Writing the Environmental Crisis Blog PDF

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Writing the Environmental Crisis Blog [ENG6103] – Lauren Butler An Introduction to Me My name is Lauren, and through this blog, I am going to accept and Self-Realise the environmental crisis that is facing the world today. The topic of this blog has caused an internal fear to grow within me and allowed me to realise the vastness of time in comparison to our time on earth as humans or as Don McKay (2009) refers to it as Deep time. 1 It makes me wonder how, before this module, I was so unyielding. How only now I have had my eyes figuratively pried open to the sheer Environmental Crisis we are facing. The process of addressing and experiencing self-realisation is a daunting road which will lead me to expand my accountability, discernment and critical awareness of apparent ignorance within our society towards the Ecological Decline. My lack of understanding of the issue was in part down to my lack of interest in the problem. I perceived it to be something that was never close enough to home to have a large effect, and so many people share this ideology amongst my generation. However, this inability to address climate change comes from the fact that, as Markman (2018) states, ‘People are often highly motivated to avoid threats’2

Climate change is an umbrella term for multiple factors which give rise to a threatened feeling than others, this causes a lack in motivation for change as the battle between short-term and long-term benefits often outweigh each other. Markman (2018) argues that as Climate change is a Nonlinear problem which goes against the human norm of ‘Making judgements of linear trends…When a function increases slowly at first and then accelerates, though, that causes problems, because people extrapolate that function linearly.’ 3 Meaning that as we don’t see the physical impacts daily it is easier to ignore the issue and push it to the back of our mind.

With entering the Anthropocene, we are now entering a new Geological Epoch, otherwise referred to as an ‘Ice-age’. It opens up the frightening reality of "Three centuries worth of damage by the human race have largely increased" 4. This Blog will explore my response to literary works which address and have given Stark Warnings historically of the Global Crisis and the drastic repercussions. The deeper I have delved into the literature I am again coming to the realisation of

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Don McKay, Ediacaran and Anthropocene || Making the Geological Now (2009) Available at: [accessed 10th October 2020] 2 Art Markman, why people aren’t motivated to address climate change (2018). Harvard Business Review Available at: [accessed 11/10/20] 3

ibid Paul, J, Crutzen. ‘Geology of Mankind’, in Paul J. Crutzen: A Pioneer on Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Change in the Anthropocene (Springer, 2016), pp. 211-215

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how blind I have been to the warnings and how wrong and misinformed my own ideas of the global crisis were.

The Anthropocene The Question of Definition The term Anthropocene was unknown to me previously, whilst I have begun seeking to expand my understanding further, I engaged with different conceptions of the ‘Anthropocene’. The original conception of the term 'Anthropocene' was coined by biologist Eugine Stammer and chemist Paul Crutzen in 2000. 5 They created this term to signify the new geological time. The history of the earths time is divided up into a hierarchal stack of smaller segments of time that work in a sedimentary order referred to as the geologic time scale, the descending time segments are often referred to as ‘eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages.’ 6 However, the term ‘Anthropocene’ is still as yet to be officially recognised by geologists, it has still however the proliferation of the term within the last ten years is particularly interesting. National geographic refer to it as an "unofficial unit of geological time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems." 7 As Elizabeth Kolbert (2011) suggests that the process of piecing together the Earths history can be long and arduous, as geologists often ‘take the long view—the extremely long view—of events, only the most violent of which leave behind clues for us’ 8.

The units of Geological Time mirror the earths own rock layers or ‘Strata’ a term which refers to the presence of sedimentary rocks or soil formed within the earth’s surface with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers 9. Through the analysis of the layers, they are able to identify fossils which allow for the characteristics of these geological time segments to be recorded.

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Working Group on the 'Anthropocene' (2019) Working Group on the 'Anthropocene'. Available at:< http://quaternary.stratigraphy.org/working-groups/anthropocene/> [Accessed:12th October 2020]. 6 National Geographic Society, Anthropocene: National Geographic resource library (2019) [accessed 12 October 2020]. 7 ibid 8 Elizabeth Kolbert, ‘Enter the Anthropocene – Age of Man’, National Geographic, March 2011 < https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2011/03/age-of-man/> [accessed 13 October 2020]. 9

Encyclopaedia Britannica (2010) < https://www.britannica.com/science/stratum-geologyL> [accessed 12 October 2020].

