Term of Award

Spring 2025

Degree Name

Master of Arts in English (M.A.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of English

Committee Chair

Olivia Carr Edenfield

Committee Member 1

Bradley Edwards

Committee Member 2

Hans-Georg Erney

Abstract

The theory of ecofeminism in literature combines ecocriticism and feminism to articulate the overlap of environmental concerns and the subjugation of women and other vulnerable populations. In American Literature, the application of ecofeminist theory is a tool used to expose cultural anxieties throughout time by emphasizing the roles of women and the importance of their connection to the environment during moments of national progression. Current scholarship surrounding ecofeminism in American literature addresses this trend as it applies specifically to texts written by women writers of the 19th and 20th centuries, but does not extend further to legitimize ecofeminism as it applies to a larger scope of American texts and contemporary concerns. This essay addresses the gap in current criticism, prioritizing the overlap of ecofeminist theory and American experience to show the importance of this critical lens to the study of American literature. Tracing this theory back to women writers of the 19th and 20th centuries, such as Caroline Kirkland, Zora Neale Hurston, and Susan Fenimore Cooper, allows for a comprehensive understanding of the distinct presentation of ecofeminism in American literature. Applying the blueprint provided by these earlier authors to contemporary texts, such as Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (2005) and Daniel Mason’s North Woods (2023), adds a new layer of understanding to the roles of both women and the environment in all American literature.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

Download

Share

COinS