Abstract: At first sight, it looks surprising for science fiction to go back to a time in history where there was no technology. We perceive science fiction as looking forward, towards the future, and not backward, towards the past. The Middle Ages is a time period not only with no technological development, but it also includes various beliefs based on ideas that are not at all scientific. A time when science and technology were not the mainstream values and were not developed is almost seen as being in conflict with the expected values of science fiction.

However, we could look at an example of computer game such as Hover, which first appeared with Windows 95 and has known further developments. It is a game which involves two teams, one where the person playing is in, and one where a team of blue spaceships is involved. The objective is to capture the other team’s flags. One of the levels includes as a setting a medieval castle. It may look as a contradiction to have spaceships moving around in a medieval castle. However, we can claim that, regardless of the modern times we all live in, we are still fascinated by the past and we enjoy visiting old castles as tourist objectives. At the same time, the castle was a setting for protection and fighting, and this is its role in the game of Hover as well. The film Vesper (2022) also includes a return to the Middle Ages, based on the belief that the same capitalist type of society has been around in the past and it is still around today.

Keywords: future, past, memory, history.

 

 

“Why the medieval settings, habits and rituals, as well as institutions and social organization in science fiction?” is a question that is frequently asked, in one form or another, on social media and various sites for communication. It makes sense since we might expect, intuitively, for science fiction to deal, mainly, with the future. The stereotypical image of this genre, be it expressed in literature, films, or video games, is associated with a highly technologized world of the future, full of spaceships and robots, with futuristically-looking buildings. Yet, science fiction means, in fact, creating alternative worlds of all kinds. It imagines various worlds, on this planet or on others. When we create something, we do tend to start from what we know and to combine with what we imagine. Past, present, and future can very well mix, as we can find in science fiction worlds elements of all of these.

One famous example of film series and book series based on the medieval setting and practices is Dune, by Frank Herbert (originally published in 1965). The series was continued by his son, together with Kevin J. Anderson. The first film adaptation was in 1984. Munger (2023) draws attention to the following aspect of Dune, namely of the film adaptation by Dennis Villeneuve as director, from 2021, of the 1965 novel, which “is set in the distant future, but it’s as evocative a depiction of the world of the Middle Ages – particularly the Islamic world.” What is more, Munger (2023) claims that “Dune posits an interesting question,” which he thinks “about in conjunction with history: what if the future of humanity is more like the past than it is like any of the ways we traditionally envision the future?” Indeed, while viewers and readers can understand science fiction as dealing with the future, they should ask themselves the following questions: In what ways can the future completely break up with the past? Can we ourselves truly break up with the past? Do we not struggle to preserve traditions, and various rituals, which have the role of offering cohesion to our community, as well as distinctive identity? Can we live without a past completely? We may change our society in tune with the changing times and mindsets, yet some traditional foundations based on the past should be preserved, to some extent, in order to preserve the identity of a culture.

The case of the mixture between Middle Ages and futuristic settings in science fantasy worlds can function as a way to reflect our own attitudes nowadays to both past, and therefore, to history and respect for traditions, and expectations we have towards the future. What is more, through looking forward to the future, we could think of our respect for and hope we place into technological development and innovation. These are, summed up, the main attitudes of the world we live in at present, and which can be seen as reflected in the science fiction world creation.

At the same time, we could say that the hierarchies and rituals can help create the cultural foundation of a hypothetical civilization present in science fiction, and to help the readers and viewers visualize the respective world.

In some instances, we could say that we deal with “retrofuturism,” meaning that we can look back at past illustrations of the future and realize how they have not been fully achieved, e.g. “flying cars and space colonization” can be understood as “unrealized and unfamiliar in everyday life but, on the other, they are indexed in the contemporary cultural imaginary to a particular historical moment: the technophilic futurism of the mid-twentieth century” (Davidson, 2019, p. 729). Similarly, we could claim that, as tourists, or as visitors of monuments in our own city, we tend to have the same contradictory attitude: we look at the past, and respect it, finding it worthy of being preserved, and we also look towards the future. Our attitude towards tradition is equally divided: on the one hand, we worship it, showing admiration for it, and for the culture we belong to, while, on the other hand, we wish to become a modern society and do away with old habits and practices, as well as traditions, in order to have practices that reflect our contemporary mindset.

We tend to have a contradictory attitude towards past and present of our society. While we enjoy visiting an old castle or museum, we are also aware of the technology helping us know more about the past. We can have modern applications and bar codes for information in a museum, for example. Yet, if we are talking about an old, medieval castle setting, then all the technological possibilities for having contact with the information can be seen as contrasting with the old age where all the objects originate.

