Answer in 190 words only. It shouldn’t miss anything important. I know it’s a bit tricky, but it’ll help you in the examination room.
"Ecocritical Exploration of Nature in Henry David Thoreau's 'Walden'".... Ecocriticism is a literary and cultural theory that examines the relationship between literature and the natural environment. It emerged as a response to environmental concerns, aiming to explore how literary works represent nRead more
“Ecocritical Exploration of Nature in Henry David Thoreau’s ‘Walden'”….
Ecocriticism is a literary and cultural theory that examines the relationship between literature and the natural environment. It emerged as a response to environmental concerns, aiming to explore how literary works represent nature, interact with ecological issues, and reflect human attitudes towards the environment.
In contemporary literary studies, ecocriticism is relevant for several reasons. It encourages a deeper understanding of how literature shapes and is shaped by environmental contexts, fostering awareness of ecological crises and advocating for environmental stewardship. Ecocritical approaches analyze literary texts through the lens of ecological principles, exploring themes such as human-nature relationships, environmental degradation, and the impact of industrialization on ecosystems.
In Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden,” an ecocritical analysis focuses on Thoreau’s transcendentalist exploration of nature as a source of spiritual and philosophical insight. Thoreau’s depiction of Walden Pond and the surrounding woods emphasizes the interconnectedness of humans and the natural world, advocating for simplicity, self-sufficiency, and harmony with nature. Ecocritics might examine Thoreau’s observations of seasonal changes, wildlife interactions, and his critique of industrial society’s environmental impact. Thoreau’s call to reconnect with nature and live deliberately resonates with ecocritical concerns about sustainability and environmental ethics, making “Walden” a foundational text in ecocritical discourse.
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T.S Eliot in his essay "Tradition and Individual Talent", explains how tradition is not static, but is dynamic. Every new work, engages with the vast tradition of literary works written before and hence, alters it. Eliot puts emphasis on historical consciousness of poets, which means that a buddingRead more
T.S Eliot in his essay “Tradition and Individual Talent”, explains how tradition is not static, but is dynamic. Every new work, engages with the vast tradition of literary works written before and hence, alters it. Eliot puts emphasis on historical consciousness of poets, which means that a budding poet must interact and be aware of the rich literary tradition of his past, so write something new and interesting. According to him, individual talent cannot exist on its own. It necessarily draws from tradition and hence changes it by entering the literary canon. In this essay, he also gave the concept of impersonal theory of poetry, which essentially means that a poet’s personal emotions and passions should be distanced while writing a work of art. There must be a continuous surrender of the “personal self” to write better poetry.
See lessHe employed the same theory in his practice of poetry as well. If one examines his classic poem “The Wasteland”, they are bound to find fragments of various literary works and tradition. For instance, it has references from Shakespeare, ancient Greek literary texts as well as Indian scriptures like Upanishads. It has the words, “Datta. Dayadhvam. Damyata.,” which are directly taken from the Upanishads.