Panopticon References in Modern Literature and Arts

The Panopticon, as discussed in class, is a prison designed by Bentham in which there is a prison with just one guard in a central tower that can view every prison cell. The prisoners will not know if the guard is watching them or not so they will be forced to behave at all times.



This is obviously an interesting idea and has influenced many works in the modern day. Here are just a few notable examples of the Panopticon making its way into modern works. In 1981 Marquez's wrote the novella Chronicle of a Death Foretold, in which the Vicario brothers spend three years in a Panopticon. In the popular TV show, Doctor Who, the main character visits a Panopticon throughout multiple episodes. In the video game, Battlefield 4, there is a mission in which you must break out of a Panopticon.

In another video game, Batman: Arkham Origins, Batman must break into a Panopticon.



One of the most recent examples is in Guardians of the Galaxy. The main characters are imprisoned in a Panopticon for a short time.