Ecocriticism: Associating Literature and Ecology to Raise Environmental Consciousness

Abstract

Ecocriticism explores the relationship between literature and the environment through an in disciplinary lens, integrating insights from diverse fields to analyze ecological challenges and propose solutions to pressing environmental crises. Emerging in the mid-1990s with foundational texts such as The Ecocriticism Reader by Cheryll Glotfelty and Harold Fromm, and Lawrence Buell’s The Environmental Imagination, this field examines how literature reflects environmental issues, cultural perceptions of nature, and human attitudes toward the natural world. Ecocriticism emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, advocating for sustainable interactions and critiquing anthropocentric ideologies. Concepts like Deep Ecology and Ecofeminism challenge traditional paradigms of development and underscore the need for ethical and ecological awareness. This article delves into the evolution of ecocriticism, its methodologies, and its influence on literature and culture, emphasizing its significance in addressing ecological and social crises through a multidisciplinary approach.