AN EXPLORATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECOCRITICAL PERSPECTIVES IN AMITAV GHOSH'S SELECTED NOVELS

Abstract

       In modern literary criticism, the relationship between literature and environmental studies has grown in importance, especially in the context of eco-criticism, which investigates the complex interrelationships between people, the natural world, and the environment. Amitav Ghosh emphasizes ecological issues in his novels by fusing historical, social, and cultural aspects with environmental difficulties. This study focuses on The Shadow Lines, The Glass Palace, The Hungry Tide and Gun Island analyzing the theme of eco-criticism within the novels of Amitav Ghosh. This study examines the ways in which Ghosh portrays the intricate interconnections between individuals and their environment, with particular emphasis on themes such as colonial resource exploitation, climate change, and relocation. This study utilizes a qualitative research methodology to assess the selected novels through an ecocritical framework, highlighting Ghosh's advocacy for ecological consciousness and his critique of environmental degradation. The results indicate an advanced understanding of environmental issues, as Ghosh interrogates readers' perceptions of nature and human accountability through the integration of different narratives. In addition to highlighting the agency of oppressed populations and non-human species in ecological environments, his works show how colonial and postcolonial histories are intertwined with environmental exploitation. Ghosh's books push the readers to think critically about current environmental issues and to acknowledge the interdependence of human and ecological systems by emphasizing environmental catastrophes, climate change, and human relocation. By offering a comprehensive examination of the environmental consciousness present in Amitav Ghosh's fiction, this study adds to the developing field of ecocritical studies in South Asian literature.