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3.01 AVERAGE
3.01 AVERAGE
Obra popularmente conocida por ser la primera novela de ciencia ficción escrita por una mujer. Un libro muy completo, con muchos matices y temas distintos que obligan a una aproximación más académica que literaria. Como obra novelesca el estilo es bastante tosco, pero el trabajo imaginativo detrás del mundo, las perspectivas sobre cómo se desarrolla uno desde cero y las implicaciones que tienen las palabras de la autora sobre el proceso autorial para mí han merecido la pena.
Destaca la parte del libro dedicada a debatir con las distintas academias científicas del Mundo Resplandeciente. Ver personajes discutiendo naturaleza, leyes y procesos fantásticos a nivel académico es algo muy poco común en mi experiencia, y creo que es una práctica que podría enriquecer la scifi y fantasía con el tono correcto. Es también interesante la invasión de Not-UK, por dedicar tantas páginas a tácticas de guerra que acaban por leerse como crueles en lo que pretende ser un argumento a favor del absolutismo. Y sin ser yo familiar con el punto de vista de Maggie al respecto del amor entre mujeres y el poliamor, pues ella es muy cristiana y muy noble, el libro también tiene momentos bastante románticos que justifica como "amores platónicos" pero que con la perspectiva actual toman una lectura mucho más interesante.
Por último, destacar la cuidada edición que ha hecho Siruela en nuestro idioma, cuya introducción he encontrado bastante completa, bien escrita y de utilidad para percibir los temas principales de la obra.
No lo recomiendo para pasar una tarde, pero es una pieza académica muy interesante.
Destaca la parte del libro dedicada a debatir con las distintas academias científicas del Mundo Resplandeciente. Ver personajes discutiendo naturaleza, leyes y procesos fantásticos a nivel académico es algo muy poco común en mi experiencia, y creo que es una práctica que podría enriquecer la scifi y fantasía con el tono correcto. Es también interesante la invasión de Not-UK, por dedicar tantas páginas a tácticas de guerra que acaban por leerse como crueles en lo que pretende ser un argumento a favor del absolutismo. Y sin ser yo familiar con el punto de vista de Maggie al respecto del amor entre mujeres y el poliamor, pues ella es muy cristiana y muy noble, el libro también tiene momentos bastante románticos que justifica como "amores platónicos" pero que con la perspectiva actual toman una lectura mucho más interesante.
Por último, destacar la cuidada edición que ha hecho Siruela en nuestro idioma, cuya introducción he encontrado bastante completa, bien escrita y de utilidad para percibir los temas principales de la obra.
No lo recomiendo para pasar una tarde, pero es una pieza académica muy interesante.
"I have often wished that I could have been a prince, to have a kingdom, and to rule over a people; and though I am not a prince, I can yet rule over my own thoughts, and that is a kingdom no man can take from me."
"For to be a woman, is to be like a ship that sails through the tempest, and doth at last find a harbor of peace."
Reading The Blazing World and Other Writings by Margaret Cavendish felt like stepping into a visionary landscape where the boundaries of reality and imagination dissolve. As a writer, Cavendish’s work is a bold exploration of science, philosophy, and feminism, and this collection showcases her distinctive voice in a powerful way.
The central piece, The Blazing World, is a pioneering work of science fiction, and Cavendish’s vision of a utopian world is as engaging as it is ahead of its time. Through a blend of philosophy and adventure, the story follows a heroine who travels to a parallel world, discovering a society governed by rational thought, where women have full autonomy and power. Cavendish’s reflection on gender, power, and autonomy is revolutionary, especially considering the historical context in which she was writing.
What makes Cavendish’s work stand out is not just her imaginative plots, but her fearless critique of the social norms of her time. She questions gender roles, the limitations placed on women, and the structures of power in a society that is meant to be liberated. Her writing is unapologetically speculative and intellectual, yet deeply human in its portrayal of characters, making it both thought-provoking and surprisingly relatable.
The prose, while reflecting the style of her era, is marked by a clarity and intelligence that feels timeless. Cavendish’s ability to weave philosophy, critique, and fantasy together makes her an enduring figure in early feminist and science fiction literature.
I rated this collection highly not only for the depth of its content but also for the way Cavendish, often overlooked in literary history, manages to speak across centuries with remarkable relevance. Her works invite us to examine our own society critically, to question the established order, and to imagine worlds where the rules of reality are bent to suit the needs of the imagination.
If you enjoy works that challenge traditional thought, merge intellectual rigour with imaginative narratives, and explore the complexities of gender and power, this is a must-read. It’s a brilliant reminder of why Cavendish’s voice continues to be an essential part of literary history.
"For to be a woman, is to be like a ship that sails through the tempest, and doth at last find a harbor of peace."
Reading The Blazing World and Other Writings by Margaret Cavendish felt like stepping into a visionary landscape where the boundaries of reality and imagination dissolve. As a writer, Cavendish’s work is a bold exploration of science, philosophy, and feminism, and this collection showcases her distinctive voice in a powerful way.
