Historical background tracing the earliest references to the discovery of the Austral world through the Iberian and Dutch periods of activity up to the infamous Batavia” shipwreck and marooning of 1629. Then places these in juxtaposition with literary works.
Focuses on the joining of fact (travel and discovery) and fiction (imaginary utopias) in the late 16th to early 17th century. Bringing a historical perspective to the “question of utopia”, this text explores the literary works which flourished at this time about the unfamiliar Austral world. pp. x, 237 #130722R