Ecocriticism and Ecofeminism

Hello readers !

Welcome to my blog !

This blog is about ecocriticism and Ecofeminism. Which way we can understand the both terms. This blog is part of my academic thinking activity that is assigned by Dr. Dilip barad sir. Click here to visit sir's blog

Why this is needed  to know about it? If we think about Ecofeminism then again the question comes in our mind that is why women's closeness to nature ? May be that is answer of patriarchal society. The Male power dominated woman and Nature. We know that there is a reason behind it but that woman is more related to the nature because both have similar characteristics of caring, nurturing and also reproduction. But we have to argues, that is not a true nature and behavior of women that is the result of patriarchy.

The Theory of Ecocriticism :

If we look for a meaning of Ecocriticism then that means :    

"ecocriticism is the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment".

The term Ecocriticism is coined by William Rueckert in a 1978 article which called for the formulation of "an ecological poetics".

So in the study of literature we don't study only one thing,but various things that are studying in literature. Like Ecocriticism and Many more. How Nature is represented in literature. What is the relation between ecology and literature? That question is raised in mind. Generally, ecocriticism can be applied to a primary source by either interpreting a text through an ecocritical lens, with an eye towards nature, or examining an ecocritical trope within the text. Ecocriticism is known by a number of other designations, including "green (cultural) studies", "ecopoetics", and "environmental literary criticism".

If we think about Indian literature then we find that in Indian literature nature comes as a character and  plays a vital role. Derrida argues that there is nothing outside of text, but another philosopher Kate soper  "it is not language which has hole in the ozone layer".

Ecofeminism :

Ecocriticism also called ecological feminism, branch of feminism that examines the connections between women and nature. Its name was coined by French feminist Francoise d'Eaubonne in 1974.

The term "Mother Nature"  in which the women assimilate with nature is highly problematic, and also this acceptance is mutual exploitation.

Feminist and ecofeminist questioned this negative implications of the feminization of nature. Also they discussed what is the reason behind it. As Sherry Ortner states in her 1974 article “Is Female to Male as Nature is to Culture,” when women are seen as “closer” to nature, it also makes them easier to subordinate, just as nature itself is everywhere devalued and subordinated. This is a very interesting article.

Why do people not think differently? We should fight for the separate consideration of women and nature, and work to empower them both. Because the truth is that both women and the environment suffer under this conflation. This technique through patriarchy dominating both Nature and women.

" Then up I rose,

And dragged to earth both branch and bough, with crash

And merciless ravage: and the shady nook

Of hazels, and the green and mossy bower,

Deformed and sullied, patiently gave up

Their quiet being: and, unless I now

Confound my present feelings with the past;

Ere from the mutilated bower I turned

Exulting, rich beyond the wealth of kings,

I felt a sense of pain when I beheld

The silent trees, and saw the intruding sky.—

Then, dearest Maiden, move along these shades

In gentleness of heart; with gentle hand

Touch—for there is a spirit in the woods."

- Wordsworth 'Nutting'

This is a poem 'Nutting ' by William Wordsworth. But here we find that the binary opposition between men and women's view and action towards nature. As we said that nature is feminine that is the perfect example. So in this poem we got the idea , How the views and thoughts of humanbeing differentiate by gender. That is not a natural thing but mainly that all constructed.

The boy cuts and mutilates nature who he chops down branched. Nature becomes deformed and contaminated with his action. Nature also quietly yields and does not fight back. The boy feels masculine heroism who's establishment of authority. And at the end of the poem he asks the maiden to be gentle, to treat nature gently. Here Wordsworth tries to mark femininity by gentleness whether  in nature or in humanity. It is the responsibility of the maiden to ensure care for the forest. In the whole human Culture is itself, the boy or man destroys nature and girl or women heals the nature.

In our society whatever is depressing and dominated by others that is compared with women. And also whatever way people want they used. Like River, Earth.In India we have  rivers like Ganga, Narmda that represent as a devi (नमामि देवी नर्मदे).  Whether Rivers and land and all the things compared with women, but why does the sea, ocean don't compare with women ? That is also part of nature. In a way the sea also gave birth to many life's, we also got many things from the sea.
Personally I feel that because man can not bound(બંધ) the ocean and also not make dams like a river. And also do not dominate like a river. This all the difference between implications of man and women that is also problematic.

In every society we find that gendered language continues to pervade our everyday conversation, unconsciously women also part of that. We have to be aware of these things. And try to change it. Although we have to change our language then maybe this little step also changed the mentality of people.

Thank you.....🙂