Eco-Criticism and Socio-Political Issues through Literary Texts

Abstract

Nature can’t speak for herself and thus time and again she retorts with calamities, making us vulnerable and impotent. This paper proposes to explore the various geopolitical and socio-political intricacies of man versus nature, which are portrayed by Indian English writers. The genuine concern for nature along with marginal demography and water habitats is the main focus around which Amitav Ghosh’s (2016)‘The Hungry Tides’ and Arundhati Roy’s (1999) ‘The Greater Common Good’ revolves. The paper aims at establishing intertextuality between the two texts focusing on the concerns of both the writers over nature and also depicting vulnerability of humans in front of the wrath of nature. The texts lack literary similarities but the theme revolves around interference of human beings in the disruption of the ecological balance and about the sufferings of the marginal people being a part of the broader nature encompassed in its thrall. Both authors bring forward to the global community issues which can damage nature and human beings bringing out the hidden socio-political reasons along with environmental concerns. As the paper proceeds, we will explore the tangible yet profound manifold relationship between human and nature. The true meaning of symbiosis is established not in the society of civilization but through roots that penetrate into the soil sustaining life. These discussions will be done through the mentioned literary texts to provide a basic guidance to researchers and fellow environmentalists before they venture into the world of the 'other'