Literary Darwinism: Term and Concept
Term
Literary Darwinism refers to a late 19th-century and early 20th-century trend of applying the principles of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to the study of literature. This approach often emphasized themes of competition, survival of the fittest, and the influence of environment on literary works. However, the term is considered largely outdated and problematic due to its oversimplification of both Darwinian principles and the complexities of literary creation.
Concept
Literary Darwinism sought to analyze literature through a lens of biological determinism. It viewed literary texts as products of their social and historical environments, with “superior” works naturally rising to prominence. This approach often led to interpretations that reinforced harmful hierarchies based on race, gender, and class. Additionally, it ignored the role of individual creativity and the complex ways in which literature both reflects and shapes cultural values.
Literary Darwinism: Theorists, Works and Arguments
Theorists
While no single theorist codified Literary Darwinism as a unified movement, figures who contributed to its ideas include:
- Herbert Spencer: British philosopher who applied evolutionary ideas to society, coining the phrase “survival of the fittest.” His influence led to views of literature progressing towards higher, more complex forms.
- Hippolyte Taine: French critic who emphasized the deterministic influence of race, environment, and historical moment on literature.
- American Naturalists: Writers like Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, and Theodore Dreiser, whose works often depict characters shaped by heredity and social forces beyond their control.
Works
Directly theorizing Literary Darwinism is less common than works that implicitly reflect its principles:
- Emile Zola, Germinal (1885): A novel exploring class struggle and hereditary determinism within a French mining town.
- **John Griffith London (Jack London), The Call of the Wild (1903): A story about a dog’s survival, often interpreted through a lens of biological determinism.
- Scholarly Articles: Individual articles analyzed literature through an evolutionary lens, but there was no central text outlining a unified Literary Darwinian theory.
Central Arguments
- Literature as an Organism: Literary works were seen as evolving similarly to biological organisms, subject to natural selection.
- Determinism: Literary quality and success were pre-determined by factors like the author’s race, gender, social conditions, or historical era.
- Focus on Struggle and Survival: Themes of competition, survival, and the harsh realities of life were emphasized in interpretations.
- Hierarchical Views: Literary Darwinism often reinforced problematic ideas about ‘superior’ cultures or races, viewing literary history as linear progression.
Important Considerations
- Literary Darwinism is largely rejected: Today, it’s mostly studied as a historical phenomenon, not a valid critical approach. Its reductive interpretations and potential for harmful social implications make it problematic.
- Influences linger: Some evolutionary concepts can be applied to literature in more nuanced ways (see Evolutionary Literary Criticism), but with crucial differences from the deterministic models of Literary Darwinism.
Literary Darwinism: Key Principals
| Key Principle | Definition | Literary References |
| Adaptation | Literature reflects adaptations to environmental challenges and serves evolutionary purposes. | Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” |
| Natural Selection | Literary works evolve through natural selection, with successful traits passed down over time. | Joseph Carroll’s “Literary Darwinism: Evolution, Human Nature, and Literature” |
| Reproduction | Successful literary themes, motifs, and narratives replicate and spread across cultures. | Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” |
| Fitness | Literary texts that resonate with universal human experiences are considered more “fit.” | William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” |
| Survival | Stories that resonate with readers and endure across generations have survival value. | Homer’s “The Odyssey” |
| Adaptability | Literature adapts to cultural changes, reflecting shifts in societal norms and values. | Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” |
| Genetic Drift | Random changes and variations in literary traditions influence the evolution of literature. | James Joyce’s “Ulysses” |
| Cultural Evolution | Literary evolution is shaped by cultural factors, including technology, politics, and beliefs. | George Orwell’s “1984” |
| Inheritance | Literary traditions inherit and pass down elements from previous works, shaping future texts. | Virgil’s “The Aeneid” |
| Fitness Landscape | The literary landscape consists of peaks (successful works) and valleys (less successful ones). | F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” |
Literary Darwinism: How to Use in Literary Critiques
Steps for Addressing Literary Darwinism
- Identify Elements: Look for signs of Literary Darwinist thinking in the text you’re analyzing:
- Do characters seem driven primarily by biological urges or social forces beyond their control?
