The Blazing World edition by Margaret Cavendish Literature Fiction eBooks
Download As PDF : The Blazing World edition by Margaret Cavendish Literature Fiction eBooks 
The Description of a New World, Called The Blazing-World, better known as The Blazing World, is a 1666 work of prose fiction by the English writer Margaret Cavendish, the Duchess of Newcastle. Feminist critic Dale Spender calls it a forerunner of science fiction.[1] It can also be read in the context of utopias.[2]
The Blazing World edition by Margaret Cavendish Literature Fiction eBooks
I enjoyed this book, but I do have to say that I was taken aback by the writing style (the book came out in the 1600's). I'm not going to sugar coat it: this book has more run on sentences than not, with many of them going on for 7-8 lines covering around 1/5 to 1/4 of a page.That aside, the subject matter is interesting. A woman is taken from her home only to end up on another world/planet with all manner of animal/men hybrids. She learns the language and when brought to the Emperor, is made Empress and tries to learn as much as she can about how her new world operates.
Would I read it again? Well... Probably not. Even as a trained Anthropologist, I had trouble with how dry the writing gets at several points. It is worth a read, however, as it may be the first ever science-fiction novel ever written.
Product details
|
Tags : The Blazing World - Kindle edition by Margaret Cavendish. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Blazing World.,ebook,Margaret Cavendish,The Blazing World,Fiction General,Fiction Action & Adventure
People also read other books :
- Indian Basketry and How to Make Indian and Other Baskets George Wharton James 9781146631044 Books
- Hans Brinker; or The silver skates a story of life in Holland Mary Mapes Dodge Books
- Beaten Zone A McLean Swanson 9781481101318 Books
- Australian Farming Families (Audible Audio Edition) Deb Hunt Jessica DouglasHenry Wavesound Audio Books
- Dead As Can Be edition by James Chapman Literature Fiction eBooks
The Blazing World edition by Margaret Cavendish Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews
I came across The Blazing World in The Utopia Megapack, a collection of utopian fiction from Wildside Press. Originally titled The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World, this work was written in 1666 by Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle. The story begins in the “real world” in which we live. A man falls in love with a young woman, but the feeling is not mutual. She refuses to be his bride, so he kidnaps her and spirits her away in a small boat. They drift into the arctic, where all the men freeze to death, leaving the woman the sole remaining passenger of the vessel. When she reaches the North Pole, she floats into a secret world that exists adjacent to our own, connected at the pole like the two halves of a figure eight.
This foreign world, referred to as the Blazing World, is populated by several species of intelligent half-animal, half-human creatures. They usher the lost woman to the Emperor of their world, who quickly makes her the Empress. Each different were-creature specializes in a different area of study the Bear-men are philosophers, the Bird-men astronomers, the Ape-men chemists, the Spider-men mathematicians, and so on. The Empress engages in a series of philosophical and scientific dialogues with these various manimals. In response to her questions, they explain to her how their world works. Given the antiquity of the piece, it’s difficult to understand whether the scientific theories discussed are meant to apply to our world as well or only to the fantasy realm that Cavendish has created. About halfway through, the book turns into a piece of metafiction when the Empress makes a friend in our world—the Duchess of Cavendish herself. From that point on, the Duchess refers to herself in the third person and takes an active role in the story, even escorting the Empress on a visit to our own world.
Not every novel describing a visit to a strange, unknown land qualifies as a utopian work. A utopian novel must show us a model world that is somehow superior to our own, not just different. A utopia should illustrate the author’s conception of how a society should be properly run and governed. It should instruct us to reconsider our philosophical, moral, and economic ideals. That’s not what’s happening here. The Blazing World is just a fantasy land. When the Empress interviews its inhabitants, the topics discussed include the dichotomy of matter and spirit, the physical nature of light, and the absurdity of the Jewish Kaballah, none of which in any way educates the reader regarding a positive reformation of society.
About the best I can say for this work is that it’s good for the 17th century. Drama and poetry were the strengths of that era; fiction not so much. Though this is a prototypical work of science fiction, I wouldn’t exactly call it seminal. Half-human, half-animal hybrids are its main contribution to the genre, and such characters have been around for thousands of years. The most groundbreaking thing about this work is that it was written by a pioneering woman in a century that offered little opportunity to female authors. Cavendish also wrote nonfiction books on science and philosophy. I would venture a guess that some of those treatises are more worthy of reading than this fantasy piece. This book will mostly interest scholars of the 17th century for what it says about Cavendish and the ideas of her times. Beyond that, it might hold some appeal for retro-fantasy enthusiasts, such as those of the Neil Gaiman set. Fans of utopian literature, however, will find it a disappointment.
I personally did not like this book, mainly because the author was a little bit of her rocker. The product itself came on time and in great condition.
While I haven't read the novel yet, I am quite unimpressed with this edition of it. The front cover picture is pixelated, there is no critical commentary, and there are not even any page numbers. I also find the font size a little too small and the spacing unappealing. I am thinking of returning it and just printing the book from the internet somehow.
Ever printed out a pdf of a book from the Internet, print a cover on glossy photo paper and bind it all together and call it a book? No? Well, look no further because that's exactly what this seller did. If pixelated covers and MS Word style format is your thing, then this is the book for you! If you want an actual book, you might be better off going to the library. 😓
Possibly the first science fiction ever written. So visionary for 1600s.
One of the first science fiction novels ever written, it breaks ground using allegory to address societal ills. Considering the target audience (women) adds another layer of interest for the informed reader.
I liked this book, it is true, the content is dated; however, I believe that Mr. Young did a tremendous job of editing the work. I made it much more approachable and enjoyable. I'll be keeping on eye out for more books edited by Kevin.
I enjoyed this book, but I do have to say that I was taken aback by the writing style (the book came out in the 1600's). I'm not going to sugar coat it this book has more run on sentences than not, with many of them going on for 7-8 lines covering around 1/5 to 1/4 of a page.
That aside, the subject matter is interesting. A woman is taken from her home only to end up on another world/planet with all manner of animal/men hybrids. She learns the language and when brought to the Emperor, is made Empress and tries to learn as much as she can about how her new world operates.
Would I read it again? Well... Probably not. Even as a trained Anthropologist, I had trouble with how dry the writing gets at several points. It is worth a read, however, as it may be the first ever science-fiction novel ever written.
0 Response to "⋙ Descargar The Blazing World edition by Margaret Cavendish Literature Fiction eBooks"
Post a Comment