An Ecocritical Interpretation of Rip Van Winkle

Abstract

In light of the global ecological crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a pressing need to expand the application of ecocritical theory, which examines the relationship between literature and ecology. This paper employs ecocriticism to provide a comprehensive analysis of Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle. It begins by examining the conflicts between humanity and nature from the perspective of natural ecology, the conflicts between individuals and society from the perspective of social ecology, and the conflicts within the individual from the perspective of spiritual ecology. These conflicts are then interpreted within the context of Irving himself and early American history, shedding light on Irving's ecological consciousness and the ecological concepts prevalent in early American literature.