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The term ‘Anthropocene’ can be characterised by the never before presentenced impact of humanity upon the earth, "The largely in calculatable, role in the planets ecology and geology, that 'human activities have become so pervasive and profound that they rival the great forces of nature and are pushing the earth as a whole into planetary ‘Terra Incognita’.” 10 Terra Incognita refers to unexplored and unknown territory. 11 I interpret this definition as relating the new and unfathomable impact of humans and our industrial impact on the negative increase in climate change and the melting of the ice caps which may inevitably happen to a new ice age and migration into an even newer geological time period. The most substantial influence of the migration into the ‘Anthropocene Epoch’ according to the coiners of the term Stammer and Crutzen can be drawn back to around 1800's and the periods of industrial revolution and the invention of the steam engine, closer to our current time within surrounding literature the largest cause is often referred to as the 'Great Acceleration’ which relates to progress conducted since 1945 which directly encompasses human impacts on the entire biosphere. 12 Relating this to the current environmental issues facing the human race, it is notably the industrial development of our society which serves as a significant factor of violence towards the planet. The emotional impact of my research so far is extremely commanding, it generates guilt upon us as human beings due to the violence we inflict on the earth. The duration of violence and level of damage generated is causing us to bask in a sense of bleakness due to the seemly irreversible damage of the planet. It is also causing a deadlock between technological advancements and progression and the preservation of our environment. Through my exploration of the term ‘Anthropocene’ I have been able to critically evaluate the conceptual aspects of the term. I identified the alignment present between Ecocriticism and alternative social conceptions which I have explored within different modules and discussions in seminars, including various branches of feminism and post colonialism to name a few. When addressing the alignment between these approaches it is of equal importance to note the limitations of different approaches. By homing in on Ecofeminism for instance you can delve into an exploration of the many branches of its approach more recently Ecofeminism has developed into Radical Ecofeminism, this is noted by Greg Garrard (2011). He highlights the problems with this methodology and explores the Deep Ecology and Androcentric Dualism between man and women. These two arguments share the same ‘master model’ this conception is expanded by Karen Warren (1944) as she states that along with sharing the ‘master model’ both equally share a ‘common logic of domination.’ 13 Implying that Ecofeminism must involve the 10

Timothy Clark, Ecocriticism on the edge, 1(London: Bloomsbury, 2015), p. 1 Dictionary.com (2020) [accessed 12 October 2020]. 12 Karen Warren, Ecological Feminism, (London: Routledge, 1944) p.129 13 Greg Garrard, Ecocriticism (Oxford: Routledge, 2011), p.23. 11

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‘duality of these two arguments and in-turn suggests the common cause between feminists and ecologists’

UNIT 1 – Romantics Mary Shelley, ‘The Last Man’ + ‘Darkness’ Lord Byron Within this section, I will respond to and analyse the Novel The Last Man (1826) written by Mary Shelley, and the poem Darkness’ (1816) by Lord Byron. Both authors of these chosen texts have shared a perception of the crisis facing potential damage to the environment. Both do this through presenting an almost dystopian end-of-the-world approach to environmental extinction.

The title of the poem ‘Darkness’ signifies the feeling of the depressive imposing end of many things, such as humanity being engulfed by death personified through the darkness. This evokes the question of humanities impact and presence within the universe. There is a clear correlation here to Don McKay’s Deep Time conception. The vastness of nature means it cannot rely on humans to survive as it has been around for such an infinite amount of time. He implies that ‘time is viewed in relation to humanity’s place in it and consists of a present, where we live, and a recent past called history’.14 Ultimately, nature and time will continue whereas humanity is indefinite. Hence, it is in fact the later, being humanity who need and rely on nature to live, breathe, and survive. Therefore, we owe nature’s bounty the respect and love of its environment otherwise the long-term repercussions will cause the end of humanity. This can be denoted from the line ‘The meagre by the meagre were devoured’, 15 implying that it is the man who will be the undoing of men. Deep time in relation to romanticism fits in with the idea of the natural world being an almost timeless element which outlives humanity.

