Colonialism in Science Fiction - An analysis of Auf zwei Planeten by Kurd Lasswitz
Translated title
Kolonialismus in der Science Fiction - Eine Analyse von Kurd Lasswitz' Auf zwei Planeten
Author
Jørgensen, Thomas Bo
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-05-31
Abstract
This thesis examines the representation of colonialism and othering in Kurd Lasswitz’s novel Auf zwei Planeten (1897) and asks why, despite its early success, the work has been sidelined in literary history as “trivial” fiction. It challenges Adam Roberts’s classification of the novel as Golden Age science fiction and proposes the hypothesis that Lasswitz is better seen as a precursor to the New Wave, critically engaging with imperialist tendencies and questioning human superiority over extraterrestrials. The method combines a work-immanent close reading (narrative voice, shifts in perspective, and characterization of figures such as Saltner, Grunthe, La, Se, and Ell) with a broader contextual discussion that draws on science fiction history and theory (notably Adam Roberts and Dina Brandt) and on concepts of colonialism and othering (including Said and Edgar & Sedgwick), supported by essays by Rob Latham and De Witt Douglas Kilgore. The aim is to demonstrate the novel’s literary and intellectual significance and to position it more precisely between Golden Age and New Wave. The excerpt presented outlines the motivation, theoretical framing, and methodology as well as the working hypothesis; detailed findings are not yet provided. The analysis uses a 1969 edited edition based on the 1897 first printing.
Afhandlingen undersøger, hvordan kolonialisme og othering fremstilles i Kurd Lasswitz’ roman Auf zwei Planeten (1897), og hvorfor værket, trods sin samtidige succes, er blevet marginaliseret i litteraturhistorien som triviallitteratur. Udgangspunktet er en problemformulering, der stiller Adam Roberts’ klassifikation af romanen som Golden Age science fiction til diskussion og fremsætter hypotesen, at Lasswitz snarere fungerer som en forløber for New Wave med en kritisk holdning til imperialistiske tendenser og menneskets påståede overlegenhed over for udenjordiske. Metodisk kombineres en værkimmanent nærlæsning (fortæller, perspektivskift og personkarakteristik af bl.a. Saltner, Grunthe, La, Se og Ell) med en udvidet, kontekstuel analyse, der inddrager science fiction-historik og -teori (særligt Adam Roberts og Dina Brandt) samt begreber om kolonialisme og othering (bl.a. Said samt Edgar og Sedgwick) suppleret af artikler af Rob Latham og De Witt Douglas Kilgore. Formålet er at demonstrere romanens litterære og idéhistoriske betydning og at placere den mere præcist i forholdet mellem Golden Age og New Wave. Analysens resultater er endnu ikke udfoldet i det foreliggende uddrag; teksten præsenterer motivation, teori- og metodevalg samt arbejdshypotesen. Der arbejdes med en nybearbejdet 1969-udgave baseret på førstetrykket fra 1897.
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Keywords