The Iconography of Ada Lovelace in Fictional Worlds

Abstract

Ada Lovelace has served as a kind of revelation for those in the arts -- she has inspired a reappraisal of how the story of science itself is told in a way that more closely mirrors the reality of those in STEM disciplines: as a collaborative space where knowledge is advanced through the efforts of the many, not the exile of the one. In that regard, Ada Lovelace is both an icon for increased global enfranchisement of women and girls in STEM fields and a paragon for a reimagined culture of STEM fields entirely. In other words: poetical science. This essay examines the iconography of Ada Lovelace with emphases in four literary landscapes: The Difference Engine, Arcadia, The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, and Doctor Who.

Keywords

• Ada Lovelace
• STEM
• computer science
• literature
• women studies