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The Mystic and Fantastic of the Middle Ages to “Science”

A period of occultism and the development of ancient myths

(Romanian)

The transition between Antiquity and the Middle Ages is quite slow, “alienated” from humanity amidst the meanders of the collapse of old empires and the xenophobia of the territories that remained, somewhat preserving traditions (whether religious)…

Thus, we discuss the period of the fall of the Roman, Khmer, Persian, and Egyptian Empires, etc., the cultural and human eliminations attracted by migratory waves, and the reformation of the old territories of Antiquity, such as China and India… And other “details”… Such as the decline of urban life (but also others), political-state fragmentation, and other historical “blah, blah”.

But, certainly, neo-Christian mysticism and occultism erupt with an energy that will suffocate, often replace, the development of old myths… At least in the European space (remark that I make “localized” because beliefs of Abrahamic origin are found in the Islamic world, with their specific adaptation)…

It is something similar to the eradication of the ancient legends of the populations of the “Americas” by the Spanish and Portuguese, but carried out approximately 1,000 years later than the “European start.” With the loss or “forgetting” of many of the texts and knowledge accumulated by ancient civilizations, including mythological stories.

Then, at the confluence of civilizations, Abrahamic mythology is “implemented by force” by Christians and Muslims, crushing the old immortal stories of antiquity…

In addition, in the European area, the transition between Antiquity and the Middle Ages is made under the pressure of migratory peoples, who destroy much of the local treasure, regardless of the affected area…

And so, from the point of view of historians, humanity is going through the “Dark Ages.” Noted by historians as a period of transition and reconstruction…

Quite similar to the eradication of the great emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, the founder of China (who, through the controversial “book burning,” greatly inhibited any further development), and what followed after the great Mongol or Manchurian invasions and rule…

But, to summarize, there were quite a few “cultural power centers,” manifested as great regional powers, such as the Moorish civilization in Africa and Europe, the “Nordic” dominance (erroneously known as the Vikings), and the Byzantine Empire, which “survived” quite a bit…

Then, in the Asian area, they were “nourished” by the civilizations of India, China, including the Khmer area, and perhaps Japan, which also steadily influenced the “neighboring” areas…

And in the Americas, without generalizing “geographically-territorially”, there were pre-Columbian, Amerindian, Andean, Mesoamerican, and Indigenous American civilizations; even if during this period they stood out with great flourishing, everything was “lost or forgotten” thanks to the colonizers, whose action has wreaked havoc almost until our times… Oh, yes, we forgot about the natives of Australia, who had similar “losses” (but which will be “realized” a little later)…

But, the main problem, even if it is the “madness” of those times, with the immense losses of culture, and myths, including recorded stories, was related to the limited possibility of “writing”… Very few members of the human society of those times had the chance to “leave something written, transmissible further, the conquerors would not destroy that”…

So, these are the “times” in which the fantastic stories of the East appear and stand out, in which the gods are somewhat “forgotten” but replaced by “ghosts,” “spirits,” “djinn,” and similar…

In this sense, I can mention “One Thousand and One Nights” (Arabian Nights, 8th-10th centuries CE), which “presents” several proto-science fiction stories.

An example is “The Adventures of Bulukiya“, where the protagonist, Bulukiya, travels through the cosmos (in search of the herb of immortality) in worlds much larger than his own, exploring the seas, traveling to the Garden of Eden and Jahannam (Islamic hell), or through the cosmos, anticipating galactic science fiction elements (not to mention the “tangencies” along the way represented by snakes, talking trees, and other life forms).

Or, another example is “Abu al-Husn and his slave Tawaddud”, the heroine Tawaddud telling of the mansions of the Moon and the benevolent and sinister aspects of the planets.

Or in “Abdullah the Fisherman and Abdullah the Merman“, the protagonist gains the ability to breathe underwater and discovers an underwater undersea society that is portrayed as an inverted reflection of the society on land, in that the underwater society follows a form of primitive communism in which concepts such as money and clothing do not exist.

