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Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature

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24
The Future of Utopia and Dystopia
2017-02-03
Reflect on how dystopia shows us the darker side of contemporary reality right here in our connected global world, focusing on issues we struggle with every day. Conclude with the recurring theme around utopian yearnings and the sinister road that leads to dystopia, proving that the perfect place is no place.

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23
Apocalyptic Literature in the 21st Century
2017-02-03
Review the four major apocalyptic sources: technological, biomedical, environmental, or supernatural, and explore bodies of work that utilize each one. You'll see how even the worst dystopian situations often sneak hopes of utopian thinking into the stories because humanity survives on a core of optimism that whispers that no matter how bad things get, we can imagine something better.

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22
Cyberpunk Dystopia: Doctorow and Anderson
2017-02-03
The cyberpunk genre often features advanced information technology. Through satire or in earnest, we get at the same anxieties about contemporary American society: the internet has amazing potential to create a better, more egalitarian world, but we may be going about it all wrong, creating a new generation of young people who rely on technology without truly understanding it.

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21
Suzanne Collins and Dystopian Games
2017-02-03
Does it seem like a lot of the most popular books for young adults lately have been dystopias? In this lecture, explore why teens are so drawn to dystopia, what current anxieties are being tracked in this large body of YA literature, and what the impact of this literature on young adult readers has been.

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20
Margaret Atwood and Environmental Dystopia
2017-02-03
Margaret Atwood is an icon in utopian and dystopian fiction. Explore the ways she has helped to shape utopian thought and sexual politics with one of her classic novels, The Handmaid's Tale, as well as her more recent MaddAddam trilogy.

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19
Octavia Butler and Utopian Hybridity
1970-01-01
Examine the many ways Butler challenges boundaries - not only of genres, but also of human identity. See how she tackles the questions that are important in defining utopian futures: what does it mean to be human?

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18
Octavia Butler and the Utopian Alien
2017-02-03
None of Octavia Butler's writings fit perfectly into the categories of utopia or dystopia, but she is vital to this study because her utopian writing represents a turning point that moves us from the feminist utopian renaissance of the 1970s to the more complex negotiation between utopian and dystopian impulses that helped shape the genres as they are today.

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17
Samuel Delany and Heterotopia
2017-02-03
Focusing on Trouble on Triton, explore the ways Delany introduces readers to ambiguous heterotopia through a society where your identity (such as sex, race, religion, and sexual preference) can easily be changed. Investigate whether this abundance of individual freedom results in utopia or dystopia.

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16
Ursula K. Le Guin and the Ambiguous Utopia
2017-02-03
Delve into the science fiction-based worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin, who approaches various situations with an open mind, drawing upon disciplines like physics, anthropology, and fine arts.

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15
The Feminist Utopian Movement of the 1970s
2017-02-03
The feminist utopian movement began in the 1970s and, despite the name, doesn't feature very many traditional "utopias." There is a guarded optimism represented in these novels that dealt with real-world issues of discrimination by creating societies portrayed as classless, crimeless, government-free, but laden with satire.

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14
Anthony Burgess, Free Will, and Dystopia
2017-02-03
Delve deeper into the central question of free will and how utopian studies respond emotionally and intellectually by examining A Clockwork Orange. Discover the literature that influenced it and was impacted by it, while exploring the nuanced differences between reading and watching this pivotal work.

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13
Philip K. Dick's Dystopian Crime Prevention
2017-02-03
Look at the portrayal of community, choice, and rules to determine when the sacrifices being made cross the threshold between a completely perfect society and a complete lack of freedom. As the genre starts to tackle "big" questions of philosophy around individual free will, the line blurs and we are left with dystopias that are dressed up to look like utopias.

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12
John Wyndham and Young Adult Dystopia
2017-02-03
Published during the wave of anti-communist hysteria of the 1950s, John Wyndham's The Chrysalids is one of the earliest examples of Young Adult dystopian fiction and a potent examination of the "fear of the Other" in dystopian storytelling. See how it set the stage for the extremely rich strain of dystopian literature aimed at younger readers that dominates bestseller lists in the 21st century.

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11
George Orwell and Totalitarian Dystopia
2017-02-03
Perhaps the most famous of the three defining dystopias of the early 20th century, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four has created a vocabulary of ideas we continue to use in political discourse today. Trace the ways Orwell uses language to shape his dystopic vision and the way it both reflects and distorts reality.

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10
Aldous Huxley and Dystopian Pleasure
2017-02-03
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, published in 1932, is the second of the "Big Three" dystopian novels of the interwar years. Investigate the ways Huxley projects the anxieties of his day onto the future, creating a world in which people are controlled not by pain or fear, but by pleasure, and consider how utopian and dystopia are often only matters of perspective.

