Roots of Ecocriticism: An Exploration of The History of Eco-Criticism, A Literary Theory of The Post-Modern World
Roots of Ecocriticism: An Exploration of The History of Eco-Criticism, A Literary Theory of The Post-Modern World
Roots of Ecocriticism: An Exploration of The History of Eco-Criticism, A Literary Theory of The Post-Modern World
RESEARCH ARTICLE
ABSTRACT
The study of literature has long been preoccupied with historical
approaches. However, in recent years critics are increasingly aware of the relation
between literature and geography, and drawing insights from the mutual study of
these two fields. Nature and literature have always shared a close relationship as is
evidenced in the works of poets and other writers down the ages in almost all
cultures of the world. The world of literature throngs with works dealing with
Article Info: beauty and power of nature. However, the concern for ecology and the threat that
Article Received 25/3/2015
Revised on: 20/4/2015 the continuous misuse of our environment poses on humanity have only recently
Accepted on: 25/4/2015 caught the attention of the writers. It is this sense of concern and its reflection in
literature that have given rise to a new branch of literary theory, namely
Ecocriticism. This research paper gives a brief history of the gradual growth of
Ecocriticism as a post-modern literary approach. Ecocritics lay emphasis on the
preservation of landscape in order to save the human race. Ecocriticism not only
lays emphasis on the ‘harmony’ of humanity and nature but also talks about the
destruction caused to nature by the changes which take place in the modern world
for most of which man is directly responsible. Ecocriticism is a fairly new concept
but it has gained importance rapidly. More and more scholars have become aware
of it and they are eager to do their research in the field of Ecocriticism and other
areas associated with it. There have also been numerous debates on whether to
include human culture in the physical world. Despite the broad scope of inquiry all
ecological criticism shares the fundamental premise that human culture is
connected to the physical world, affecting it and affected by it.
to their natural environment. As man moved from Glotfelty’s The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in
science to modern technology nature became the Literary Ecology published in 1996 adeptly narrowed
“Other”. All that is not man came to be called as the term in spite of a “postmodern age *that+ exist*s+
nature. O. J. Joycee and Evangeline Manickam in an in a constant state of flux” as “the study of the
article, From Ego- centered to Eco-centered relationship between literature and the physical
Humanism: A Wilburian Perspective in The Atlantic environment” (Glotfelty and Fromm xviii).
Literary Review utter these words: The distinction between environmental
Cultural anthropologists like Levi–Strauss writing and ecocritical writing is critical to an
distinguish nature and culture by stating understanding of ecocriticism. Glotfelty notes that
that which is universal and spontaneous and “environmental writing supports a dualism that
not dependent on any particular culture, or asserts nature as totally separate from humanity,
any determinate form, belongs to nature. while ecocritical writing unifies the two, or at least
Inversely that which depends upon a system analyzes the relationship between them” (Glotfelty
of norms regulating society and therefore is and Fromm xx). Foundational to this study of work in
capable of varying from one social structure nature is Ralph Waldo Emerson’s definition of nature
to another belongs to culture. (76) and art and his argument about what it means to be
Ecocritics can initiate change, as Lawrence whole through work in nature. In his essay, “Nature”,
Buell believes, “admittedly nothing is more shocking Emerson defines nature as “essences unchanged by
for many humanists than to find their ideas taken man,” and art as a “mixture of *man’s+ will with *what
seriously. But it might just happen in this case. That is unchanged by man+” (Slater 3). Thus, employing
self- identified Ecocritics tend to be folk who nature as a subject of literary study should address
seriously entertain that possibility is one reason why human will in nature. Emerson acknowledges that
the best ecocritical work is so strange, timely, and environmental problems arise because of man’s
intriguing”(Buell 710). “resumption of power” and that “*t+he problem of
Arthur Lovejoy’s contribution in this field is restoring to the world original and eternal beauty. . .