Other Arabian Nights stories deal with lost ancient technologies, advanced ancient civilizations that went astray, and catastrophes that overwhelm them, from “The City of Brass” which features a group of travelers on an archaeological expedition across the Sahara to find a lost ancient city and attempt to recover a brass vessel that the biblical King Solomon once used to trap a djinn, and along the way they encounter a mummified queen, petrified inhabitants, dancing humanoid robots, including a brass robot horseman who leads the party to the ancient city.

Specifically, “The Ebony Horse” features a robot in the form of a mechanical flying horse controlled by keys, which could fly into outer space and towards the Sun, while “Third Qalandar’s Tale” also features a robot in the form of a strange sailor.

“The City of Brass” and “The Ebony Horse” can be considered early examples of proto-science fiction; other examples of early Arabic proto-fiction include “Al-Farabi’s Opinions” about the inhabitants of a splendid city in a utopian society and certain elements of the Arabian Nights, such as the flying carpet.

To which are added the legends about magical “church” objects, swords, magic wands or staffs, the magic lamp, the magic carpet, or others, which will constantly accompany the “fantasy” of those times, “supplementing” the concept mentioned in Antiquity of the use of “advanced technologies” by the “ordinary” man.

But this is not the only contribution of the East! According to Dr. Abu Shadi al-Roubi, the last two chapters of the Arabic theological novel Fādil ibn Nātiq (c. 1270), also known as Theologus Autodidactus, by the Arab polymath writer Ibn al-Nafis (1213–1288) can be described as science fiction (the novel was later translated into English as Theologus Autodidactus in the early 20th century).

The theological novel deals with various science fiction elements, such as spontaneous generation, futurology, apocalyptic themes, eschatology, resurrection, and the afterlife, but instead of offering supernatural or mythological explanations for these events, Ibn al-Nafis attempts to explain these plot elements using his extensive scientific knowledge in anatomy, biology, physiology, cosmology, astronomy, and physiology.

For example, through this novel, Ibn al-Nafis introduces his scientific theory of metabolism and makes references to his own scientific discovery of pulmonary circulation to explain bodily resurrection.

As for the “European” contribution, they stand out and are “maintained” by the wizard Merlin (from the Arthurian Legends), placed as in the case of many writings of the times, where the “components” of magical realms, clearly delimited from the “earthly” ones…

Therefore, here are robots and automatic presented in romance from the 12th century, starting with Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne and Enéas.

Another novel that draws attention is “De Troie“, another work from the 12th century, which presents the famous Chambre of Beautes, which contained four machines, one of which held a magic mirror, the others singing to a musical instrument, indicating to people what their needs are.

The automatons in these works were often associated with ambivalent necromance and often guarded the entrances or warned of the intruders, an association that often attracted the appearance of automatons guarding the tombs, as in the cases of Le Blancheasflo, Floris, or D’Alexandre in a Palace.

The automatons were not human. For example, a brass horse is among the wonderful gifts offered to Cambyuskan in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Story of the Squire“. This metal horse reminds of the metal horses similar to the Middle East literature and could carry their rider anywhere in the world at an extraordinary speed, turning a “key” in his ear and whispering certain words into it.

But the brass horse is just one of the technological miracles that appear in the “Story of the Squire”, where Cambyuskan, or Khan, also receives a mirror that reveals distant places, which the multitude of witnesses explains by manipulating angles and optics, and a sword that treats and heals fatal wounds, which explains.

Technological inventions are also widespread in Alexander’s romances. In the Confessio Amantis of John Gower, for example, Alexander the Great builds a flying car by tying two platforms, hanging meat above them on a pillar (a version would be Vraye Ystire du Bon Roy Alixandre – The true history of good king Alexander).

This adventure ends only through the direct intervention of God, which destroys the device and throws Alexander back to the ground. However, this does not stop the legendary Alexander, who begins to build a gigantic glass sphere he uses to travel underwater, where he sees extraordinary miracles that eventually surpass his understanding.

Elements similar to the suspended animation also appear in the medieval novels, such as Historia Destructionis Troye and Roman d’Enéas. In the first, King Priam has the body of the hero Hector buried in a network of gold tubes that crossed his body, through which tubes flowed the semi-legendary fluid balm that was then known to have the power to keep life. This fluid kept Hector’s body as if it were still alive, keeping it in a persistent vegetative state during which autonomous processes, such as facial hair growth, continued.

