An Ecofeminist Approach On Willa Cather's O Pioneers!

Willa Cather(1873-1947) is one of the most famous American women writers in the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century. O Pioneers! is regarded as Cather's first novel of Frontier, and her first successful novel as well. Ever since its appearance, it has been praised all along by the critics. Some critics focus their attention on the pioneering spirit. Some focus on cultural transmission and nationalism. And also some others focus on whether Cather is a feminist or not. In recent years with the development of ecofeminism, the attention begins to be paid to the relationship between women and nature reflected in the novel. The leading character—Alexandra Bergson is considered as having ecofeminist consciousness. But in fact, Alexandra Bergson's achievement of ecofeminist consciousness has gone through a long process of development instead of at the very beginning of the novel.This thesis is, on the basis of ecofeminist criticism, is mainly engaged in the discussionof the female character—Alexandra Bergson's relation with nature and women in the novel "O Pioneerst.", and it points out that Alexandra Bergson's attitude toward nature has experienced a transition from conquest at the very beginning to complete integration. The thesis consists of introduction, ecofeminist theory, text analysis and conclusion.