Posthumanism and Transhumanism in Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon

The present paper focuses on Olaf Stapledon’s Last and First Men, which was defined in Northrop Frye’s terms as anatomy with allegorical status for which Stapledon is using an encyclopedic form. Applying the conceptual blending theory to Last and First Men results in it also being defined as an amalgamation of utopia and science fiction. As many scholars state, one of the most important contributions of SF to utopia is that the former enriched classical utopia with science and technology. In Stapledon’s Last and First Men, utopias are achieved by means of assisted evolution (eugenics) and advanced technology, hence, the concepts of posthumanism and transhumanism play a very important role in the narrative. The present paper aims at exploring posthumanism and transhumanism in Last and First Men and the way they contribute to the concept of utopia in the narrative

Posthuman · Posthumanism · Transhumanism · Utopia · Contemporary Literature and Criticism · Cultural Studies · Themes in Literature Analysis · Utopian, Dystopian, and Speculative Fiction