The central piece, The Blazing World, is a pioneering work of science fiction, and Cavendish’s vision of a utopian world is as engaging as it is ahead of its time. Through a blend of philosophy and adventure, the story follows a heroine who travels to a parallel world, discovering a society governed by rational thought, where women have full autonomy and power. Cavendish’s reflection on gender, power, and autonomy is revolutionary, especially considering the historical context in which she was writing.
What makes Cavendish’s work stand out is not just her imaginative plots, but her fearless critique of the social norms of her time. She questions gender roles, the limitations placed on women, and the structures of power in a society that is meant to be liberated. Her writing is unapologetically speculative and intellectual, yet deeply human in its portrayal of characters, making it both thought-provoking and surprisingly relatable.
The prose, while reflecting the style of her era, is marked by a clarity and intelligence that feels timeless. Cavendish’s ability to weave philosophy, critique, and fantasy together makes her an enduring figure in early feminist and science fiction literature.
I rated this collection highly not only for the depth of its content but also for the way Cavendish, often overlooked in literary history, manages to speak across centuries with remarkable relevance. Her works invite us to examine our own society critically, to question the established order, and to imagine worlds where the rules of reality are bent to suit the needs of the imagination.
If you enjoy works that challenge traditional thought, merge intellectual rigour with imaginative narratives, and explore the complexities of gender and power, this is a must-read. It’s a brilliant reminder of why Cavendish’s voice continues to be an essential part of literary history.
this was so funny she was just writing self insert fan fic
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oh, boy, where to start... hvordan anmelder man en række historier skrevet i mellem 1650 og 1666? Det bliver alt for meget en anmeldelse af tidspunktet og forfatteren. At se på det hele med moderne briller gør det for nemt at koge det hele ned til en række sexistiske, reaktionære, udemokratiske, filosofiske og videnskabelige sludre historier. For der er virkeligt meget vrøvl i de her historier, set med moderne øjne - side op og side ned af noget der vist skal være filosofi, men som er så farvet af afsenderen samtid, at det bare virker som et tyndt lag af retfærdiggørelse af religiøs og monarkistisk undertrykkelse af alt og alle.
Jeg mener - det her argument (som jeg luddovent har tager fra wiki siden om hende): "it was natural for one body to have one head, so it was also natural for a politic body to have but one governor … besides, said they, a monarchy is a divine form of government, and agrees most with our religion". Ja, okay, right... så siger vi det (går langsomt væk og holder øjenkontakt).
Men, men.. når det er sagt, så kan det her virkeligt noget. De tre historier er alle meget forskellige, men bærende i dem er kvinder som kan og vil, og en leg med køn og hvordan det kan bruges, som stadigvæk må siges at være modig. Cavendish lader gerne den kvindelige hovedperson, klæde sig som mand i længere stunder, hvis det er det hun skal for at opnå sit mål eller lader kvinder leve i (platoniske) kærlighedsforhold, som kropsløse sjæle for at vise den mulighed. Indenfor rammerne af hvad man kunne skrive på den tid.
Jeg er spændt på hvad jeg får ud af at have læst den, når jeg går i gang med Siri Hustvedts bog med samme navn... (p.s.: meget lidt)
Jeg mener - det her argument (som jeg luddovent har tager fra wiki siden om hende): "it was natural for one body to have one head, so it was also natural for a politic body to have but one governor … besides, said they, a monarchy is a divine form of government, and agrees most with our religion". Ja, okay, right... så siger vi det (går langsomt væk og holder øjenkontakt).
Men, men.. når det er sagt, så kan det her virkeligt noget. De tre historier er alle meget forskellige, men bærende i dem er kvinder som kan og vil, og en leg med køn og hvordan det kan bruges, som stadigvæk må siges at være modig. Cavendish lader gerne den kvindelige hovedperson, klæde sig som mand i længere stunder, hvis det er det hun skal for at opnå sit mål eller lader kvinder leve i (platoniske) kærlighedsforhold, som kropsløse sjæle for at vise den mulighed. Indenfor rammerne af hvad man kunne skrive på den tid.
Jeg er spændt på hvad jeg får ud af at have læst den, når jeg går i gang med Siri Hustvedts bog med samme navn... (p.s.: meget lidt)
feels a little unfinished. also this lady needs to learn to use full stops.
Interesting conceptually, it is really a bit of a slog given the antiquated prose - but fascinating in that she thought up a parallel world reachable via the North Pole, a unified peaceful place despite the diverse sentient life forms. The first part is the best as she journeys into the Blazing World from our own but then the pace slows and the prose thickens markedly as the new Empress enquiries of her now subjects their understanding of all manner of physical, scientific and religious subjects...one or two of which are rather close in theory to modern science.
She also envisions submarines travelling under the polar ice cap, a full century before the first actual submarine - the American 'Turtle' of the Revolutionary War - and some 300 years before USS Nautilus did exactly that...
She also envisions submarines travelling under the polar ice cap, a full century before the first actual submarine - the American 'Turtle' of the Revolutionary War - and some 300 years before USS Nautilus did exactly that...
feels a little unfinished. also this lady needs to learn to use full stops.