From Pastoral to Posthuman: Reimagining Nature in Contemporary Indian Fiction of Amitav Ghosh, Shubhangi Swarup, and Sheela Tomy

Abstract

Considering Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh, Latitudes of Longing by Shubhangi Swarup, and Valli by Sheela Tomy, this paper seeks to explore the evolving landscapes concerning nature in contemporary Indian fiction through an ecocritical and post-humanist study. Ecocriticism studies the relationship between literature, culture and the physical environment, analysing the representation of and status accorded to nature while presenting human behaviour, culture and perception. Posthumanism suggests that humans are not superior to or separate from nature and their environs. This paper examines the relationship between myth, memory and materiality, correlating them with human action and environmental degradation. Opinions of theorists like Timothy Morton, Rosi Braidotti, Rob Nixon, and Ursula Heise support the study of posthuman reimagining of nature, which suggests that landscapes are not passive acceptors or receptors of change; they react to the exploitative and transformative actions committed by humans. These landscapes are equal stakeholders of history, lament, and transformation.