The utopian tradition, at least nominally, began with Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), who coined the generic term. In Greek, utopia means “nowhere” (ou “not” + topos “place”), but suggests an especially virtuous somewhere as well (eu “good” + topos “place”). What roles have these perfect, non-existent worlds played in literary, political, and ethical traditions? How have we made our way to them? How have they changed us? Readings will include selections from More, Sir Francis Bacon, Tao Yuanming, Henry David Thoreau, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Samuel Butler, William Morris, Ernest Callenbach, and Marge Piercy.
Meets: Saturday, January 26, 2013 – Saturday, March 2, 2013
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Richard Hugo House
General: $230.00
Members of Hugo House: $207.00
[mappress]
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Required Readings
Week 1
Tao Yuanming, The Peach Blossom Spring
Sir Thomas More, Utopia
Week 2
Sir Francis Bacon, The New Atlantis
Henry David Thoreau, Walden (first two chapters only – “Economy” and “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”)
Week 3
Samuel Butler, Erewhon (chapters 7, 8, and 23-25)
William Morris, News from Nowhere (chapters 1-15)
Week 4
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland (chapters 1-5)
Week 5
Marge Piercy, Woman on the Edge of Time (chapters 1-12)
Week 6
Ernest Callenbach, Ecotopia
To come…
(discussion questions will be posted here a few days before each meeting)