This book uncovers the historical preconditions for the
explosive revival of utopian literature at the nineteenth-century
fin de siecle, and excavates its ideological content. It marks a
contribution not only to the literary and cultural history of the
late-Victorian period, and to the expanding field of utopian
studies, but to the development of a Marxist critique of
utopianism. The book is particularly concerned with three kinds of
political utopia or anti-utopia, those of 'state socialism',
feminism, and anti-communism (the characteristic expression of this
last example being the cacotopia). After an extensive contextual
account of the politics of utopia in late-nineteenth century
England, it devotes a chapter to each of these topics before
developing an original reinterpretation of William Morris's seminal
Marxist utopia, News from Nowhere.
About the AuthorMatthew Beaumont, D. Phil. (2000) in English
Literature at the University of Oxford, is Lecturer in
Nineteenth-Century Literature at University College London'
ReviewsUtopia Ltd. is remarkable for its detailed historical grasp
of the late-nineteenth century. Beaumont operates at a high
conceptual level, demonstrating a sophisitcated understanding of
Marxist cultural theory, which is most effectively put to use as an
explanatory framework. There is much impressvely original work
here, both in terms of ideas and in the bringing to light of
hitherto little-discussed texts. There is also a good balance
between original research on the one hand, and, on the other, a
fresh approach to more canonical works such as Morris's News from
Nowhere. The book is full of illuminating insights, lucidly and
coherently argued.' Terry Eagleton, Professor of Cultural Theory
and John Rylands Fellow, University of Manchester.
'This is a very convincing, often original, and lucidly written
reading of late-nineteenth century utopian literature that makes a
fine contribution to the ever-growing field of fin-de-siecle
studies.' Sally Ledger, Professor of Nineteenth-Century Literature,
Birkbeck College, University of London.
'Utopia Ltd. presents us with a new constellation of the field
under inquiry, or -- as one of Beaumont's masters of thought,
Benjamin, would say -- with a dialectical image which on the one
hand makes some common features of late-nineteenth century utopian
literature stand out, and on the other does not neglect the single
stars. I recommend it warmly.' Darko Suvin, Emeritus Professor of
English and Comparitive Literature, McGill University.
'What I find particularly valuable about this book is the way in
which it provides a new framework for understanding well-known
texts such as Bellamy's Looking Backward, and especially Morris's
News from Nowhere, by situating them in relation to the large
output of utopian and "cacatopian" literature produced in the late
nineteenth century. This phenomenon is an ideological episode
worthy of attention in its own right, as a symptom of the
widely-perceived crisis of bourgeois culture around the fin de
siecle, and Beaumont does a convincing job of explaining it,
thereby making it interesting to the reader. But I suspect that
many on the left will be drawn to this study by the way it helps us
towards a fuller understanding of Morris's News from Nowhere and
issues around Marxist utopianism.' Andrew Hemingway, Professor of
Art History, University College, London
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