This poem interestingly shifts classic approaches to the duality of humans and nature, rather than presenting us as being at one with nature. The poem deconstructs the romantic idealisation of nature and takes away the very idyll of nature’s existence. In doing so, Byron personified nature

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Don McKay, Ediacaran and Anthropocene, Making the Geological now (2009) [accessed 9/10/20] 15 Wordsworth, Jonathan and Jessica, eds., Eds. Wordsworth, Jonathan and Jessica Wordsworth, eds., (2006) The Penguin Book of Romantic Poetry. Penguin Books

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as being an almost divine power. This can be inferred by Byron’s allusion to the bible throughout the poem, implying that the world which began in darkness will end in darkness. Bryon also aligns nature with warlike qualities as he makes references to war, death, and famine within reference to the biblical ‘Book of Revelations’: ‘And War which for a moment was no more, did glut himself again’16, ‘All earth was but one thought, and that was death, Immediate and inglorious’ 17 , ‘Famine had written fiend’. 18 These three combined attributes inspire not only darkness and the end of time, but also an almost modern apocalyptic comparison to environmental extinction and serves as a reversion back to the beauty of nature, and the biblical illusions of a global garden of Eden. The style and theme of the poem sets

itself

aside

from

typical

romantic poetry and can be seen to resemble the new perceptions to nature as we migrate away from the first-generation romanticism into Image: https://oluwatemilorun.medium.com/lordbyron-darkness-an-analysis-69c2f2dc34b9

the second. We can witness a stark contrast between the works of firstgeneration William Wordsworth and second-generation Lord Byron

for instance. Jonathan Bates (1991) empathises ‘the ecological dimension of romantic periods understandings of the natural world and humanity’s place within it and depicts how romantic works responded’.19 Jonathan Bates further writes ‘When we read Darkness (1816) now, Byron may be reclaimed as a prophet of [...] ecocide' 20. In response to this, I agree. I feel that Lord Byron innately disrupts what we previously perceived through the work of Wordsworth and alike as conventional Romantic idealisation of nature. Katie Rigby (2014) provides secondary criticism within this discussion by considering the work of Johnathan Bates (1991) and Karl Krober (1994); she contributes a differing perspective on romantic constructions of nature, viewing it as not just

16 Wordsworth, Jonathan and Jessica, eds., Eds. Wordsworth, Jonathan and Jessica Wordsworth, eds., (2006) The Penguin Book of Romantic Poetry. Penguin Books 17 ibid 18 ibid 19 Jonathan, B, Romantic Ecology (Routledge Revivals) Wordsworth and the Environmental Tradition (Routledge, 2013). P.62 20 Jonathan, B, Romantic Ecology (Routledge Revivals) Wordsworth and the Environmental Tradition (Routledge, 2013). P.98

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a place for imagination or human innovation, she implies that an ecological dimension was created which allowed for a ‘romantic understanding of the natural world and significantly humanity’s place within it’. 21 Furthermore, Rigby contextualises the romantic construction of nature entailing that the extreme nature of the environmental crisis, had predominately came about as a result of the mass industrialisation referred to as the industrial revolution and the extreme modernisation occurring from around the late eighteenth century. Many literary critics are of the same opinion that it was the new industrial modernisation that romanticism responded to (Bate 19991, 2000; McKusick 2000, Lussier 2000; Morton 2007; Hutchingson 2009). These literary critics publications allowed for an even deeper enlightenment of romantic ecology and aimed to define the notorious ‘slippery term of nature’ 22 Arguably, Darkness (1816) allows Byron to straddle two strands of thought that have not before cohabited. Bryon directly addresses the environmental crisis in relation to modern apocalyptic realities, I feel when analysed and read today it can even be classified as a feminist apocalyptic sublime. Within the introduction of the novel The Last Man (1826) the relationship between nature and human civilisation is well-defined. Shelley both begins and ends the novel with reference to Roman civilisation, intertwining human civilisation and nature.

