Shelley to VanderMeer: Ecofeminsim, Queer Ecology, and Posthumanism in the Mad Scientist Narrative from Frankenstein to The Southern Reach Trilogy
Loading...
Date
2022-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Mary Shelley changed the literary archetype of the Mad Scientist in the 19th century through the character of Victor Frankenstein. In her novel Frankenstein, Victor feared death which led him to disrespect Nature as he tried to assert dominion over Nature and control its relationship with humans. In the 21st century, the archetype has carried on, changing and adapting to new villains and focusing on how humans have negatively impacted Nature, as seen in Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy.
This thesis examines the development of the Mad Scientist through key texts: Frankenstein (1831), "Rappaccini's Daughter" (1846), The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Edward Scissorhands (1990), and The Southern Reach Trilogy (2014). These texts showcase key moments in the development of the Mad Scientist, and I approach them with different theoretical frameworks: I use ecofeminist theory to investigate the growing relationship between women and Nature and their categorization as objects rather than subjects in Mad Scientist narratives, I delve into theories of queer ecology to uncover the queerness of Nature and the Mad Scientist, and I explore posthumanist theory to analyze "the Weird" of present-day science as the Mad Scientist grapples with Anthropocene monsters and discontent over humanity's role in ecological destruction.
Description
Keywords
Mad Scientist, Nature, Ecofeminism, Queer Ecology, Posthumanism, Frankenstein, Southern Reach Trilogy