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9
Yevgeny Zamyatin and Dystopian Uniformity
2017-02-03
Shift your attention from utopian blueprints to the cautionary tales of dystopia and explore the origins of the genre and the complex ways it functions in literature. Examine the period between World War I and World War II that produced the "Big Three Dystopias" and dive into the earliest of them, We by Yevgeny Zamyatin.

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8
Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Gendered Utopia
2017-02-03
Many utopian stories were concerned with the quest to determine where women belong in an ideal society. Charlotte Perkins Gilman went a step further by creating a utopian society populated solely by women: Herland.

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7
H.G. Wells and Utopian Science Fiction
2017-02-03
Unlike the utopian tradition, science fiction doesn't have a single text that defines its origin. It does, however, have several figures credited with its creation.

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6
Edward Bellamy and Utopian Activism
2017-02-03
Can utopian literature have real-world impact? This question is integral to understanding the significance of Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy.

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5
Samuel Butler and Utopian Technologies
2017-02-03
Shift your attention from rural American utopias to explore from a different perspective: Victorian anxieties about technology and the vanishing frontier. Analyze these fears in Samuel Butler's Erewhon, which utilizes utopian conventions and heavy doses of satire to critique religion, health, education, and humanity's increasingly complex relationship to machines.

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4
American Dreamers: Hawthorne and Alcott
2017-02-03
The 19th century was the "century of utopia" and also marked the transition from utopian to dystopian stories in popular literature. Look at Americans who attempted to build real-world utopias, and in turn examine the work of two authors who reacted to the American attempt at perfect societies.

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3
Swift, Voltaire, and Utopian Satire
2017-02-03
Continue your exploration of the early history of utopia by examining notable works produced during the two centuries following More's initial work. Compare and contrast the ideas of "classical utopia" and "critical utopia" and understand how laughter was an integral part of 18th-century utopian storytelling, focusing on Voltaire's Candide and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.

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2
Thomas More and Utopian Origins
2017-02-03
Take a step back and learn about the origins of the utopian genre, beginning with Thomas More's Utopia of 1516. More's foundational work gave us the word "utopia," but did it create the genre?

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1
Utopia: The Perfect Nowhere
2017-02-03
Enter the world of utopian and dystopian fiction. After a brief foray into the definition and origin of utopia, dive into Ursula K.

Watch Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature Season 1 Episode 1 Now

Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature from The Great Courses Signature Collection is an engaging and thought-provoking exploration of some of the most influential and iconic works in the realms of utopian and dystopian fiction. The course delves into the themes, narratives, and ideologies present in these classic texts, providing a comprehensive overview of the genre and its evolution over time. Led by esteemed professor Pamela Bedore, this course offers a deep dive into seminal works such as Thomas More's Utopia, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, George Orwell's 1984, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, and many more. Through a series of lectures, Professor Bedore examines the historical context, social commentary, and philosophical underpinnings of each work, shedding light on the ways in which these novels have shaped our understanding of utopian and dystopian societies. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for literature, Professor Bedore guides viewers through an exploration of utopian dreams and dystopian nightmares, highlighting the ways in which these works have challenged conventional wisdom, critiqued political systems, and provided insights into the human condition. From the idealistic visions of utopian societies to the chilling warnings of dystopian futures, this course offers a nuanced and comprehensive analysis of some of the most powerful and enduring works of speculative fiction. In addition to discussing the major themes and ideas present in these works, Professor Bedore also delves into the literary techniques, narrative structures, and character development that make these novels so compelling and enduring. By examining the intricate storytelling and complex world-building of these works, viewers will gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into creating a successful utopian or dystopian narrative. Throughout the course, Professor Bedore encourages viewers to think critically about the social, political, and ethical implications of these utopian and dystopian visions, prompting them to consider how these works reflect and critique the world in which we live. By engaging with these texts on a deeper level, viewers will be challenged to question their assumptions, reexamine their beliefs, and consider the ways in which literature can shape our perceptions of reality. Whether you are a seasoned reader of utopian and dystopian fiction or a newcomer to the genre, Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature offers a rich and rewarding exploration of some of the most influential and thought-provoking works in the literary canon. With its insightful analysis, engaging storytelling, and passionate delivery, this course is sure to inspire curiosity, spark debate, and provoke contemplation on the power of literature to imagine new worlds and challenge the status quo.

Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature is a series categorized as a . Spanning 1 seasons with a total of 24 episodes, the show debuted on 2017. The series has earned a no reviews from both critics and viewers. The IMDb score stands at undefined.

Genres
Channel
The Great Courses Signature Collection
Cast
Pamela Bedore
Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature is available on .