Towards an ethical existence

Abstract

This study investigates the theme of crossings in literature, whether it involves trespassing boundaries or limitations, or crossings that enable hybridizations. The concept of crossing is linked to its ethical potential in our geo-historical time, the Anthropocene, a period that calls for a reexamination of the foundations of ethics. To achieve this, well-known literary works such as Os Lusíadas by Luís de Camões, Paradise Lost by John Milton, and Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood are examined. The analysis is based on Jane Bennett's concept of enchantment. Additionally, authors who adhere to the Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO) perspective, such as Graham Harman and Timothy Morton, will be brought into the discussion. The primary goal of this paper is to investigate the role literature and art (in general) play in a time when the rational foundation of ethics is being questioned. The Anthropocene is understood here as a new geological epoch that begs for a revisiting of certain concepts and dichotomies that shape modernity. Thus, there is an acknowledgment of the need to reconsider the foundation of ethics given the rupture provoked by the Anthropocene. This paper provides an examination of the complex interplay between literature, ethics, and the Anthropocene, emphasizing enchantment as a conceptual tool to unravel the ethical dimensions presented by the selected literary works. Furthermore, the works of Camões, Milton, and Atwood expose some of the implications of the enchantment/disenchantment dichotomy that characterizes modernity. The study, therefore, aims to contribute to how literature and art can help cultivate affects that aid in navigating contemporary ethical challenges in a world marked by significant climate transformations.