Snyder's And Frost's Ecological Philosophy On Nature And Man

Gary Snyder (1930-), the Poet Laureate of Ecology and Robert Frost (1874-1963), the unofficial Poet Laureate of America occupy very important and unique status in the twentieth century America. They two have received many prestigious honors. With their sharp eyes and their philosophical thinking, they observe the world, showing their care for both the natural and human worlds. In analyzing the ecological factors in their poems about nature and man, this dissertation aims to explore and compare their ecological philosophies.In the time of ecological crisis, it is of great significance to inculcate an ecological concept. This dissertation is evoked by such consciousness. It has been made mainly from the following three aspects:their ecological consciousness on nature and man and the root of their philosophy. In so doing, this dissertation also tries to explore the associations that bridge the two poets.The theories of deep ecology and Indra's net are applied to analyze Snyder's and Frost's poems about nature and reveal their ecological consciousness. Guided by anthropocentrism and spirit ecology, this dissertation pays special attention to the two poets'care and worries about man's loss of spiritual land. By interweaving the analysis of poems and life experience, this dissertation explores the root of their ecological philosophy, claiming firmly that Snyder's ecological philosophy is on the dimension of Chan Buddhism, while Frost's is on the secular dimension.The study on their poems about nature and man has verified the strong ecological consciousness of Snyder and Frost on different dimensions. Nevertheless, distinct differences have been found in their ecological philosophies. One difference lies in their appreciation of nature. They highly praise the powerful survival ability of nature. But what distinguishes Snyder from Frost is the animistic and sentient nature in Snyder's poems, while Frost emphasizes the biocentric equality and man's ecological appreciation of the natural world. For another, nature is the platform for man to meditate. In meditation, Snyder is totally immersed in nature and tries to consider reinhabitation to the natural world. Differently, Frost shows awe to nature and reflects on life through the description of natural events, helping man to build the internal ecological health. Finally, in criticizing man as the destroyer of nature, they have shown their concern about man's spiritual state, calling for man's internal harmony. Snyder intends to transform man's concepts with a new culture, while Frost is limited to the consideration of the present problems and the construction of ecological health. In addition, this dissertation explicitly points out that Snyder has fused the Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism into his syncretism of ecological philosophy of Chan and devoted himself to the inculcation of a new culture. Frost's ecological philosophy is also complex. There is still some religious influence in his secular philosophy. Social environment and many cultural factors, especially the influence of Thoreau serve as a bridge between the two poets.This dissertation takes a thematic approach from the cultural perspective in exploring their ecological philosophy. With the help of theories of ecocriticism such as deep ecology and anthropocentrism as well as principles in Chan Buddhism, this dissertation tends to carry a thorough analysis of the ecological factors in their poems to obtain a relatively appropriate understanding of the ecological consciousness reflected in the poetic field in America.With these arguments about the ecological factors in their poems, this dissertation aims to contribute to the study of Gary Snyder and Robert Frost in terms of ecology. The ecological philosophies on Chan Buddhism and secular dimension provide a new perspective in comparative study. The tentative exploration of spiritual ecology not only enriches the study of the two poets, but it also possesses social current significance. It aims to arouse resonance among readers and critics to cultivate cultural healing and contribute to the internal harmony of man.It is noteworthy that there are the influences of Shamanism on Snyder's ecological philosophy, but few critics in China have touched on this subject. And some common features are found in the two poets'poetic skills. I intend to make further study in this field.