The Humanity Issue
Summary
Cyborgs, hybrids between living organisms and mechanical constructs, have existed in English literature as early as the 19th century. Analyses of literary cyborgs and their cultural implications have explored the idea that the merger between nature an technology allows for both a definition of and a breaking with human boundaries and taboos. The uncertainty surrounding cyborgs can make people uncomfortable, creating the desire to draw a clear line between that which is human and that which is not. This fascination with testing the cyborg is featured in many literary works, either explicitly or more surreptitiously. How does this testing occur, how is it explained and justified, and what are the results?