According to Selling (2004, p. 211), Umberto Eco notices the return to the Middle Ages as well, in fantasy literature. This could be tied to the discussion of the presence of the Middle Ages in science fiction since, nowadays, our understanding of science fiction is changing, as the boundaries between science fiction and fantasy are becoming blurred. The result can be light science fiction, instead of hard science fiction, which leads to the popularization of the genre among the reading audience and, as a consequence, among film viewers, as well as among the members of various communities and subcultures created around various fictional heroes and worlds in these books and films. The current science fiction or fantasy genre is based more on young adult style, under the influence of the popularity of fantasy literature for children (such as Harry Potter) and for teenagers (such as The Hunger Games). Sorcery in Harry Potter is part of the Middle Ages, and so is the bow with arrows in The Hunger Games. Fascination with medieval practices extends from fiction to our real world, as there is now a great interest for shooting with the bow with arrows as both pass-time and competitive activities.

Science fiction is reflecting the preoccupations of our world today, from our interest in history, tourism at historic sites, archeological discoveries, which can have to do with old times such as the Middle Ages, to the way we report to lessons of the past and the way we base our current knowledge on the pandemic by making parallels with plague episodes in the middle ages from all over the world.

The Japanese are showing great respect for traditions of the past which are relevant from the point of view that they still resonate with their values and mindset today. For example, the hierarchical relationships and ritualistic dimension of their lives, together with a sense of honor, are visible in the way they look back to the samurai, the way they maintain geisha training and tea ceremony, together with relationships between master and disciples in the practice of haiku poetry writing.

The inclusion of Middle Ages elements in science fiction can have to do with the way we perceive history and today’s world. At some point in time, past, present and future can coexist. Every city is a mixture of past and present, due to preserving in memory historical buildings and entire neighbourhoods that have been demolished or have changed completely in appearance.

From this point of view, of preserving collective memories of past history, and traditions, popular culture products related to science fiction can be understood of promoting ideology (Bar-Haim, 1990, p. 279). Ideology in this case refers to the interest of those in power to promote nationalism and to preserve this feeling among the members of society, in order to maintain the unity of the members of the respective cultures. The European Union, after all, through its laws and policies, promotes both common elements uniting different countries and cultures, in order to improve collaboration, but also a feeling of culture specificity. In doing so, we could say that both European Union and the reactions of the states that are members in it try to reinforce their specificity and their patriotic feelings through promoting their cultural products. These states are raising awareness of their cultural specificity through promoting and underlining their cultural identity manifestations (Baciu, 2013, p. 31), which are formed by the following categories: symbols, traditions, rituals, practices, values, and heroes or personalities (Baciu, 2013, p. 32). All specific cultural elements have a foundation that has been laid in the past. In this sense, the presence of the Middle Ages can be understood as functioning as a reminder of the past, when traditions, rituals, practices and values have been set up and which still exist during the present. This idea is presented visually, as elements from the Middle Ages are literally present, otherwise in highly technologized and futuristic settings.

According to Selling (2004, p. 211), Umberto Eco (1986, p. 63) presented the ideas of “fantastic neomedievalism”, giving the examples of “‘sword-and-sorcery’ fantasy literature, medieval theme parks, comics or graphic novels such as Camelot 3000 or Elric, with some scorn.” Selling (2004, p. 211) formulates an opinion that is “Contrary to Echo’s,” showing that by “fantastic neomedievalism” we get “the chance of compiling a ‘sociological profile’ of late twentieth-century western culture.” Therefore, we could claim that the way we imagine the past, in this case the Middle Ages, and the way it is reflected in fiction, films and computer games, says something about our values and mindset in today’s world. The Middle Ages gains the value of a symbol, and of a message about our mindset today. It is not the real, historical image we can find through the accounts of historical documents and research, but an image that has gone through a mechanism which is similar to Freud’s dreamwork, in the sense that it has been adapted to today’s worldview. Today’s world can be presented just as our wishes, fears, and expectations are presented in a deformed way through our dreams, gaining another form, which needs to be deciphered and interpreted. For example, the image offered by the film series Hercules, the Legendary Journeys (1995-1999), and Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001), is one of a “fairy-tale,” of “Once upon a time”, of the “olden days” (Selling, p. 212). One noticeable feature of the two television series is that, while they are both about ancient mythology and legends heroes, the setting is one that reminds of the Middle Ages, with its ways of fighting, and warrior-like lifestyle. Another feature easily recognizable is that the characters, in both series, speak and act, and also have the same attitude as contemporary American culture members. The effect is that the world is not as unfamiliar, and that viewers can relate to the characters and not struggle to understand an old way of speech.

