At 3pm, May 19th, 2014, a senior scholar in ecocriticism, Prof. Scott Slovic, from English Faculty of Idaho University, brought us an academic feast about ecocriticism, which revealed a new field of the literature criticism study. In the lecture named Ecocriticism heads for Consilience, which was hosted by Prof. GAO Fen, the director of Institute of English Literature, Prof. Slovic introduced the theme and definition of ecocriticism with humorous expression and interpreted the fundamental method of this interdisciplinary literature criticism via specific texts..
Firstly, Prof. Slovic explained the terminology of “consilient”, which means the consilience of knowledge spanning different disciplines. Then he made a further illustration of the basic definition and concept of ecocriticism by citing various different definitions. For instance, Glotfelty believes that ecocriticism is a study of the relationship between literature and material world, while Gomides regards it as the analysis of ethical issues in the interaction between human beings and nature in literature. Prof. Slovic gives a border definition that it is a review of the ecological significance implicated in literary texts (or other artistic texts) and the relationship between man and nature. Subsequently, Prof. Slovic made a pectination to the relationship between humanity and natural science, proposing the possibility and strong interpretation power of their consilience , as well as emphasizing the importance of teamwork spirit in the interdisciplinary practice.
At last, Prof. Slovic took the explication of Robert forester’s Spring Pools made by Glenn Adelson and John Elder in cooperation as an example to show ecocriticism, and summarized the core problems which ecocriticism could solve.
Through Prof. Slovic’s simple but useful introduction, the attendees knew much about ecocriticism and its latest development, which broadened their knowledge. In the Q&A session, teachers and students raised some questions and perspectives about the conflict between ecocriticism, which is rational, and traditional literary criticism, as well as the relationship between literary text and natural science. Prof. Slovic replied to each of those questions and underlined that the ecocriticism is merely an interpretation strategy while literary writing is a practice of instincts.
The lecture ended in a relaxing and pleasant ambience, but the new knowledge and ideas he brought to us just started to develop.
Institute of English Literature
May 19 th，2014
(Translated by MEI Zhi)
