From Transcendence To Immanence

O Pioneers! and My Antonia are Willa Cather's two representative Nebraska novels. These two novels have been approached from various angles. Due to her recurrent depiction and treatment of human-nature, especially woman-nature relations in these two novels, the reevaluation of them from ecocriticism and feminism draws increasing critical attention, yet from ecofeminism, the unity of ecocriticism and feminism, to approach them is still rare. The thesis attempts to reinterpret them from this new angle so as to make up for the lack of study in this field.Ecofeminism, as an integration of feminist and green ecological thoughts, sees both the exploitation of nature and the subordination of women as lying in the patriarchal dualisms (man/nature, men/women, mind/body etc.) that sustains transcendence (above, outside nature and women/exploitation and oppression of them); all strands of ecofeminism are ultimately anti–dualistic, reject transcendence and embrace immanence (inside nature/interconnectedness and interdependence with nature), especially affinity/spiritual ecofeminism. Affinity/spiritual ecofeminism offers a good vantage point to confronting patriarchal hierarchical transcendence by stressing an elemental identification and alliance between women and nature. Spiritual ecofeminism shares the major perspective of deep ecology and takes a deep approach to human-nature relations by emphasizing profound spiritual change.The thesis is devoted to making a full exploration into Cather's ecofeminist awareness by reinterpreting two of her Nebraska novels O Pioneers! and My Antonia. The thesis firstly presents a survey of ecofeminist and deep ecological theories, especially focuses on spiritual ecofeminism and transpersonal ecology, and introduces the formation of Willa Cather's ecofeminist awareness. Then the thesis gives a detailed examination of patriarchal transcendence of nature and women through illustrating various destructions and prejudices against women and nature by some patriarchal male characters. At last, the thesis mainly applies spiritual ecofeminist and deep ecological theories to two novels and expands upon the immanence of Earth Goddess (based on interconnectedness, interdependence, compassion, reciprocity and community, etc.), which is the way for women and nature out of transcendent dualisms. Through embracing their affinity identification and spiritual communion with nature and further gaining power and strength from it, two heroines Alexandra and Antonia have established ecoholist immanence in nature and won love and admiration of their respective lovers without transcendental concepts. Further more, the thesis points out that men can also be immanent in nature, once they bear deep ecological principles at heart and make a transpersonal contact and spiritual communion with nature.Adopting an ecofeminist perspective to approach O Pioneers! and My Antonia can not only offer us a fresh angle to broaden and enhance our study of Willa Cather as well as her works, but also redress the balance of western dualisms, open up a different way of looking at patriarchal and environmental problems of the current times and further solving them.