Erewhon · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Erewhon by Samuel Butler.

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Chapter 1
Epigraph
The chapter presents an epigraph from Aristotle's Politics, suggesting that all human actions are motivated by the appearance of good, and a paraphrase emphasizing that no action is taken without weighing considerations.
Chapter 2
Preface to First Edition
The author provides a brief note on the pronunciation of the word 'Erewhon', indicating it should be spoken as three short syllables: Ĕ-rĕ-whŏn.
Chapter 3
Preface to Second Edition
In the preface to the second edition, the author addresses corrections made, clarifies the independence of 'Erewhon' from 'The Coming Race', defends the chapters on Machines against misinterpretation as a mockery of Darwin, and discusses the intentional use of inaccuracies and the difficulty of understanding the Erewhonians.
Chapter 4
Preface to the Revised Edition
Samuel Butler recounts the genesis and evolution of Erewhon over thirty years, from its origins as newspaper articles on machines and the Unborn to its publication in 1872, its unexpected success, and the revisions made for this edition, including reflections on literary technique and the contrast with Erewhon Revisited.
Chapter 5
Erewhon
The narrator recounts his journey into the remote and mysterious land of Erewhon, where he discovers a society that inverts many conventional moral and legal norms, particularly regarding illness and crime. He is captured, imprisoned, and gradually introduced to the strange customs and philosophies of the Erewhonians, including their unique views on health, morality, and the relationship between machines and humanity.

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Epigraph

Preface to First Edition

Preface to Second Edition

Preface to the Revised Edition

Erewhon