also very eminent. He observes that one of the is solved by the redemption of the soul. The ruin or
strangest, most potent and most persistent factors in the blank, that we see when we look at nature, is in
the western thought is the use of the term ‘nature’ to our own eye” (Slater 45). Ecocritics lay emphasis on
express the standard of human values, the the preservation of landscape in order to save the
identification of the good with that which is ‘natural’ human race. Ecocriticism not only gives emphasis on
or ‘according to nature’. Nature has always proved to the ‘harmony’ of humanity and nature but also talks
be stronger than human. It has often shown its about the destruction caused to nature by the
power by controlling manpower through natural changes which take place in the modern world for
calamities like famine, drought, flood, earthquake most of which man is directly responsible.
etc. Human’s life and nature are so interlinked that it Ecocriticism expands the notion of “the
is not possible for human beings to separate world” to include the entire ecosphere. Ecocriticism
themselves from its influence. Therefore they have takes an earth-centered approach to literary
no choice but to accept both nature’s bounty and criticism. Literary scholars specialise in questions of
adversity. This can be said to be reciprocal as nature value, meaning, tradition, point of view, tradition and
too is the recipient of human’s action. Our language and it is in these areas that we are making a
irresponsible actions cause irreparable damages to substantial contribution to environmental thinking.
nature. This is how the chain of ecosystem works in Over the last three decades, it has emerged as a field
which everything is related to each other and of literary study that addresses how humans relate to
therefore affects each other. However, even with a non- human nature or the environment in literature.
term that defined a new group of writing, Cheryl Today, with the development and expansion of
ecocritical studies, any line between human and non- 6) Kroeber, Karl. Ecological Literary Criticism: Romantic
Imagining and the Biology of Mind. New York: Columbia U
human nature has necessarily blurred. So when
P, 1994. Print.
subjected to Ecocriticism, literature of all periods and 7) Branch, P. Michael and Scott Slovic, ed. The ISLE Reader:
places—not only ecocentric or environmental Ecocriticism. 1993-2003. Athens and London: U of Georgia
literature or nature writing, but all literature is Press, 2003. Print.
8) Joycee, O. J and Evangeline Manickam From Ego- centered
viewed in terms of place, setting, and environment.
to Eco-centered Humanism: A Wilburian Perspective The
CONCLUSION Atlantic Literary Review Vol. 7, No.2, 75-84. Print.
To sum up, as a distinctive approach to the 9) Buell, Lawrence. The Future of Environmental Criticism:
practice literary criticism, ecocriticism gives increased Environmental Crisis and Literary Imagination. Oxford:
Blackwell Publishing, 2005. Print.
attention to literary representatives of nature and is
10) Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Nature”. The Essays of Ralph
sensitive to interdependencies that ground the Waldo Emerson, Joseph Slater ed. United States of
author, character or work in the natural system. This America: Harvard U P, 1987. Print.
approach shifts critical focus from social relations 11) Frederick, Suresh. “Suicidal Motive:An Ecocritical Reading
of Four Poems.” Essays in Criticism. Eds. Nirmal
toward natural relationships and views the individual
Selvamony, Nirmaldasan and Rayson K. Alex. New Delhi:
as a member of ecosystem. It values highly the Sarup,2007. 135-143. Print.
‘literary sense of place’ not as setting but as an
essential expression of bonding with or alienation
from a specific natural context. From the beginning
the writers have shown interest towards nature,
culture and landscape. An ecocritical approach views
human’s relationship with nature by his interaction
with nature because it supports the idea that nature,
as a literary subject, surrounds all parts of life. Suresh
Frederick rightly says that, “Ecocriticism gives human
beings a better understanding of nature” (134).
Ecocriticism is a necessary part of literary scholarship
because literature cannot separate characters from
nature and that they domesticate either destructively
or productively.
WORKS CITED
1) John Loretta. Greening the library: The Fundamentals and
Futre of Ecocrticism. ASLE. n.d. May 30 2011. Web.
(http://www.asle.org/assets/docs/Ecocriticism_essay.pdf)
2) Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary
and Cultural Theory. Manchester:Manchester U P 1995; 3rd
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3) Love, Glen A. Practical Ecocriticism: Literature, Biology, and
the Environment. Virginia: University Press of Virginia, 2003.
Print.
4) Glotfelty, Cheryll and Harold Fromm. ed. The Ecocriticism
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