Parkison Disseration.pdf (1.36 MB)
Download fileThe Society of Mad Scientists: Scientists and Social Networking in the Victorian Novel
This dissertation explores the figure of the mad scientist in Victorian literature through some of the most enduring literary examples, viewing these works not as anti-science cautionary tales but rather thought experiments for dealing with hazardous scientists and hazardous science. It makes a claim for a spectrum of hazardous scientists from the beneficial to the truly mad and argues that the primary difference between them is a matter of socialization. It argues that these novels advocate for the scientist and society to negotiate and co-construct a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship.
History
Degree Type
- Doctor of Philosophy
Department
- English
Campus location
- West Lafayette