Welcome readers! This blog is written in response to the thinking activity assigned by Dr.Dilip Barad sir from Department of English, MKBU. This blog deals with various western literary theories like Marxism, Feminism, Ecocriticism and Queer theory. In this Particular blog, I will discuss about Ecocriticism and its application in literary texts and movies.
Introduction :-
Eco-criticism is a relatively new field of critical study, with the history of its founding only going back to the mid-twentieth century. The theory focuses on exploring humanity's relationship with the natural world, with many aspects of it found in modern literature. As the global climate crisis worsens, eco-criticism has significantly grown in importance.
Eco-criticism is a critical study in literature that investigates humanity's relationship to the environment. This can be found in many forms, including literature, film, or the arts. Eco-criticism aims to evaluate how humans interact with the natural world with the goal of improving how we treat the environment. In recent years, eco-criticism has become linked to activism as the global ecological crisis becomes more prevalent and mainstream. Many eco-critical texts either critique how humanity treats the natural world or provides more compassionate and productive ways to coexist with nature.
Eco-criticism can be widely encompassing, with few characteristics in common between works, aside from a concerted interest in environmentalism. A key aim of the critical study is to contribute to the efforts to drastically improve humanity's relationship with the natural world. This theory also operates in close collaboration with climate changes and their findings.
Ecocriticism was a term coined in the late 1970s by combining “criticism” with a shortened form of “ecology”—the science that investigates the interrelations of all forms of plant and animal life with each other and with their physical habitats. “Ecocriticism” (or by alternative names, environmental criticism and green studies) designates the critical writings which explore the relations between literature and the biological and physical environment, conducted with an acute awareness of the damage being wrought on that environment by human activities. In short, we can understand that Ecocriticism is the study of literature and ecology from an interdisciplinary point of view, where literature scholars analyze texts that illustrate environmental concerns and examine the various ways literature treats the subject of nature.
It was first originated by Joseph Meeker as an idea called "literary ecology" in his The Comedy of Survival: Studies in Literary Ecology (1972). The term 'ecocriticism' was coined in 1978 by William Rueckert in his essay "Literature and Ecology: An Experiment in Ecocriticism". It takes an interdisciplinary Point of view by analyzing the works of authors, researches and Poets in the context of environmental issues and nature.
Key Concepts of Ecocriticism :-
Ecocriticism explores the relationship between literature and the environment, emphasizing environmental concerns. Key concepts include:
1. Nature as Text : Viewing the environment as a text to be interpreted, with literary works reflecting and influencing societal attitudes toward nature.
2. Anthropocentrism : Critiquing the human-centered perspective that often neglects non-human entities, promoting a more ecologically inclusive worldview.
3. Environmental Justice :Examining how literature engages with issues of environmental inequality and social justice, particularly in relation to marginalized communities.
4. Place and Space : Analyzing the depiction of landscapes, ecosystems, and the impact of human activity on these environments within literary works.
5. Ecofeminism : Exploring the intersection of ecological and feminist perspectives, highlighting connections between the exploitation of nature and the subjugation of women.
6. Postcolonial Ecocriticism : Investigating the environmental implications of colonialism, including the exploitation of natural resources and the impact on indigenous communities.
7. Environmental Ethics : Considering the ethical dimensions of literature in shaping attitudes towards the environment, fostering a sense of responsibility and stewardship.
8. Ecological Imagination : Encouraging a reimagining of human-nature relationships, fostering a deeper ecological awareness and connection through literary expression.
These concepts collectively contribute to the understanding of how literature reflects, shapes, and responds to environmental concerns. [ This answer is generated from ChatGpt]
[ Prompt :- What are some Key Concepts of Ecocriticism?]
Different Types of Ecocriticism :-
As the field has expanded , various types of Ecocriticism have surfaced and developed. Below are some types of Ecocriticism. It include : Pastoral, wilderness and Ecofeminism.
1. Pastoral :-
Pastoral, found primarily in British and American literature, focuses on the dichotomy between urban and rural life, often idealizing nature and rural life and demonizing urban life. There are three branches of pastoral ecocriticism: Classical , romantic and American.
● Classical is Characterized by nostalgia and nature as a Place for human relaxation and reflection.
● Romantic is Characterized by Portraying rural independence as desirable.
● American emphasizes agrarianism and represents land as a resource to be cultivated.
2. Wilderness :-
Wilderness examines the ways in which the wilderness is constructed, valued and engaged with. There are two branches of wilderness ecocriticism: Old World and New World.
- Old World Potrarys the Wilderness as a scary, threatning Place beyond the borders of Civilization and as a Place of exile.
