Shakespeare and the evolution of the human umwelt: adapt, interpret, mutate

Abstract

This theoretical and narrative work brings together the diverse fields of ecocriticism, biose-miotics and Shakespeare in a thought-provoking and original way to construct the argument that the nature of narrative is life itself. Day offers a new perspective on the connections between the natural environment, human bodies and literature, viewing texts as organisms that operate within an evolutionary system that emerges from, and runs parallel to, our material world. Day argues that information in interrelated systems adapts and mutates as it travels through time and space, shaping the future in unpredictable ways. This idea is illustrated in each chapter through an examination of a Shakespeare play and a modern work that is genetically related to the earlier drama. Day chooses to focus on Shakespeare because his works are particularly influential and ubiquitous in our culture, although Day points out that their stories can be traced back to the earliest civilisations. These examples underline the importance of literature’s role in the transmission of ideas and the construction of the human umwelt , a term coined by the German biologist Jakob Von Uexküll to denote ‘the species-specific linguistic habitat that humans share in common’ (xxii). In each chapter, Day builds on the theories of scientists and literary critics, and he inter-sperses the narrative in this often personal work with engaging stories from his own life that support his argument. Day hopes that his insights into our deep connection to the natural world will encourage humanity to disregard arbitrary barriers between species and see the world from an evolutionary perspective. In this way, the author aims to foster a greater respect for nature and a heightened awareness of the cascading effects our actions can have on the environment. This is very much a book for our times as the world continues to grapple with Covid and global warming. living love