An Eco-feminist Reading Of E.M.Forster's Howards End

Edward Morgan Forster(1879-1970)is one of the most celebrated writers in British literary history in the 20 th century.Published in 1910,Howards End,is his fourth novel.By vividly depicting the reconciliation of contradictions and conflicts within the English people of middle class,Forster shows their state of minds and lifestyles in the Edwardian Era.Since its publication,scholars and critics both in foreign countries and in China have interpreted it from various perspectives,mainly focusing on its theme of connection,characterization,plot,cultural conflicts,eco-consciousness and writing techniques.As a matter of fact,the relationships between men and women and between man and nature in Forster's novels,especially in Howards End,are obviously an important theme,though it has been largely ignored by critics and scholars.Forster's wishes of realizing mutual understanding among people regardless of gender and building harmonious relationships between man and nature coincide with the aims of eco-feminism.As an integration of feminism and ecology,eco-feminism attaches great importance to the liberation of women and protection of the environment.It criticizes the patriarchal ideology that leads to the oppression of women and degradation of nature.To build a harmonious relationship between men and women,man and nature,it stresses the mutual efforts of women and nature.Thus,to interpret these above-mentioned relationships will help reveal the theme of his novels and Howards End in particular.This thesis attempts to analyze the eco-feminist consciousness in Howards End from the following three aspects: women's intimacy with nature,women's and nature's plight in the patriarchal society and the construction of harmonious relationships between women and men,man and nature.Compared with men,women are considered to be closer to nature.As protectors of nature,women show their love and reverence for nature.To provide shelter for women,nature endows women with vitality,warmth and consolation.In the patriarchal society,both women and nature are in the marginalized position of being oppressed and exploited.Women are ornaments of men,while nature just serves as a slave of them.Advocating the establishment of harmonious relationships among people and between human beings and nature,eco-feminists oppose all kinds of oppression and inequalities.With their mutual efforts,women and nature finally earn respect from men.Harmony between women and men and between man and nature are achieved.Through the analysis of the eco-feminist consciousness embodied in this novel,this study concludes that Forster has deep concern about the conditions of women and nature in the patriarchal society.