The borders between medieval fiction with scientific elements and medieval science can be in the best case. In works such as Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The House of Fame“, it is proposed that the House of Fame should be initially the natural sound house, described as a break in the air, to which all sounds are eventually attracted.

Also, medieval travel narratives often contained scientific-fantastic topics and elements. Works such as Mandeville’s travels have included automatons, alternative species and subspecies, including Cynoencephal and Giants, and information about the sexual reproduction of diamonds. However, Mandeville’s travels and other travel narratives combine real geographical knowledge with now known knowledge, and, therefore, it is difficult to distinguish what portions should be considered scientific-fantastic or would have been seen as such in the Middle Ages.

“Different” worlds that have their starting point in Antiquity, but which become legends “of the heavens, waters, and the underworld” in heaven, hell, the seven heavens, the worlds of dwarfs, elves, fairies, goblins, dragons, etc., the “source” that will feed many of the writings of the “future”…

Continuing the utopias, dystopias, “time travel,” and others that began their “manifestation” in Antiquity…

The ancient “stories” are thus continued and diversified, providing a framework for exploring universal themes such as good and evil, freedom and determinism, human nature, and our place in the universe.

Therefore, ideas about the future and technology are not a product considered to be a subgenre, being, in fact, the “root of “Science Fiction,” which can only be discussed upon the “insertion” of the term “Science.”

Yes, one can discuss a common root with science fiction, even through “associations” that demonstrate that themes such as space exploration, advanced technologies, and mythical creatures have been present in the human imagination throughout history and in different cultures.

Yes, I forgot about the writings with Christian “resonance”, but clearly “acceptable” to be SF-F, such as, for example, Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy” (a masterpiece of Italian literature that describes a journey through hell, purgatory, and paradise, thus anticipating the idea of ​​exploring other dimensions), The Legend of Faust (which sells the soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power, exploring themes such as science, religion, and the consequences of knowledge), and many similar ones, especially those inspired by the “Great Black Plague”, works related to alchemy, etc. (similar).

But, all of them, “benefiting” from the lack of “distribution” support, which only began to develop starting in the 1600s and later… Until then, “book production” (if one can say so, being limited to manuscripts “distributed” by religious centers and to a very small extent by universities or the “resource-rich” public).

And, the moment of the 17th-18th centuries comes when it is considered that we are dealing with the “Birth of Modern Science”… But this birth is strictly due to the intellectual revolution, which also had a profound impact on literature, especially on the science fiction genre, even if it was not yet defined as such.

But the “range” of “Science Fiction – Fiction” type literature is still particularly “limited”… Being “propelled” only by the growing interest in science and technology, represented by:

• Discoveries such as Newton’s laws and the invention of the telescope and the microscope sparked an intense curiosity about the universe and the potential of technology to transform it.
• The exploration of space and other worlds through sea voyages, the discovery of continents, and the study of the sky fueled the imagination of writers, who began to speculate about the existence of other worlds and life forms.
• Not to mention questions about the nature of man and the universe, philosophers and writers began to question religious beliefs and explore new ways of understanding the world, leading to radical ideas about the future of humanity.
• Oh, yes, and the old utopias and dystopias that explored the impact of science and technology on human life.

As the main literary works of these times, we can assimilate “travel” adventure novels (such as those by Daniel Defoe) and Gothic novels, with the dark and mysterious atmosphere that later influenced the horror and science fiction genres… Blah, blah… Very, very few works that you can remember…

But I can quote:

1. “Novu Atlantis” by Francis Bacon: This utopia describes an ideal society based on science and technology, anticipating many of the themes of modern science fiction.
2. “Micromegas” by Voltaire: A satirical story about an alien giant who visits Earth, satirizing human vanity and exploring the idea of ​​relativity.
3. “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift: Although often considered a social satire, this book also contains elements of science fiction, such as journeys to fantastical lands and encounters with bizarre creatures.
4. “Candide” by Voltaire: Another satire by Voltaire explores themes such as optimism, pessimism, and the nature of evil in the world.