“the translucent and shinning waters of the calm sea covered fragments of old roman villas […] and received diamond tints from the chequering of the sun-beams” 23.

I feel Shelley decided to engage with the idea of the Roman Empire here as the Roman empire is historically seen as one of the most substantial and advanced civilisations around who were also deeply religious, superstitious and god-fearing, the gods of the roman empire were also connected to elements of nature, for instance the Roman earth goddess was called Terra Mater which translated to Mother Earth and they also worshiped Cybele who was a goddess of earth and fertility, demonstrating this notion of intertwining human civilisation and nature.

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Kate Rigby, 'Romanticism and Ecocriticism', in The Oxford Handbook of Ecocriticism, ed. Greg Garrard (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), p.62 22 ibid 23 Mary Shelley, The Last Man (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008) p.1

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Lines of similarities can be drawn with this concept and with how the romantics struggle with the tension and battle between rational, scientific fact and the contrasting power of art, imagination, and the supernatural and importantly themes of prophesy for the novels connection to reading the novel in relation to the environmental crisis. Themes of prophesy are depicted within the novel through the mention of sibyls’ cave; ‘this is sybil’s cave; these are sibylline leaves.’ 24. Contextually the sibyls were oracles in Ancient Greece. This infusion of supernatural aspects by Shelley into her novel, I believe was influenced by divine inspiration and can be seen to connote the ownership of nature, brining into question the romantic aestheticization of nature that McKay discusses in relation to deep time. Nearing the ending of the novel Shelley writes ‘we could make out little by the dim light, but they seemed to contain prophecies’ 25. From this angle it is easy to identify how the novel embodies what Ursula Heise terms ‘the ecocritical attempt to think beyond conceptual dichotomies that modernity, the Enlightenment, and science were thought to have imposed on Western culture - the separation of subject and object, body and environment, nature and culture’ 26. The opening of the novel can itself be viewed as a representation of scientific discovery as seen through Shelley’s use of scientific language; ‘to form our own conclusion’ 27. During the time in which the novel was written the line between what is possible to imagine to the everyday man and what can really happen and proven by science became more blurred, creating a discourse of realism presented as scientific innovation and industrial modernisation and imagination seen as traditional romantic ideas of prophesy and the supernatural and demonstrates the shift in understanding within the period and the later effect upon western culture, suggesting that Shelley inhabits the same position in her writing as contemporary eco-critics. Shelley within The Last Man (1826) personifies nature with human qualities in a similar style to how does Lord Byron within Darkness (1816). Human qualities within the literature are frequently described in natural terms, the plague and god-like power of nature are infused with human qualities. However, the novel makes a reverse shift as the novel progresses. The characters within the novel are extremely important to consider as to Shelley each are the embodiment of her own personified extinction. As the plague in the novel kills off character after character, The Last Man

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Mary Shelley, The Last Man (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008) P.5 Mary Shelley, The Last Man (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008) P.5 26 Heise, Ursula K., 'The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Ecocriticism', Pmla, 121 (2006), 506-07) 27 Mary Shelley, The Last Man (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008) P.3 25

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recreates Shelley’s history of loss along with her crushing sense of loneliness. The character of Lionel demonstrates a love of nature which resolves around the love he has for his companions and the attachment they have to nature rather than his own. Different characters display different connections to nature. Perdita for instance, embodies the traditional romantic relationship with nature she is described for instance to have ‘wove garlands of flowers and ivy’ 28,while Lionel contrasts and distorts traditional perceptions of romantic relationships with nature, as he describes ‘passions as strong as the trees of a forest, had already taken root within me 29, here Lionel is allowing nature to become an overpowering threat to himself and the later can be inferred as representing the vast power that nature can serve over humanity. However, it can be argued that as more industrial advancements occurred man gained the ability to overcome nature or ‘the power of the elements’ 30 this is achieved through the increase in machinery and the increased exception of science within the romantic period.

Isaiah Berlin claims Romanticism inaugurated ‘the greatest single shift in consciousness of the west’31. Like the catastrophic natural disaster and extinction scenes depicted in The Last Man (1826), when read in relation to our own understanding of the environmental crisis...