The Yearning for a Link-Up with Nature: An Eco-critical Presentation of the Environment in Selected poems of Dame Edith Sitwell

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between humanity and nature in the poetry of Sitwell. She is a 20th century (1887-1964) British poet who presents the present world, which faces eco- disasters hence the environment is now at stake. This comes on the heels of the World Wars which saw physical devastation of the environment. Human activities are also not nature-friendly, especially in the advent of modernism. Only science and technology are not enough to combat this global ecological crisis. Viewing her poetry from an eco- critical lens, it could be considered as an activism to propagate an eco- centric link between humanity and nature. This would address environmental concerns like deforestation, earthquakes, floods, global warming, pollution, animal extinction and nature depletion which is a veritable plague in modern society. There is a need for humanity to reconnect to nature for ecological sustainability in her poetry, Sitwell exhibits attributes of Romanticism, a 19th century movement to valorize nature. She implores vivid sensory description and mythology to celebrate nature and advocate for humanity to have a harmonious intercourse with the environment. However, she evolves into an eco- critical dimension when she goes further to x- day the hazards that an anthropocentric attitude of humanity has caused on nature. A friendly link between humanity and its environment will lead to the prevalence of a healthy eco- system that can curb or eradicate environmental hazards especially in the modern era. This in turn would be beneficial to mankind as well as the Earth.

Keywords: Sitwell, Eco-criticism, Environment, humanity, Link-up.