NATURE AND WOMANHOOD: AN ECOFEMINIST EXPLORATION IN ANURADHA ROY’S THE FOLDED EARTH
C. Swathi Rekha
Assistant Professor of English,
PSVAS College, Gowrivakkam, India
Ph.D. Research Scholar (Part-Time),
Sir Theagaraya College, Chennai, India
&
Dr. K. Thiyagarajan
Associate Professor and Head
Research Supervisor,
Department of English,
Sir Theagaraya College, Chennai, India
Abstract:
This paper examines the intersection of
ecology and feminism in Anuradha Roy’s novel, The Folded Earth, through an
ecofeminist lens. Both women and nature play crucial roles on Earth, a planet
often affectionately called “Mother Earth” due to the nurturing and life-giving
qualities they share. People are drawn to nature not merely for the resources
it provides, but also for the peace and solace it brings to human life.
Similarly, women contribute a profound sense of peace and balance to the lives
they touch. However, both nature and women react powerfully when subjected to
relentless exploitation and oppression. Through her five novels, Anuradha Roy,
an acclaimed Indian novelist, has recurrently explored these themes. This paper
focuses specifically on The Folded Earth, finding to highlight how Roy
interweaves ecology and feminism to portray resilience, resistance, and
empowerment.
Keywords: Intersection, Ecofeminist,
Resilience, Resistance, Empowerment
The supposed
relationship between women and ecology is being subjected to in- depth analysis
in various disciplines of academic knowledge, such as literature, gender
studies, sociology, philosophy, anthropology, legal studies, economics and
management and the findings are being presented in national and international
conferences and seminars. One of the main reasons that has generated so much
attention in eco-feminism is the assumption that women have not been treated equally like men,
and both women and nature have been subjected to a great deal of exploitation
and suffering since time immemorial. Therefore, the injustice met out to both
entities is similar in some fundamental ways. It is in this context that the
term ‘ecofeminism’ assumes relevance. It is worthwhile examining the opinions
expressed by some ecofeminists in this regard.
The term
‘ecofeminism’ came into use in the 1970s and 1980s to refer to a myriad of
feminist and environmental activists cutting across each other (Ortner, 2002).
Bianchi (2012) states that the term ‘ecofeminism’ was first used in 1974 by Francoise d’ Eaubonne,
a French feminist, in her article titled Le fe’minismeou la mort meaning
‘Feminism or death’. The author opines that Eaubonne, after examining the
effects of development on the environment, recognized women as the ‘subjects of
change’ (Bianchi 2012). It is a common knowledge that a great deal of time and
energy has been spent on studies related to women and their role in society. Abundant
research has been undertaken to understand the supposed connection between
women and nature in opposition to men and their association with culture.
To understand
the social relevance of ecofeminism becomes quite important in today’s world of
environmental catastrophe. To begin with, the environmental problems in the
present millennium penetrate many sectors of the world society in many
different patterns of production and consumption. The drastic and inclement
environmental change reveals mercilessly the unsustainable injustice of the
present world economic order. And how the field of ecofeminism makes even more
evident how important the interconnectedness of gender, nature and religion
will be in the understanding and solution of increasing problems. The world in
which we live in is repleted with hierarchical dualisms. These dualisms are
used to reinforce social and psychological structures which perpetuate the
dominion of men over women and of mankind over nature. Ecofeminism is one such
discourse which seeks to dismantle the dualisms altogether, replacing them with
new metaphors of relationship, connectedness, interdependence, mutuality and
wholeness. And also, with, one which values radical diversity, modeled on both
the biodiversity of the environment and the feminist value of the strength of
difference.
Vandana Shiva, in her
book Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Survival in India, portrays both nature
and women as producers of life:
With the violation of nature is linked the
violation and marginalization of women, especially in the Third World. Women
produce and reproduce life not merely biologically, but also through their
social role in providing sustenance. All ecological societies of
forest-dwellers and peasants, whose life is organized the principle of
sustainability and the reproduction of life in all its richness, also embody
the feminine principle. Historically, however, when such societies have been
colonized and broken up the men have usually started to participate in
life-destroying activities or have had to migrate; the women meanwhile, usually
continue to be linked to life and nature through their role as providers of
sustenance, food and water. The privileged access of women to the sustaining
principle thus has a historical and cultural, and not merely biological, basis.
