Eco-Criticism in Contemporary Literature: Reading Nature in Fiction and Poetry

Eco-criticism has emerged as a dynamic and transformative field within literary studies, offering an analytical lens through which the environmental dimensions of literature can be explored and reimagined. As the world grapples with intensifying ecological crises—ranging from global warming and biodiversity loss to resource depletion and environmental injustice—literature serves not only as a mirror to these upheavals but also as a means of interrogating the cultural and ethical frameworks that underlie them. Within the current Anthropocene epoch, marked by profound human impact on the planet, literature acquires new urgency as it reflects our fractured relationship with nature while simultaneously re-envisioning more equitable and empathetic ecological futures. This paper examines how contemporary fiction and poetry incorporate eco-critical perspectives to challenge human-centered worldviews and to foreground the intrinsic value and agency of the natural world. Drawing upon seminal theories of eco-criticism articulated by Cheryll Glotfelty, Lawrence Buell, Timothy Morton, and others, the study investigates the intersection of literature and environmental discourse 123. Through close analysis of selected works by writers such as Margaret Atwood, Amitav Ghosh, Richard Powers, Alice Oswald, Jorie Graham, and Joy Harjo, the paper illustrates how narratives can become powerful vehicles for cultivating ecological ethics and consciousness. The research underscores that literary texts do not merely respond to ecological anxieties but actively shape the ways we perceive and interact with the environment, thereby fostering new modes of ecological engagement.