INSTRUMENTALIZING WOMEN, OTHERS AND NATURE: AN ECOFEMINIST READING OF MARGRET ATWOOD’S MADDADDAM

Abstract

This research paper presents an ecofeminist reading of Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam and examines it for the dualistic treatment of women, Others and nature, the culturally marginalized identities. Drawing on the ecofeminist (ecological feminist) philosophy which asserts that the oppression of women and other human others and domination of nature are interconnected, the study examines the selected text with an aim to find that literature also represents the oppression of women and Others and domination of nature. Drawing on the role of value dualisms which, Val Plumwood, an ecofeminist philosopher, holds responsible for the exploitation of both women and nature, the study seeks to explore the role of patriarchy in the instrumentalization and commodification of not only women and nature but also of other human others (Others). These inferiorized identities in the cultural hierarchy are taken as mere instruments. In the backdrop of the instrumentalised treatment, these identities are taken as having no intrinsic value and thus have no end in themselves. It is only the upperside that has the authority to use these lowersides as mere resources without any moral consideration. Under the umbrella of textual analysis as the research method, the study aims to analyze the role of androcentric and anthropocentric ideologies for the commodification of women, Others and nature. The study concludes that along with women and nature, Others are also instrumentalised/commodified by the centric ideologies adopted by patriarchal agencies in a cultural setup.