Gladiator

Wylie, Philip, 1902-1971Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.7

Word count: 419K words
Chapters: 42

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Gladiator by Philip WylieAuthor: Wylie, Philip, 1902-1971,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jun 11, 2013

Editor's review

Gladiator is a novel by Philip Wylie, a public-domain eBook in American literature freely released by Project Gutenberg. Centering on a man with superhuman physical abilities, it explores conflicts between strength and morality and between the individual and social norms. It is distinctive within early science fiction and popular literature and is often regarded as one of the important precursor texts of superhero narrative. Its strength is turning extreme physical ability into a social allegory, focusing on education, responsibility, and loneliness rather than mere action scenes. It suits supplementary reading on American popular literature and the roots of science fiction, and discussion of the ethical dimensions of the superman imagination. The narrative carries the feel of early-20th-century popular fiction; its pacing and ideas should be understood in historical context.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Science fiction and superhero fans who want to trace the literary origins of early superman narratives
Scholars of American literature interested in the themes and techniques of early-20th-century popular fiction
Readers who enjoy social-allegory novels and are willing to accept an older narrative feel
Public-domain English readers who want free access to a historically significant popular novel

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking modern fast-paced action and strong plot; this book focuses on ideas and social conflict
Readers needing a Chinese translation; this is an English original public-domain eBook
Readers impatient with early popular-fiction style who want fully contemporary language

Reading tips

Learn about early-20th-century American popular literature and science fiction before reading the text; this makes the work's concerns easier to grasp
Read the protagonist's ability as social allegory, following themes of education, responsibility, and loneliness
After finishing, compare it with later superhero narratives to trace the continuities and changes in the superman imagination

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What is the relationship between this book and later superhero works?

Gladiator is often regarded as one of the important precursor texts of superhero narrative; its superhuman protagonist influenced later imagination of the same kind. But it is more a social allegory, concerned with the ethical and lonely problems brought by power, rather than modern superhero-style action adventure. Distinguish between source and genre when reading.

How difficult is the English, and is it suitable for non-native readers?

This is an English original, early-20th-century popular fiction. The syntax is not complex, but some diction and feel are old. Readers with college-level English can finish it; keep a dictionary handy, slow down for long sentences, and do not aim for word-by-word understanding.

Are there many action scenes in the book?

Action is not the book's focus. It mainly follows the growth, education, and social situation of a man with superhuman abilities and has a clear reflective and social-allegorical character. If you expect continuous action adventure, adjust your expectations.

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About the author

Wylie, Philip, 1902-1971 Author · American · 1902–1971

Philip Wylie (1902–1971) was an American writer and social critic. His work spans fiction and commentary, often using satire to examine modern society and human nature; his representative novel Gladiator belongs to this vein. Other works, such as Generation of Vipers, are likewise known for their satirical bite, focusing on social mores and generational issues, and had a certain influence on the American literary scene of his time. Public information is limited, and details of his education, specific career, and honors remain unclear; yet his extant works show that he used fictional narrative and social criticism to express observations on reality. Translations of his work in China are relatively limited, with only one title held in this collection, through which readers may glimpse his creative style and intellectual inclinations.