Today I have the please of welcoming author Kara Jorgensen to the blog. Kara will be talking about "what is steampunk." Below, Kara states "steampunk is hope for the
future in the past." I think this is one of the best definitions of steampunk Kara is also the author of The Earl of Brass and the forthcoming The Winter Garden (love that title!). Welcome, Kara!
Today’s
Lecture by SteamU Professor: Kara Jorgensen
Author
of:
The Earl of Brass and The Winter Garden (coming 2015), both are
part of the Ingenious Mechanical Devices series
Office
Hours:
Steampunk:
The Duality of the Victorian Era
When
I first entered the world of steampunk as a reader and then a writer, I assumed
it was just revisiting the Victorian era with advanced technology, but I soon
realized steampunk is so much more than that.
The Victorian era was a pivotal moment in the history of the western
world with imperialism on the rise and discoveries being made not only in
exploration but in medicine, archaeology, and science. Steampunk marries this rugged utilitarian
side of the Victorian era with the lace and corsets we all know so well. Luckily, steampunk adds a little whimsy to
this world of soot and stodgy dowagers, but why? How did this phenomenon occur, especially
concerning a time of such strict morality and Dickensian poverty? I soon realized it was the indelible hope of
the era. The British Empire was
flourishing, the world was still small, anyone could make a discovery, wars
were won without horrific casualties, and the future was looking bright. The Victorians had yet to see a truly
tumultuous time. In our world, chaos
seems to reign supreme, and slipping back in time a hundred and twenty years,
brings us to a place of social decorum and tea time. Everything has a rule and there is a rule for
everything. Steampunk is hope for the
future in the past. It is a chance to
discuss what could have been if we had the chance to do it over again. What if steam-power won over the combustion
engine? What if Tesla had rose to prominence over Edison? Would our world be any better if we were able
to do things over again? Steampunk and
its various children embody what could have been while still embracing the
duality of Victorian frivolity and utility.
In The Earl of Brass, Eilian Sorrell is a
representation of the era’s dual nature.
His passion lies in unearthing artifacts buried beneath the desert
sands, yet he is bound to the world of the Victorian aristocracy by his family. Is there a way to escape the frippery and
finery? Probably not, but there is a way
to strike a balance between both worlds and move towards a better future. The entire Ingenious Mechanical Devices
series will explore not only the possibilities of this steam and electricity
driven Victorian era but the social issues that plagued the period. Steampunk is all about duality, and the
stories of the genre should explore not only the promise but the problems. Through my works, I will continue to probe
the questions of what could have been, would it have been for the better, and
how would these changes have affected those living in this re-imagined world? More than anything, steampunk is about how
this altered time changed the lives of those living in it.
Stay tuned for future installments of our SteamU lecture series of visit my archive to see past articles!
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