LITR 5737: Literary & Historical Utopias
Midterm Submission 2007

Liz Davis

The roles of Religion and Women in a Utopian Society

            The word Utopia is originated from Sir. Thomas More’s novel Utopia. A word that is created merely from Greek eu (good as in euphoria) + topos (place) to create “good place”. More created what one would call the ideal society, a society or pure peace, no wars, crime, or fear.  These communities were based on the equality of all rather than people as individuals. The inhabitants of a utopian society are usually working towards some sort of common goal.  The idea of the “good place” was to advocate positive societal changes.  In 2005 Matt Mayo referred to the idea of Utopian “literature allows readers to experience a better world vicariously, and consequently, compare the organizational differences within the utopian society to their own.”  It seems as though this type of literary genre was created to promote thought.

            Thomas More paved the way for this revolution in literature. More’s piece Utopia       explicates the idea of community and piece. More created a travel narrative where he becomes intrigued by the stories of Ralph Hythloday.  The ideas Ralph spoke of his countries and how they lived seemed ideal to More.  In Utopia everyone has a role they must fulfill in order to contribute to their community. Women were not prevent from war they were right there along side there men fighting for the same thing.  Although the many Utopian novels that followed More’s Utopia seemed to all be based on the idea of Christianity, Utopia idealized religion as freedom.  People were free to exercise their freedom of religion. “However, the law states that they must all believe in one Divine Being and that they are forbidden to believe that the human's soul dies with his body”.

Religion was illustrated throughout several Utopian novels as the basis of equality. The inhabitants of these many different communities all believed in one thing and worked towards one goal. In Christianopolis a literary Utopia that was written by Johannes Andreae a Lutheran minister who believed highly in the Bible and its word. Now this is a common theme for a novel, ship looses its way and then conquers an island. Andreae describes this boat wrecking as an opportunity for a rebirth “surviving the shipwreck and being cast ashore alive on Capharsalama is not only a rebirth, it is an opportunity to live a better life and die a better death” (Andreae).  Andreae took this and developed the society that based every aspect of life off of Lutheran Principles and basic education. Although women had a standard that they must adhere to they too were educated. Women were educated but they could only do jobs like cook and clean for their husbands. In this Christian society women were described as not afraid or ashamed of serving their men. This idea explicated the idea of dystopia.

            Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is described as a “Lost Feminist Utopian Novel”. Herland is an interesting perspective into the idea of Utopia as a perfect society.  This novel is developed as somewhat of an adventure novel.  Three young men are curious about this society that is only populated by women. All women in this community are equal no one seems to be better than the other. This Utopian society was about the women being equal and living a life of peace. These women weren’t described as beautiful it wasn’t about being a delicate woman. Life in Herland was about functioning and being able to take care of themselves and each other. Gilman’s idea depicts a feminist community that wanted isolation and peace. The women of this society played all the roles in the society but the most significant was how they were compared to mothers “ this society Mother-love with them was not a brute passion, a mere “instinct,” a wholly personal feeling; it was---a religion”  (Gilman 68).

The Oneida community was presented by Tish Wallace from which we famously have silverware. This community again had the common idea of religion. This community was created by John Humphrey Noyes his idea for this society “Separation from society was needed to encourage conditions under which social and spiritual perfection could be achieved.  Since one can’t construct a perfect society out of corrupt building blocks, the aim of the community was at “maintaining a perfect social order, and also at improving the individuals within that order”. The literary and historical Utopia’s all have this idea about the marriage and sex roles in these societies. For the most part these perfect societies have marriages that are purely for convenience and reproduction rather than love.

Women and Religion play a large role in the Utopian societies. Utopia evolved as an intriguing literary genre. There are different roles that women and religion play with in the societies. In some societies there are certain women who are designated to bare the children. Sex just hinders the communities’ common goal. Then you have societies like the Oneida communities were “Free love” takes place. One woman does not belong to one man everyone loves everyone. Utopian society is somewhat endearing but in the same token it seems to be rather flawed. There is no individuality you are one family in these societies. People take the idea of Utopia and take it were they want to whether its building there own community or joining a community. In essence all Utopias are the illustration of a beautiful world and society it’s a fantasy.

1a. How to define the literary genre of “utopias?” What elements and difficulties repeatedly appear? What audiences are involved or excluded?

2b. What problems of plot or narrative rise from a utopian vision that minimizes conflict and maximizes description or exposition of success and harmony? What genre variations derive from these problems with plot?

3a.To investigate historical, nonfiction attempts by “communes,” “intentional communities,” or even nations to put utopian ideals into practice. Admittedly, all utopian communities eventually fail (or at least submerge), but how to get beyond “They don’t work” as a discussion-stopper? (For instance, even if all utopias fail, that doesn’t stop people from imagining or attempting utopias.)