Boise State Students discover the “first-eco” movements prevalent within the English Romanticism Literary period in the Simplot Ballroom.

Written for, Me on May 2, 2012. 

The Boise State Arts and Humanities Institute completed their three part lecture series “Interdisciplinary Explorations-The Idea of Nature Public Lecture Series,” with Kevin Hutching’s presenting; “Romanticism, Blake, and the Politics of Nature.” 

From 6 to 7pm Aug. 30, Hutchinson’s presentation reviewed in delicate grace, the “first-eco” movements prevalent within the English Romanticism Literary period; including paranoid schizophrenic ecologist-William Blake and with poise, the politics of preserving nature as life. 

Hutchinson is also the Research Chair of the Literature, Culture and Environmental Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia. His lecture, included three live renditions of Blake’s ecologically-based songs. In between of which, he explained how the first ecological movements expressed their discontent with, “killing of green things that were in the way.” Hutchison’s voice only cracked once, infecting the audience with a nugget of humility.

Politics is a distinctly human activity, we often think of nature as something that exists apart from the political realm, Hutchings said. However, in an era of revolutionary turmoil, William Blake, who championed “England’s green and pleasant land” against industrialism’s “dark Satanic mills,” understood better than any other romantic poet that nature was subject to myriad political uses. By showing how cultural institutions invoke nature to “naturalize” their authority, Blake reveals that nature can be thoroughly political—The Update reports.

It was interesting to hear ecologist from centuries ago discus the dark implications of capitalism. Writers such as Blake, express the importance of considering ecology as “political” movement and not just as an un-popular green philosophy. Blake believed that man belonged to nature and not nature belonging to man. He argued against the “Satanic Mills,” destroying the English country side during the Romantics-areas industrial revolution. During this time period, and todays, trees are considered “green objects that simply get in the way of man.” It is important for ideals like these to be addressed, because if we don’t, the globe will ruin the opportunity to create a sustainable future viable for later generations.

Written May 6th, 2012

-Thanks again for reading, Bryce Dunham-Zemberi