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From Pestilence to Pollution: Eco-Criticism and the Transformation of the Four Horsemen in Good Omens
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From Pestilence to Pollution: Eco-Criticism and the Transformation of the Four Horsemen in Good Omens
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Journal Article
From Pestilence to Pollution: Eco-Criticism and the Transformation of the Four Horsemen in Good Omens
2025
Overview
Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s (1990) Good Omens offers an apocalyptic rewrite of mythology, making it clear that Pestilence has been overthrown and replaced with Pollution as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. This replacement reflects contemporary shifts of the cultural spotlight from the fear of infectious disease, which peaked in the mid-20th century, to the slow, gradual, and pernicious environmental damage caused by human agency. This shift continues through the current concerns of ecological collapse and climate change. Conventional wisdom suggests that in the Book of Revelation, Pestilence represents disease and decay. However, in Good Omens, Pollution symbolizes humanity’s most pressing existential threat: ecological devastation. Unlike apocalyptic works like McCarthy’s The Road (2006) and Mad Max, which depict a braver, more violent apocalypse, Good Omens critiques environmental destruction through humor and satire. Pollution is characterized as a passive yet powerful protagonist, representing modernity’s acceptance of ecological violence, spoofing obscene consumerism, and highlighting the destructiveness of modern societal habits. Through the lens of eco-criticism, this paper discusses how Good Omens interrogates current ecological worries and contributes to the conversation around climate justice. This approach ultimately leads to an insightful exploration of how Pestilence’s reframing as Pollution challenges the tropes of the apocalyptic genre, engaging with broader ecocritical and cultural discussions about the role literature can play in shifting perspectives on the ecological crises faced today.
