Who coined the term eco criticism?

The Story Behind “Ecocriticism”: It’s Not Just About Hugging Trees (But That’s Okay Too!)

These days, with climate change headlines blaring, it’s hard not to think about the environment. And that’s where ecocriticism comes in – it’s basically looking at literature and culture through a green-tinted lens. But have you ever wondered where this whole “ecocriticism” thing even came from? Who thought, “Hey, let’s analyze books based on their environmental message?”

Well, it’s a bit of a winding path, actually. While ecocriticism really took off in the 90s, the seeds were planted way before that. Think of Joseph Meeker back in 1972. He wasn’t using the “eco-” word, but his idea of “literary ecology” was all about spotting those biological themes and connections hiding in stories. He argued that we were kind of messing things up by separating ourselves from nature, which, looking back, seems pretty spot-on.

But the person who actually coined the term? That’s William Rueckert. In 1978, he wrote an essay where he described ecocriticism as using ecological ideas to understand literature. Simple as that! He was hoping to find a sweet spot where humans and nature could, you know, actually get along.

Now, you can’t talk about the birth of ecocriticism without mentioning Rachel Carson. Her 1962 book, Silent Spring, was like a wake-up call for the planet. Suddenly, everyone was paying attention to environmental issues, and that paved the way for scholars to start digging into the eco-stuff in books and poems. It’s like she gave everyone permission to care!

Fast forward to the late 80s and early 90s, and things really started to heat up. Cheryll Glotfelty was a total champion for ecocriticism. She started giving talks at conferences in 1989, spreading the word and getting people excited. And get this: in 1990, she landed the first-ever professor gig in Literature and the Environment at the University of Nevada, Reno! Talk about a pioneer. Glotfelty defined ecocriticism as “the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment,” and her Ecocriticism Reader (1996) is basically the bible for anyone getting into this field.

And let’s not forget Lawrence Buell! His 1995 book, The Environmental Imagination, is another must-read. He really dug deep into how Western literature deals with nature, wilderness, and all things ecological.

Of course, ecocriticism isn’t stuck in the past. It’s evolved! Early on, it was all about nature writing and pretty landscapes. But now, it tackles the tough stuff too, like environmental justice (making sure everyone has a healthy environment, not just the privileged), globalization, and even how cities are portrayed. It’s about all the ways humans and the environment interact, good and bad.

So, the next time you hear “ecocriticism,” remember it’s not just about hugging trees (though, hey, no judgment if you do hug trees!). It’s about understanding our relationship with the world around us, and how that relationship shows up in the stories we tell. And that’s a story worth exploring.