De Sens dessus dessous à L’éternel Adam, Le meilleur des mondes de Jules Verne
From The Earth Turned Upside Down to The Eternal Adam, Jules Verne’s Brave New World

Summary/Abstract: Although Jules Verne’s heroes are generally viewed as emblematic expressions of a self-confident and conquering industrial and colonial society, specialists have long recognized a pessimistic turn in Verne’s writing: while he previously celebrated scientism and positivism, from 1886 onwards anxiety and the questioning of faith continually grew in his works. Critical approaches to Verne’s narratives are traditionally less sensitive to the fin-de-siècle implications of his writing: nonetheless full of tensions, it acknowledges the threatening force of the technical civilization in an ever-changing world and questions the blind spots of modernity. Readings not considering such implications risk missing significant nuances that allow a much deeper and wider understanding of Verne’s heroes than commonly granted.

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