Exploration of the Complex Relationship between Women and their Environment in George Gissing's The Whirlpool
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/ajelp.vol10.1.6.2022Keywords:
Ecofeminist analysis, patriarchy, oppression, domination, women-nature relationsAbstract
This article examines the relationship between women and their environment in George Gissing's novel The Whirlpool at the height of 19th century patriarchy in London industrial society. Since George Gissing's novels are very realistic in describing and accurately describing scenes and characters, they can be a good reflection of the society of their time. The analysis of the relationship between women and nature in this article is based on the theories of Karen Warren, the great theorist of ecofeminist theory, in which she expresses the types of relationship between women and the environment and examines the oppression and dominations against them by the patriarchal system. In addition to this analysis, what was studied in this article is an examination of the solutions and strategies that women take to save themselves from the clutches of patriarchy in the industrial society of the 19th century. The result of this research was that women and the environment in Gissing’s novels are not only deeply and inextricably linked, but both are somehow suppressed and dominated by the patriarchal system. Gissing critically addresses this oppression in his novel and questions it. He also shows that the main burden of saving nature from this oppression and domination that is the result of the industrialization of society at that time is on women.
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