From this “chronological” point, the “seedling” of “Science Fiction” (and associated subgenres) had poked its head out “from under the ground”…

Now, let’s proceed to a somewhat “technical” analysis (which will prove to be particularly interesting) regarding the literature of the Middle Ages and the pre-modern period (until the early 1800s) through the prism of modern science fiction subgenres (again, an anachronistic, but revealing exercise, taking into account the reality that, at that time, scientific concepts were fundamentally different, and the authors’ intention was not to write “science fiction” as we understand it today, having only the possibility of identifying some proto-SF elements that prefigure certain subgenres)!

So, the main SF “proto-subgenres” present in the literature of the Middle Ages until the early 1800s are represented by:

Journeys to Unknown Worlds / Lost Worlds:

Middle Ages: Accounts of travel to the Far East (often mixed with fantasy), descriptions of distant mythical realms (sometimes placed off the known map) can be seen as precursors to the “lost worlds” subgenre or even space exploration. Marco Polo’s “Book of Wonders“, although not strictly fiction, fueled the imagination of exotic and unknown worlds.

Premodern period: Picaresque novels that included long and adventurous journeys to distant places may contain elements that foreshadow the exploration of new worlds.

Early utopias and dystopias:

Middle Ages: Visions of the “Land of Cocanae” (a land of plenty and idleness) can be interpreted as early forms of utopia, although often with a satirical tone. Depictions of hell in religious literature can be seen as early forms of dystopia.

Pre-modern period: Thomas More’s “Utopia” (1516) is a classic example of a literary utopia, describing an ideal society (from the author’s perspective). In contrast, some social satire may contain dystopian elements, criticizing aspects of contemporary society through fiction.

Automata and early artificial intelligence (in embryonic stage):

Middle Ages: Legends of mechanical or magical creatures created by sorcerers or alchemists (often with evil intentions) can be seen as precursors to the concept of artificial intelligence or automatons. The golem in Jewish tradition is another example.

Pre-modern period: Interest in complex, automated machines (often more as curiosities than as practical tools) began to grow, fueling imaginations about the possibility of creating artificial life or intelligent machines.

Early air and space travel (in the speculative and often fantastical stage):

Middle Ages: Legends of flying carpets, fantastic animals that transport people through the air, or mythical attempts to reach the sky (the Tower of Babel) can be seen as precursors to the fascination with flight and space travel.

Pre-modern period: As understanding of astronomy evolved, more elaborate speculations about other worlds and the possibility of reaching them emerged, although often mixed with fantastical or religious elements.

Cataclysms and the end of the world (with a different perspective):

Middle Ages: Predictions of the end of the world, based on religious interpretations, can be seen as an early form of apocalyptic literature, although the motivations and explanations were fundamentally different from those of modern science fiction.

Pre-modern period: Interest in history and extinct civilizations may have generated speculation about natural or human cataclysms that led to their disappearance.

Important limitations:

Lack of a modern scientific framework: Understanding of the natural world was dominated by religion, magic, and pre-scientific natural philosophy. Explanations for unusual events were rarely sought in natural laws (mostly being “developmentally supplemented” takeovers from the ancient world).

Authors’ Intent: The primary purpose of many writings was not to explore technological consequences or scientific ideas, but to convey moral, religious, or satirical lessons.

Blending with fantasy: The line between what we would today call “science fiction” and “fantasy” was extremely fluid. Magical, supernatural, and fantastical elements were often integrated into the same narratives.

In conclusion, although we cannot speak of SF subgenres in the modern sense, the literature of the Middle Ages and the pre-modern period contains proto-SF elements that prefigure the human fascination with journeys into the unknown, ideal or terrible societies, the creation of artificial life and overcoming human limits, themes that would become central to modern science fiction with the development of science and technology.

By delving deeper, analyzing the “proto-science fiction” of antiquity compared to that of the Middle Ages and the period up to 1800, we can observe interesting evolutionary trends, although not linear nor in terms of absolute “progress” or “regression”, but rather of changes in emphasis, cultural influences and the emergence of new types of speculation.

