English novelist and critic Samuel Butler was deeply shaped by his upbringing in a clerical family. Following his graduation from Cambridge Butler began preparation for his ordination into the Anglican clergy. It was then that he began to question his faith, a doubt that would draw the ire of his father, who expected him to follow in his footsteps, and drove him to immigrate to New Zealand. It was there that Butler would begin working on what would ultimately become his literary masterpiece, drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the country. That masterpiece was “Erewhon”, a satire of the utopian novel. An anagram of the word “nowhere”, Erewhon upon first impression appears to be a utopian society. However as the country is further detailed it becomes apparent that this is clearly not the case. In his description of this fictional country Butler criticizes various aspects of Victorian society and more broadly speaking draws into question the self-aggrandizement of the British Empire. A fascinating work that explores the ideas of artificial intelligence as well evolution and the impact of the industrial revolution, “Erewhon” remains an important contribution to 19th century English literature. This edition includes a biographical afterword.
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