The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin: Exploration of Gender and Identity
Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness is a groundbreaking science fiction novel that has earned its place among the genre’s greatest works, winning both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novel. The story transports readers to a distant planet, home to a genetically altered human species, and follows the adventures of an envoy sent to this icy world.
Book Review: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Published in 1969, The Left Hand of Darkness remains one of Le Guin’s most celebrated and widely read books. It not only takes readers to a vividly imagined alien planet but also explores profound themes about humanity, identity, and the complexities of interstellar alliances. The novel is set in a universe where humans have colonized numerous planets, and the story delves into how these civilizations interact and coexist.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin - The Plot: A Journey to Winter
The protagonist of the novel is Genly Ai, an envoy from the planet Terra, who is sent to a frozen world known as Winter (or Gethen, as its inhabitants call it). Ai’s mission is to persuade the people of Gethen to join the Ekumen, a coalition of planets united for mutual benefit.
“There are eighty-three habitable planets in the Ekumenical Scope, and on them about three thousand nations or anthrotypic groups-”
Gethen is a unique planet, far removed from the other members of the Ekumen. Its most striking feature is its perpetual Ice Age, with its inhabitants having adapted to the harsh, freezing environment. The planet’s extreme climate has shaped its culture, technology, and way of life.
In one of the novel’s dialogues, Ai explains the differences between Gethen and his home planet, Terra. He notes that while Terra has moved further from its last Ice Age, it still shares fundamental similarities with Gethen. However, the Gethenians, accustomed to their frigid world, find it difficult to comprehend the concept of warmer planets.
“Our sub-arctic regions are rather like your habitable zone; we’re farther out of our last Ice Age than you, but not out, you see. Fundamentally Terra and Gethen are very much alike. All the inhabited worlds are. Men can live only within a narrow range of environments; Gethen’s at one extreme...”
“Then there are worlds hotter than yours?”
“Most of them are warmer. Some are hot; Gde, for instance. It’s mostly sand and rock desert. It was warm to start with, and an exploitive civilization wrecked its natural balances fifty or sixty thousand years ago, burned up the forests for kindling, as it were.”
A Genderless Society: A Thought Experiment
One of the most fascinating aspects of Gethen is its inhabitants’ lack of fixed gender. The Gethenians are androgynous, neither male nor female, except during a brief period known as kemmer, when they can adopt either gender for reproductive purposes. This unique biological trait has profound implications for their society, culture, and interpersonal relationships.
Le Guin uses this concept to conduct a thought experiment, exploring how a genderless society might function. In her introduction to the novel, she describes science fiction as a “thought experiment,” and The Left Hand of Darkness is a prime example of this approach.
The Gethenians’ reproductive cycle, known as the somer-kemmer cycle, lasts between 26 and 28 days. For about 21 days, they are in somer, a genderless state. During the remaining days, they enter kemmer, a period of sexual receptivity, where they can become either male or female. This cyclical nature of gender has shaped every aspect of Gethenian society, from their social structures to their industries and even their storytelling.
“The structure of their societies, the management of their industry, agriculture, commerce, the size of their settlements, the subjects of their stories, everything is shaped to fit the somer-kemmer cycle. Everybody has his holiday once a month; no one, whatever his position, is obliged or forced to work when in kemmer. No one is barred from the kemmerhouse, however poor or strange. Everything gives way before the recurring torment and festivity of passion. This is easy for us to understand. What is very hard for us to understand is that, four-fifths of the time, these people are not sexually motivated at all. Room is made for sex, plenty of room; but a room, as it were, apart. The society of Gethen, in its daily functioning and in its continuity, is without sex.”
For Ai, a human male accustomed to a binary gender system, adapting to this society is a profound challenge. He experiences cultural and biological shock as he navigates a world where gender is fluid and temporary.
“He was so feminine in looks and manner that I once asked him how many children he had. He looked glum. He had never borne any. He had, however, sired four. It was one of the little jolts I was always getting. Cultural shock was nothing much compared to the biological shock I suffered as a human male among human beings who were, five-sixths of the time, hermaphroditic neuters.”
