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September 1999 Women, Nature, Literature, and the Classroom Book Review By Antonia Gorman

 

Ecofeminist Literary Criticism: Theory, Interpretation, Pedagogy edited by Greta Gaard and Patrick D. Murphy (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1999). $19.95 paperback. 256 pages.

Between the 16th and 17th centuries, the scientific revolution replaced the concept of an organic cosmos with a mechanistic world view. Prior to that time, the controlling image of the Earth and its creatures as living organisms operated as an ethical restraint against human exploitation of the natural world. The process of mechanizing the world, however, changed the Western conceptual formulation. The Earth came to be seen as insensible matter—devoid of life, vitality, and soul—and its operations the mere external movement of parts, rather than the interrelational, internally motivated functioning of an organic whole. This reformulation not only removed any inhibitions against exploitation, it also created an ethical imperative to probe and dominate the natural world: if nature was nothing more than an intricately constructed machine (it was reasoned), then humanity was under an obligation to take the machine apart to learn how it functioned. Only by gaining command of its mechanisms could one learn to operate the planetary apparatus for maximum social benefit.

Ironically, the thinking that placed humans above and separate from nature paved the way not only for ecological exploitation in the name of human progress, but also for social inequity. If nature was an inert machine (so the logic went), it was because nature was pure body. Humans, on the other hand, were said to be body and mind. To be fully human, therefore, was to separate oneself as much as possible from the vicissitudes and demands of the body. From this perspective, some humans were seen to be less human than others, because they were less transcendent of bodily requirements. Women and all people of color were placed in this class.

In the 1960s, feminism developed a sustained critique of the reasoning used to justify the subordination of women. Later, ecofeminism extended the critique to other subordinated groups, examining the interconnections between the oppression of women, nature, and people of color. At the same time, ecofeminism advocated the application of its developing theory to specific movements, actions, and practices.

In an attempt to apply ecofeminist theory to the “practice” of literary criticism and the “actions” of literature teachers, Greta Gaard and Patrick Murphy have compiled 12 essays by 13 authors. Ecofeminist Literary Criticism begins with an historical grounding in the works of Françoise d’Eaubonne, a Frenchwoman who coined the term ecoféminisme in the 1970s. It then progresses through such varied themes as the connection between biological diversity and multiculturalism; the links between disparagement of the body and racism; the disproportionate ecological and economic burdens borne by the poor, the indigenous, and women; the false objectivity of science and technology; and the roles of “nature” versus “nurture” in human identity formation.

These themes are developed in conversation with an extraordinarily broad variety of texts: from Marge Piercy’s science-fiction Woman on the Edge of Time to the poetry of William Wordsworth; from East German Christa Wolf’s No Place on Earth, Cassandra and Accident to Latina-American Ana Castillo’s So Far from God. The collection ends with two essays by John Paul Tassoni and Gaard, who share their respective experiences teaching ecofeminist theory to literature students. Both use an approach that allows students to collaborate with teachers in the selection of reading material, the critique of that material, and in Tassoni’s case, the grading of students’ work.

In this book, Gaard and Murphy have done an impressive job providing an overview of the heterogeneity within ecofeminism. Certainly there are issues of importance to the movement that are touched on only briefly (such as animal welfare or the role of spirituality) and others that are not addressed at all (for instance, population concerns or women’s ecological movements in the developing world). Still, a sense of the rich diversity within ecofeminist theory and among ecofeminist adherents is well conveyed. Of course, with such a diverse collection of theories and authors comes specialized vocabulary and variety of writing styles—some of which are more opaque than others. Josephine Donovan’s piece, for instance, may be difficult reading for those not already acquainted with structuralist or poststructuralist language theory and the connotations of such terms as signifier, signified, and referent. However, most of the contributions require no previous knowledge of linguistic or ecofeminist theory, and even Donovan’s article is accessible to the uninitiated if her brief explanations are attended to carefully.

Ecofeminist Literary Criticism’s greatest strength lies not in its presentation of theory, however, but in its application of theory to specific literary texts. By focusing our attention on the characters and plots of individual works of literature, the authors reveal the relevance of sometimes esoteric concepts for a complex world with diverse inhabitants. By using an ecofeminist lens to focus our attention on individual women, individual members of human minority populations, and individual nonhumans, the authors highlight the fact that these beings are full subjects, thereby exposing the indefensibility of theories that support hierarchy, dualism, and a mechanized understanding of the natural world. This same lens also enhances the view of textual elements not readily apparent through other literary critical forms, thus heightening reader appreciation of the story or poem under discussion. Ecofeminism and literary criticism are thus mutually enriching, making this collection of essays satisfying reading for anyone interested in these fields or in their classroom application.

Antonia Gorman is a doctoral candidate in theology at Drew University, with a specialization in environmental ethics.

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