Evolutionary Trends:

1. From Mythological Explanations to Proto-Rational Speculations (shy):

   • Antiquity: Explanations for unusual phenomena or unknown worlds were predominantly mythological, attributed to the actions of gods, monsters, or heroes. Proto-SF elements were often framed within religious or cosmogonic narratives.
   • Middle Ages to 1800: We see a tentative move towards more “rational” speculation (within the context of the knowledge of the time). For example, ideas about utopias begin to move away from purely mythical realms and are placed in geographical locations (albeit imaginary) or in theoretical social structures (as in More’s “Utopia“). Interest in alchemy and complex machines (albeit often with a magical component) suggests an attempt to understand and manipulate the physical world, a precursor to scientific thought.
2. From Cosmic to Social (a beginning):
   • Antiquity: Many proto-science fiction speculations had a cosmic scale, related to the origin of the world, divine intervention in human affairs, or universal cataclysms.
   • Middle Ages to 1800: A greater interest in ideal (utopias) or critical (proto-dystopias) social structures emerges. More’s “Utopia” is a clear example of this trend, focusing on political and social organization.

3. From Mystic to Mechanical (a germination):

   • Antiquity: “Technology” was often magical or of divine origin. Automata were rare and surrounded by mystery.
   • Middle Ages to 1800: We see a growing interest in machines and automata, though often more as curiosities. This foreshadows modern science fiction’s fascination with technology and artificial intelligence.

4. Modified Cultural and Religious Influences:

   • Antiquity: Speculations were strongly influenced by polytheistic pantheons and local mythologies.
   • Middle Ages: Christianity became the dominant influence in Europe, shaping views of the world, the cosmos, and the end. Utopias could often have religious connotations, while dystopias were frequently associated with hell or sinful societies.
   • Period to 1800: The Enlightenment began to bring a more secular and rational perspective, influencing utopian thinking and social criticism.

Comparative Progress and Setbacks (a nuanced perspective):

• “Progress“:

  • The emergence of Utopia as a genre: More’s “Utopia” represents a significant step towards a more structured exploration of alternative societies, an important precursor to social and political science fiction.
  • Growing interest in mechanics and automata: Even if at a rudimentary level, the fascination with creating machines that mimic life or perform tasks prefigures central themes of modern science fiction related to artificial intelligence and robotics.
  • A timid rationalization of speculation: We begin to observe a (slow and uneven) move away from purely mythological explanations towards attempts to place ideas in more “plausible” frameworks (even if wrong from the perspective of modern science).

• “Regressions” or Stagnations (in terms of the development of modern SF):

  • The supremacy of religious thought in the Middle Ages: May have inhibited the free exploration of scientific ideas and speculation that might have led to the earlier development of science fiction. Supernatural explanations were often sufficient.
  • Lack of a coherent scientific framework: Without a solid understanding of the natural world and the laws of physics, speculation often remained at the level of fantasy or moral allegory.
  • The continuous mix with fantasy: The boundary between proto-SF and fantasy remains blurred for a long time.

Conclusion:

Instead of clear “progress” or “regressions”, we observe a transformation of focus and influences. Antiquity provided fertile ground for cosmogonic myths and divine interventions, which can be seen as the seeds of space opera and themes related to contact with higher entities. The Middle Ages, dominated by religious thought, brought a different perspective on the end of the world and social ideals (often with a religious component). The period up to 1800 marked a germination of interest in alternative social structures (utopias), in mechanics, and a more “rational” approach to speculation, gradually paving the way for the emergence of modern science fiction with the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions.

It is important to note that this analysis is done retrospectively, with the tools and concepts of modern science fiction. For people of those periods, these narratives had much more complex meanings and were integrated into their belief systems and understanding of the world.

And from here, everyone comes to their conclusion…

But, based on the arguments presented in the episodes so far, one can perceive a certain stagnation of a kind of starting point represented by fantasy, which will still have a kind of concretization of the beginning of the growth of the “frail seedling called Science Fiction” (until the early 1950s, when the “plant” would take shape, without requiring a process of millennia to become what it is, but less than 150 years)…

Even in the sense of SF-F.

Merticaru Dorin Nicolae

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