“A man wants his virility regarded, a woman wants her femininity appreciated, however indirect and subtle the indications of regard and appreciation. On Winter they will not exist. One is respected and judged only as a human being. It is an appalling experience.”
The Nations of Gethen: Karhide and Orgoreyn
Genly Ai’s mission takes him to two major nations on Gethen: Karhide and Orgoreyn. Karhide, the first nation he visits, is ruled by a king and has a unique political system. Despite its seemingly archaic structure, Karhide is a place where freedom of speech is valued, even if actions are tightly controlled.
However, Ai’s initial attempts to persuade the Karhidians to join the Ekumen fail. The concept of a coalition of planets is too alien for a society that has yet to develop flying vehicles, relying instead on skis and sleds for transportation.
Ai then travels to Orgoreyn, a nation governed by a coalition of factions. At first, Orgoreyn appears more progressive and open than Karhide, but Ai soon discovers that it is a tightly controlled society with a secret police force monitoring its citizens.
“In Karhide king and kyorremy have a good deal of control over what people do, but very little over what they hear, and none over what they say. Here, the government can check not only act but thought. Surely no men should have such power over others.”
Ai’s journey takes a dramatic turn as he finds himself in a life-threatening situation, only to be rescued by an unexpected ally. The novel then follows Ai and his companion as they embark on a perilous journey across Gethen’s icy wilderness.
Unique Concepts: Mindspeech, Foretelling, and Shifgrethor
Le Guin introduces several intriguing concepts in The Left Hand of Darkness. One of these is mindspeech, a form of telepathic communication used by the Ekumen. Unlike verbal communication, mindspeech is incapable of deception, as it conveys thoughts directly.
“We have NAFAL ships and instantaneous transmission and mindspeech, but we haven’t yet tamed hunch to run in harness; for that trick we must go to Gethen.”
The Gethenians, on the other hand, have developed the ability of *foretelling*, a form of precognition. Certain groups on Gethen, known as the Handdara, practice this skill, offering insights into the future in exchange for a price.
“The unknown,” said Faxe’s soft voice in the forest, “the unforetold, the unproven, that is what life is based on. Ignorance is the ground of thought. Unproof is the ground of action. If it were proven that there is no God there would be no religion. No Handdara, no Yomesh, no hearthgods, nothing. But also if it were proven that there is a God, there would be no religion... Tell me, Genry, what is known? What is sure, predictable, inevitable—the one certain thing you know concerning your future, and mine?”
“That we shall die.”
“Yes. There’s really only one question that can be answered, Genry, and we already know the answer. ... The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next.”
Another key concept is shifgrethor, a term that encompasses prestige, honor, and pride. For the Gethenians, shifgrethor is of utmost importance, often valued more than life itself. This cultural trait may explain why Gethen has never experienced large-scale wars, despite its competitive nature.
“The fact is that Gethenians, though highly competitive (as proved by the elaborate social channels provided for competition for prestige, etc.) seem not to be very aggressive; at least they apparently have never yet had what one could call a war. They kill one another readily by ones and twos; seldom by tens or twenties; never by hundreds or thousands. Why?”
The Hainish Cycle
While The Left Hand of Darkness can be read as a standalone novel, it is part of Le Guin’s larger Hainish Cycle, a series of loosely connected stories set in the same universe. The series explores themes of colonization, cultural exchange, and the evolution of human societies.
Le Guin’s The Dispossessed, another acclaimed novel, is also part of this cycle. However, each book in the series is self-contained, allowing readers to enjoy them independently.
Final Thoughts
The Left Hand of Darkness is a masterful exploration of gender, identity, and society, wrapped in a gripping narrative of interstellar diplomacy and survival. Le Guin’s imaginative world-building and thought-provoking themes make this novel a timeless classic in the science fiction genre.
About the Book
Title: The Left Hand of Darkness
Author: Ursula K. Le Guin
First Published: 1969
Publisher: Ace Books
Number of Pages: 304
This review is part of my ongoing exploration of science fiction classics. If you’re a fan of thought-provoking narratives and richly imagined worlds, The Left Hand of Darkness is a must-read.
See also: Top 32 Best Science Fiction Books, Novels & Series: Must-Read Classics and New Sci-Fi Gems
