The Diamond Lens

E1010717

The Diamond Lens is an 1858 speculative short story by Fitz-James O’Brien about a scientist who creates an extraordinarily powerful microscope and discovers a miniature world within a drop of water.

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf science fiction short story
short story
speculative fiction work
author Fitz-James O’Brien NERFINISHED
centralDevice diamond lens NERFINISHED
microscope
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
fictionalTechnology perfect diamond lens
genre fantastic literature
science fiction
speculative fiction
hasCharacter Linn NERFINISHED
Microscopic woman NERFINISHED
hasEnding tragic
hasFictionalWorld microscopic aquatic civilization
hasForm prose
hasImagery microscopic world
hasMotiveForInvention desire to see deeper into nature
hasSubject scientific curiosity
the dangers of obsession
unrequited love
influencedGenre microscopic science fiction
language English
length short
literaryMovement American fantastic literature
early American science fiction
mainCharacterOccupation microscopist
scientist
narrativePerspective first-person narration
notableFor blend of science and the supernatural
early depiction of microscopic worlds in fiction
originalPublicationYear 1858
period 19th century literature
plotElement creation of an extraordinarily powerful microscope
discovery of a miniature world in a drop of water
protagonist Linn NERFINISHED
publicationMedium magazine
setting 19th-century New York City
theme ethical implications of scientific experimentation
isolation of the scientist
limits of perception
obsession with scientific discovery
tone gothic
melancholic
usesScienceConcept microscopy
optics
workOfAuthor Fitz-James O’Brien NERFINISHED

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Fitz-James O’Brien notableWork The Diamond Lens