Ecofeminism and John Milton's Paradise Lost
Ecofeminism and John Milton’s Paradise Lost
In the King James Bible, God creates the world. He creates the sea, the field, the plants, and the animals. His most prized creation, however, is man, whom he creates in his own image. To man he gives dominion of his previous Earthly creations. The first man, Adam, chooses the name of each plant and animal. When Adam realizes that he is unfulfilled and lonely, God creates woman out of Adam’s rib. Eve, the first woman, is also subordinate to Adam (King James Bible, Genesis: 1-3). Thus, the creation story teaches us that women and the natural environmental are inherently inferior to men because God intended it to be so. The field of ecofeminism links the environmental and feminist movements, highlighting their dual paths of exploitation and oppression at the hands of man. While men are typically associated with culture, women are associated with nature. Men are the cultivators of knowledge and civil society, with the power to govern and rule. Women, on the other hand, are the source of birth and nourishment. It is no coincidence that “God” is male while “Mother Nature” is female. Though some women find the connection to nature limiting, there is no question that a parallel exists (Plumwood 22). Milton expands upon Genesis: 2-3 in his epic poem about Adam and Eve’s fall from the Garden of Eden. In Paradise Lost, ecofeminism is obviously demonstrated as Adam’s domination over Eve mirrors man’s domination over nature. The environmental destruction that the world faces today is undoubtedly due to man and an anthropocentric worldview that places human needs and wants above all others. We face climate change, rising seas, ocean acidification, deforestation, massive extinction, and other devastating environmental problems because man is valued over nature. This problem is especially pronounced in Western capitalist and consumerist culture. Christianity is often cited as inherently opposed to the environmental
In the King James Bible, God creates the world. He creates the sea, the field, the plants, and the animals. His most prized creation, however, is man, whom he creates in his own image. To man he gives dominion of his previous Earthly creations. The first man, Adam, chooses the name of each plant and animal. When Adam realizes that he is unfulfilled and lonely, God creates woman out of Adam’s rib. Eve, the first woman, is also subordinate to Adam (King James Bible, Genesis: 1-3). Thus, the creation story teaches us that women and the natural environmental are inherently inferior to men because God intended it to be so. The field of ecofeminism links the environmental and feminist movements, highlighting their dual paths of exploitation and oppression at the hands of man. While men are typically associated with culture, women are associated with nature. Men are the cultivators of knowledge and civil society, with the power to govern and rule. Women, on the other hand, are the source of birth and nourishment. It is no coincidence that “God” is male while “Mother Nature” is female. Though some women find the connection to nature limiting, there is no question that a parallel exists (Plumwood 22). Milton expands upon Genesis: 2-3 in his epic poem about Adam and Eve’s fall from the Garden of Eden. In Paradise Lost, ecofeminism is obviously demonstrated as Adam’s domination over Eve mirrors man’s domination over nature. The environmental destruction that the world faces today is undoubtedly due to man and an anthropocentric worldview that places human needs and wants above all others. We face climate change, rising seas, ocean acidification, deforestation, massive extinction, and other devastating environmental problems because man is valued over nature. This problem is especially pronounced in Western capitalist and consumerist culture. Christianity is often cited as inherently opposed to the environmental
Cited: Gray, Elizabeth D. "Man-Above: The Anthropocentric Illusion." Green Paradise Lost. American Buddha. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. King James Bible. Genesis 1-3 Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Gordon Teskey. New York: Norton, 2005. Print. Plumwood, Val. Feminism and the Mastery of Nature. London: Routledge, 1993. Print.