(Shiva 42)
Shiva argues that women are considered just for reproduction. After
colonization, Men is often compelled to participate in industrial or
life-destroying activities or forced to migrate in search of economic
opportunities. Whereas, women have to do traditional works such as nurturing,
caregiving, and maintaining balance in ecosystems and human communities.
Anuradha Roy is an Indian
novelist, journalist and editor. Her debut novel is An Atlas of Impossible
Longing, a profoundly touching story of three generations of an Indian family
set during the 20th century. It has been translated into eighteen languages and
was recognized by World Literature Today as one of the ‘60 Essential English
Language Works of Modern Indian Literature’. Her second novel is The Folded Earth, depicts hill
communities in India by offering an in-depth exploration of the town of
Ranikhet in the foothills of the Himalayas. Her other works are Sleeping on Jupiter, All the Lives We Never Lived, and her
most recent novel The Earth Spinner,
published in September 2021. Roy, along with her husband Rukun Advani, founded
Permanent Black, a publishing company focusing on academic literature in 2000.
In Anuradha Roy’s novel The Folded Earth, the protagonist Maya faces numerous struggles,
showing how women and nature are often oppressed and exploited. Maya, a young
widow, marries Michael, a Christian man, without her parents’ permission. Her
father, angered by her decision, controls her life and eventually exiles her
when he learns about the marriage. Reflecting on this, Maya says, “From the day
my father had found out about Michael, he had become as watchful as an animal
waiting to pounce…He no longer allowed me to leave the house, not even to go to
college” (13).
Her marriage to
Michael is also unhappy. Michael, Maya’s husband, was a passionate trekker with
an unbreakable bond to the mountains. His deep yearning for the peaks led him
to embark on a trek to Roopkund, where he tragically lost his life after being
caught in a snowstorm with a broken ankle. Mya, who had left her family and
everything familiar to build a life wth him, found it unbearable to stay in
Hyderabad, where every small detail reminded her for him. Seeking solace, she
chose to start a fresh in Ranikhet, a secluded village nestled in the
Himalayas, where life flows in harmony with nature, far from the chaos of the
world. In Ranikhet, Maya reconnects with nature and begins to heal. She
describes her garden as “An unkempt patch of hillside, but it rippled with
wildflowers on this blue and gold morning. Everything smelled damp, cool, and
fresh from the light rain that had fallen at dawn” (4).
She becomes the anchor around which the lives
of others revolve, with their stories unfolding through her perspective. She
finds work at St. Hilda’s , a school run by the church, and rents a cottage on
an estate. Over time, the estate landlord, Diwan Sahib, and her neighbors,
charu and Amma, who live in the nearest cottage, become her new family,
offering her companionship and a sense of belonging in this tranquil
mountain..However, her peace is disturbed when Mr. Chauhan, politician plans to
destroy Ranikhet’s natural beauty by turning it into a tourist spot. Maya also
faces betrayal in her personal life when Veer, whom she initially loves,
deceives her and disappears. Despite these challenges, Maya finds strength and
runs a successful pickle factory, creating a life for herself.
Ecofeminism is a movement that highlights the
interconnected relationship between women and nature. In the context of the
environmental crisis and subjugation of women, ecofeminist spirituality is a
powerful transforming force to bring an end to the exploitation of nature as
well as of women. It challenges women to recognize their strength and work
together with all people of goodwill towards a new community promoting harmony
between human and nature and among human themselves. The novel, The Folded Earth provides a compelling
exploration of ecofeminist themes and explains this connection in a profound
and meaningful manner. Both women and nature are shown as nurturing forces, but
they are often exploited by society. Maya’s journey reflects her resilience and
the enduring strength of both women and the environment. Maya’s life shows as a
proof to the enduring strength of women and their ability to find peace and
purpose despite difficulty.
Works Cited
Roy, Anuradha. The Folded Earth. Hachette India, 2011.
Shiva, Vandana. Staying Alive. Women Unlimited, 2009.
Ortner, Sherry B. Women, Culture and Society. Stanford UP,
2002.
Bianchi, Bruna. Ecofeminist Thought and Practice.
Degrowth, 2012.