A Journey To Harmony-an Interpretation Of Where Angels Fear To Tread From The Perspective Of Ecofeminism

E. M. Forster is one of the greatest English novelists in the20th century. Eminent critics and the general public call him "one of the most esteemed English novelists of his time". All through his life, he has published six novels:Where Angels Fear to Tread, The longest Journey, A Room with a View, Howard End and Maurice. He depicts about the contradiction between man and nature, man and man as well as man and women. Where Angels Fear to Tread is Forster’s first novel which also involves such kind of relationship. For quite some time, there have been various kinds of analysis of this work from different perspectives, including tragic marriage, humanism and cultural studies. In addition, writing techniques and personality of the main figures in the novel have also been studied. However, there is seldom any analysis or study about this work concerning about the ecofeminist perspective. Thus in this paper, the work will be analyzed from ecofeminist perspective.This thesis intends to analyze Where Angels Fear to Tread from the perspective of ecofeminism. It contains six chapters. Chapter One is an introduction, in which Foster’s personal life, social background of his age and the plots of Where Angels Fear to Tread as well as literature views about this work have been introduced. Chapter Two offers the theoretical foundation of the whole analysis. In this chapter, feminism from which ecofeminism is generated, the development of ecofeminism, basic principles of ecofeminism, as well as ecofeminist theory are revealed. Chapter Three and Four are the main body of the thesis, which attempts to give a close reading of the novel in light of ecofeminism. Chapter Three deals with the relationship between women and nature in the novel, especially the links and communication between women and nature are analyzed. Chapter Four describes the male domination over women and nature. Chapter Five deals with the harmonious relationship achieved between man and nature as well as men and women. The last part comes to the conclusion.