Unveiling Ecocritical Dimensions in Amitav Ghosh's "The Glass Palace": Colonialism, Resource Exploitation, and Power Dynamics

The proposed paper offers an in-depth exploration of ecocritical perspectives within Amitav Ghosh's magnum opus, "The Glass Palace." Focused on the overarching themes of colonialism and resource exploitation, the analysis employs the theoretical frameworks of metabolic rift and Michel Foucault's concept of power to unravel the intricate layers of environmental discourse embedded in Ghosh's narrative. The study delves into the portrayal of landscapes altered by colonial powers, emphasizing the ecological consequences of resource extraction. Ghosh's intricate storytelling provides a lens through which the metabolic rift, a concept rooted in Marxian ecological thought, is scrutinized. The paper examines how colonial interventions disrupt the natural metabolic processes of the environment, leaving enduring scars on the landscapes depicted in the novel. Furthermore, Foucault's notion of power dynamics is applied to unravel the intricate web of control and dominance in the context of resource exploitation. The paper explores how power relations shape and perpetuate environmental exploitation, as depicted in the interactions between colonizers and colonized in "The Glass Palace." By merging ecocriticism with the lenses of metabolic rift and Foucault's power dynamics, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between colonialism, resource exploitation, and environmental consequences in Ghosh's work. Through this interdisciplinary approach, the study seeks to contribute to a broader discourse on the intersectionality of literature, ecology, and power dynamics in the post-colonial context.