout his life.

In Star Trek Into Darkness, Nimoy’s Spock goes against reason, and better judgement, and tells the new Spock how to avoid some of the Khan-related mistakes of his past. The punching and yelling that ensued cannot be blamed on Prime Spock at all.

Logic, emotions, uncertainty, mistakes- these are all things everyone has to sift through and deal with. The thoughtful and nuanced way that Leonard Nimoy portrayed these conflicts in Spock ensure that his character will continue to live long and prosper even after the beloved actor’s death.

Keep on glowing in the dark ,

Elora

kolinahr