The Superhumans (1929): Anarchism, Desire and Evolutionism in Han Ryner
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26512/rhh.v10i19.40914Keywords:
Han Ryner, anarquismo individualista, Michel Savigny, teorias evolucionistasAbstract
The aim of this article is to analyze the concept of evolution present in the dystopian novel The Superhumans, published in 1929 and written by the French individualist anarchist Han Ryner. The novel presents a hybridized theory of evolution, which mixes neo-Lamarckian, catastrophic and leap theory elements with evolutionary conceptions of a mystical and prophetic nature, such as those proposed by Michel Savigny, in addition to dialoguing with the ethical conceptions, characteristic of individualist anarchism. The main characters in the narrative, that is, the Superelephants, the Superangels and the Immortals are, simultaneously, the result of the evolutionary process and the desire for ascension of beings. In the context of strengthening the interwar authoritarian thinking, the criticisms of the Superelephants’ desire for domination and the lyrical defense of Han Ryner’s individualist anarchist principles, such as pacifism and antimilitarism, in the Superangels’ chants, are highlighted.
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