Marabar Caves as a Symbol of Native Identity: An Ecocritical Analysis of A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

Abstract

The study explores the Marabar Caves as a symbol of native identity under the perspective of Ecocriticism in E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India. The phrase ‘Ecocriticism’ was initially coined by William Rueckert in 1978 in his essay “Literature and Ecology.” It refers to the perspective of examining writers’, researchers’, and poets’ works in the context of the environment and the natural world. Additionally, the research analyzes the Ecocritical elements involved in the Marabar caves’ scenery and incident as portrayed and described in A Passage to India. The Caves prove to be substantial for Aziz and other natives like Mahmoud Ali, while for Mrs. Moore, it proves to be meaningless and absurd. The Caves do not embrace the outsiders/intruders to be part of it. Adela Quested's hostile treatment of Caves is the central evidence of the argument. Moreover, the current study explores the effects of environment and culture on humans. It motivates people to find the affiliation between nature and ourselves. The objective of the study is to understand the influence of a homeland or birthplace on one’s life under the domain of Ecocriticism. Ecocritical elements help to explore the significance of the place in our lives. The echo of the Marabar Caves determines the identity of the natives and distinguishes them from outsiders as separate and independent human beings. It represents the inner anxiety of the oppressed. It further pushes the natives to stand up for their rights and raise their voices against colonial powers. The study is exploratory and interpretive.