Ecocritical Inquiry into Amitav Ghosh’s Novels: Environmental Perspectives and Postcolonial Narratives

Abstract

Amitav Ghosh, one of the most celebrated Indian English novelists, has consistently interwoven ecological consciousness and environmental concerns into his literary narratives. His novels offer an urgent re-examination of the entanglements between history, colonialism, capitalism, and the ecological crisis. From his early fiction to the Ibis Trilogy and his recent climate-centric narratives, Ghosh critiques anthropocentrism and exposes the silences of mainstream literature regarding environmental degradation. This paper analyzes Ghosh’s novels through an ecocritical framework, tracing the evolution of his ecological thought and interrogating how his work contributes to a planetary awareness of climate change, species extinction, and environmental justice. The study draws from ecocriticism, postcolonial theory, and environmental humanities to explore the complex intersections of culture and nature in Ghosh’s fiction.