Introduction: Literary Studies in an Age of Environmental Crisis

Introduction: Literary Studies in an Age of Environmental Crisis

Cheryll Glotfelty’s essay “Introduction: Literary Studies in an Age of Environmental Crisis” (1996) is a groundbreaking text that ushered in the field of eco-criticism, placing environmental awareness squarely within the domain of literary and cultural studies. Appearing as the opening chapter of The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in Literary Ecology, co-edited with Harold Fromm, this introduction is widely recognized as the foundational document of eco-critical thought in the American academy.

In this essay, Glotfelty not only defines the scope of eco-criticism but also critiques the limitations of mainstream literary theory, calls for an expansion of the literary canon, and highlights the interdisciplinary and activist nature of this emerging field. She urges scholars of literature to address what she terms the “single most pressing issue of our time—the environmental crisis”.

I. Situating Eco-Criticism in the Academic Landscape

Glotfelty opens her essay by observing the paradoxical silence of the literary academy on ecological matters. She writes:

“If your knowledge of the outside world were limited to what you could infer from the major publications of the literary profession, you would quickly discern that race, class, and gender were the hot topics of the late twentieth century. You would not suspect that the earth’s life-support systems were under stress.”

With this assertion, she draws attention to the glaring absence of environmental concerns in mainstream literary studies, despite the visible presence of environmental debates in other disciplines. This lacuna, she argues, reflects an urgent need to develop a literary approach that is responsive to ecological degradation and planetary ethics.

She points out that while feminism, Marxism, and postcolonialism have deeply impacted literary theory by challenging forms of oppression, the natural world—the air we breathe, the forests we cut, the oceans we pollute—has remained the “silent other” in much of critical discourse.

II. Defining Eco-Criticism

One of the key achievements of Glotfelty’s essay is her clear and concise definition of eco-criticism:

“Simply put, eco-criticism is the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment.”

She further explains that eco-criticism applies ecological concepts to literary analysis and explores how literature reflects or shapes human interactions with the environment. It seeks to raise awareness of the cultural roots of ecological destruction and to promote a more sustainable and respectful attitude toward the natural world.

Importantly, Glotfelty distinguishes eco-criticism from earlier forms of nature writing studies by emphasizing its theoretical, activist, and interdisciplinary dimensions.

III. Broadening the Literary Canon and Critical Lens

Glotfelty calls for a re-evaluation of the literary canon, suggesting that literary scholars should pay attention not only to traditional nature writers like Thoreau, Emerson, Muir, and Leopold, but also to marginalized voices, indigenous literatures, and contemporary fiction that grapples with environmental change.

She writes:

“Eco-critics analyze texts that illustrate environmental concerns or examine the human perception of nature.”

In this spirit, she includes a wide range of literary genres and authors—from pastoral poetry and Romantic literature to dystopian fiction and environmental memoirs. Eco-criticism, as she envisions it, challenges literary critics to explore both content and context: How is nature represented? Whose voices are heard or silenced? What values are projected onto the land?

IV. Eco-Criticism’s Interdisciplinary and Activist Dimensions

One of the most significant contributions of Glotfelty’s introduction is her insistence on eco-criticism as a bridge between literature and science. Unlike other literary theories that stay within the textual realm, eco-criticism extends its inquiry into real-world ecological issues and draws on disciplines such as:

• Ecology and biology – to understand systems thinking and biodiversity
• Geography and climatology – to contextualize spatial and global dimensions
• Philosophy and ethics – to critique anthropocentrism and promote biocentrism

She insists that eco-criticism is not merely an analytical tool but a form of cultural activism:

“As environmental problems become more pressing, literary scholars must ask themselves what role our discipline can play in the effort to conserve the life-support systems of the planet.”

This activist impulse is what sets eco-criticism apart from more abstract theories; it sees literature as not only a mirror but a potential instrument of environmental change.

V. Critical Reflections and Legacy

While Glotfelty’s introduction was written in the 1990s, it remains highly relevant today. The Anthropocene, climate change, mass extinction, and resource exploitation have only intensified, and literary scholars now routinely examine these themes across global literatures.

However, some scholars have critiqued early eco-criticism, including Glotfelty’s version, for being too rooted in Euro-American perspectives, and for sometimes romanticizing nature. In response, postcolonial eco-criticism, ecofeminism, and indigenous ecologies have since diversified the field, addressing issues of environmental racism, settler colonialism, and gendered ecologies.

Conclusion

Cheryll Glotfelty’s “Introduction: Literary Studies in an Age of Environmental Crisis” stands as a seminal call to rethink the relationship between literature, culture, and nature. With its lucid articulation of eco-criticism’s aims and its passionate call for relevance and responsibility in literary studies, the essay has become a cornerstone for scholars interested in environmental humanities. As ecological concerns become ever more urgent, Glotfelty’s words continue to inspire a new generation of literary critics to ask: How can literature help us reimagine our place on this planet?