One aspect of setting up a science fiction world based on Medieval world elements is “the creation of realms where good and evil are clearly delineated” (Selling, 2004, p. 212). The fight between good and evil can give an element of universality to any science-fiction related cultural product. Indeed, the Middle Ages can provide such occasions, since these were times when wars were frequent, and various weapons such as swords were used. What is more, faith, or sorcery, could be used for good or evil purposed. Theories that were not scientific would circulate at the time. While science may not have been during its heyday, other beliefs could make these ages seem charming and mysterious. Superstitious beliefs, however, are still around today, at least speaking from the point of view of Romanian culture. For instance, various holidays and traditions involve elements of magic, such as putting a certain flower under maidens’ pillows so that they can dream of their future husband at certain times of the year. Various vegetables can be hung on doors in villages to protect against evil spirits, such as garlic.

A game called Hover!, originally on the Windows 95 setup CD, looks like an adventure, through three settings, which are built under the form of mazes: a castle from the Middle Ages, a city far ahead into the future, and a sewer. Music theme and texture maps are specific to each setting. The adventure consists of the player being situated in a red hovercraft, and trying to get all the other team’s blue flags, before they get all the red flags. During the game, the player can get various helping magical powers, such as getting invincible or invisible, through collecting some orbs. While the game itself is quite simplistic, including only playing against another team, and collecting flags, the Medieval castle setting can allow us to think of why should we have two almost opposed elements, a hovercraft, a symbol of the imagined future, and a Medieval castle, a clear symbol of the past, brought together. The hierarchy in this case is not given by social status or rank, but by points received and by the levels a gamer has the right to go to once they complete the tasks. Getting all the points and all the flags looks strikingly similar to a hero’s quest and various trials he/she needs to go through after accepting the call to adventure, in Campbell’s acception (2003). Therefore, the archetypal journey and trajectory of the hero has, in the case of such a game, the correspondent of a successful gamer completing the tasks required by each level and confronting with the enemy team. The Medieval setting can offer the idea of war that has been around at the time, together with that of a confrontation among enemies, in a setting that was built precisely for defending purposes. The castle, and not the palace, was a place that was built for shelter from invasions and various attacks. Its walls were built to be solid enough and to hide behind them in order to respond to various attacks. We can see the theme of the war-like confrontation among invaders in worlds and stories set in outer space and involving space crafts as well. War can be seen as a universal element of the humans’ world at all times in history.

In the film Vesper (2022), the heroine bearing the name in the title is a young girl living in a strange world, of mixture of contemporary artificial intelligence technology, e.g. her father is paralysed, yet he can accompany her by using a drone, of ideology (the issue of the ecological, or environmental crisis), of the recent confrontation with engineered viruses (reminding of the speculations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic), and of Middle Ages type of lifestyle, e.g. of having elites living in citadels, living with enough resources, while the poor people like Vesper struggle for survival and for getting their own harvests from seeds which are objects of trade from the citadels. The seeds sound like magical elements in fairy-tales, since they provide the occasion for survival, yet, at the same time, they can only bring about one single harvest, as they are coded in this way. The last element is one pertaining to science fiction and very modern technology, thus, the contrast between past and future is all the more visible.

Nowadays, we live in a world of contrasts, which is reflected in all the cultural products related to science fiction: very high technological possibilities while, at the same time, we are prey to superstitious beliefs, risks coming from pandemics just as in the past, due to new viruses threats, as well as to wars, as we can see in the classical confrontation on the battlefield between Ukraine and Russia.

 

References

Baciu, S. (2013). Culture: An Awareness Raising Approach. Cavallioti Publishing House, Bucharest.

Bar-Haim, G. (1990). Popular Culture and Ideological Discontents: A Theory. International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 3(3), 279–296. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20006954

Campbell, J. (2003). The hero’s journey: Joseph Campbell on his life and work (Vol. 7). New World Library.

Davidson, J. P. (2019). Blast from the Past: Hopeful Retrofuturism in Science Fiction Film. Continuum, 33(6), 729-743. doi: 10.1080/10304312.2019.1668352

Eco, Umberto. (1986). Faith in Fakes: Travels in Hyperreality. London: Minerva.

Munger, Sean. (2023). The medieval future: Villeneuve’s “Dune” through the lens of history. Retrieved from: https://www.gardenofmemory.net/the-medieval-future-villeneuves-dune-through-the-lens-of-history/

Selling, K. (2004). Fantastic Neomedievalism: The Image of the Middle Ages in Popular Fantasy. Flashes of the Fantastic, Selected Papers from The War of the
Worlds Centennial, Nineteenth International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts.
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