- Is there a focus on themes of competition, survival, or harsh deterministic environments?
- Are any cultures/races presented as inherently “superior” to others in a way that suggests a hierarchy?
- Consider Context:
- When was the work written? Literary Darwinism was most prominent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Research the author’s background – were they influenced by the scientific and social theories of the time?
- Critique, Don’t Apply: Instead of using Literary Darwinism as your analysis lens, focus on critiquing its presence.
- How do these deterministic views limit interpretations of the characters and their actions?
- Does the text reinforce harmful stereotypes or social hierarchies?
- Discuss how a more nuanced reading of the work challenges the Literary Darwinist ideas it might superficially suggest.
**Case Study: Jack London’s The Call of the Wild **
- Darwinian Elements: The novel focuses on Buck the dog’s survival, his reversion to primal instincts, and themes of competition in the harsh Yukon environment. A superficial reading could emphasize biological determinism.
- Context: London was familiar with the ideas of Herbert Spencer and influenced by the harsh realities of the Klondike Gold Rush.
- Critique: While the novel has Darwinian elements, it can be read more productively as a commentary on the complex relationship between nature and nurture, and the dangers of viewing “civilization” in simplistic hierarchical terms.
Important Reminders
- Literary Darwinism is flawed; your critique should expose those flaws rather than validate them.
- Many works with Darwinian themes can be analyzed compellingly through other critical lenses (social critique, environmental studies, etc.).
Literary Darwinism: Criticism Against It
- Reductionism: Critics argue that Literary Darwinism reduces complex human experiences and creations to simplistic biological or evolutionary explanations.
- Oversimplification: Critics contend that it oversimplifies the rich tapestry of human culture by attempting to fit all literary phenomena into a narrow evolutionary framework.
- Ignoring Cultural Context: Critics argue that Literary Darwinism often disregards the cultural, historical, and sociopolitical contexts in which literary works are created and interpreted.
- Lack of Empirical Evidence: Critics claim that many assertions made by Literary Darwinists lack empirical evidence and rely heavily on speculation.
- Neglect of Individual Agency: Critics argue that Literary Darwinism neglects the role of individual agency, creativity, and intentionality in the production and reception of literature.
- Ethical Concerns: Some critics express ethical concerns about reducing human creativity and cultural products to mere byproducts of evolutionary processes, potentially devaluing human experience and expression.
- Oversights in Evolutionary Psychology: Critics point out limitations and oversights in the application of evolutionary psychology principles to literary analysis, highlighting the complexity of human behavior and cultural evolution.
Literary Darwinism: Key Terms
| Key Term | Definition |
| Adaptation | Literary works evolve to suit environmental and cultural conditions. |
| Natural Selection | Successful literary traits are preserved and passed down over time. |
| Reproduction | Successful literary themes, motifs, and narratives are replicated across cultures. |
| Fitness | Literary texts resonate with universal human experiences, making them more “fit.” |
| Survival | Enduring stories across generations possess survival value. |
| Adaptability | Literature adapts to changing cultural norms and values. |
| Genetic Drift | Random changes influence the evolution of literary traditions. |
| Cultural Evolution | Literature evolves in response to cultural shifts, including technology and ideology. |
| Inheritance | Literary traditions inherit and pass down elements from previous works. |
| Fitness Landscape | Literary landscape consists of successful (peaks) and less successful (valleys) works. |
Literary Darwinism: Suggested Readings
- Buss, David M. The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating. Basic Books, 2016.
- Carroll, Joseph. Literary Darwinism: Evolution, Human Nature, and Literature. Routledge, 2004.
- Gottschall, Jonathan. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. Mariner Books, 2012.
- Miller, Geoffrey. The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature. Anchor Books, 2001.
- Nesse, Randolph M., and Williams, George C. Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine. Vintage Books, 1996.
- Pinker, Steven. How the Mind Works. W. W. Norton & Company, 1997.
- Pinker, Steven. The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature. Penguin Books, 2003.
- Wilson, Edward O. Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge. Vintage Books, 1999.
- Wilson, Edward O. On Human Nature. Harvard University Press, 2004.