- New World Potrarys the Wilderness as a Place of sanctuary where one can find relaxition and reflection, similar to Classical Pastoral ecocriticism.
3. Ecofeminism :-
Ecofeminism analyzes the connection between the domination of women and the domination of nature, usually by men. It draws parallels between women and nature, which is often seen as feminine, fertile and the property of men. Ecofeminism also includes other aspects of environmental justice, such as racial environmental justice. There are two branches of ecofeminism :-
□ The first branch of ecofeminism embraces the idea that women are inherently closer to nature than men on a biological, spiritual and emotional level. This branch is often called radical ecofeminism because it reverses the domination of men over women and nature.
□ The second branch of ecofeminism contradicts the first, arguing that neither women nor men are more likely to connect with nature.
1. They re-read major literary works from an ecocentric perspective, with particular attention to the representation of the natural world.
2. They extend the applicability of a range of ecocentric concepts, using them of things other than the natural world -concepts such as growth and energy, balance and imbalance, symbiosis and mutuality, and sustainable or unsustainable uses of energy and resources.
3. They give special canonical emphasis to writers who foreground nature as a major part of their subject matter, such as the American transcendentalists, the British Romantics, the poetry of John Clare, the work of Thomas Hardy and the Georgian poets of the early twentieth century.
4. They extend the range of literary-critical practice by placing a new emphasis on relevant 'factual' writing, especially reflective topographical material such as essays, travel writing, memoirs, and regional literature.
5. They turn away from the 'social constructivism' and 'linguistic determinism' of dominant literary theories (with their emphasis on the linguistic and social constructedness of the external world) and instead emphasise ecocentric values of meticulous observation, collective ethical responsibility, and the claims of the world beyond ourselves.
Following are the important works of Ecocritical theory :-
● Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac (1949).
● Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962).
● Ecology without Nature (2007) by Timothy Morton
● The Comedy of Survival : A Literary Ecology and a Play Ethic ( 1997) by Joseph w.Meeker
● The Future of Environmental Criticism (2005) by Lawrence of Buell
● Desert Solitarie : A season in the wilderness (1968) by Edward Abbey
Further, 'outdoor environment' as a series of adjoining and overlapping areas which move gradually from nature to culture.
Area one :- 'the wilderness' (e.g. deserts, oceans, uninhabited continents).
Area two :- 'the scenic sublime' (e.g. forests, lakes, mountains, cliffs, waterfalls).
Area three :- 'the countryside' (e.g. hills, fields, woods).
Area four :- 'the domestic picturesque' (e.g. parks, gardens, lanes).
Selected examples of Ecocritical literature :-
1. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson :-
2. Flight Behavior by Barbara kingsolver :-
This novel explores climate change, the interconnectedness of species , and the impact of human actions on the environment.
These works showcases the diverse ways in which literature can engage with ecological issues , fostering a deeper understanding of humanity's relationship with the natural world. Now, Let us try to apply these concept in Movies.
1. Kadvi Hawa ( 2017) film :-
2. Sherni (2021) film :-
"Sherni" (2021) can be considered as a film that explores environmental and ecological themes. Directed by Amit Masurkar and starring Vidya Balan, the movie revolves around a female forest officer's efforts to address the conflict between humans and wildlife in a rural Indian setting. The film delves into issues such as man-animal conflict, conservation, and the delicate balance between human development and the preservation of wildlife and their habitats. "Sherni" contributes to the discourse on environmental concerns, making it a notable example of Bollywood cinema with ecocritical elements.
3. Anthropocene : The Human Epoch (2018) film :-
"Anthropocene : The Human Epoch" can be analyzed through the lens of ecocriticism, examining how the film portrays and critiques the impact of human activities on the environment. Ecocriticism often explores the intersection between literature, culture, and the environment, and in the case of this documentary, it would involve evaluating how the film represents humanity's relationship with the Earth, the consequences of industrialization, and the role of technology in shaping the environment. This analysis could delve into the narrative choices, visual elements, and overall message of the film from an ecocritical perspective.
So, these films touch on environmental aspects and the treatment of Ecocriticism themes might besubtle in some cases.
Conclusion :- To Conclude, Ecocriticism is a literary and cultural theory that examines the relationship between literature and the environment. It explores how texts portray nature, human interactions with the environment, and the ecological challenges we face. This interdisciplinary approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of literature, culture, and the natural world, encouraging a deeper understanding of environmental issues and fostering a sense of responsibility toward our planet.
Here, I end my blog on Ecocriticism. I hope that this blog will be helpful to you.
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