Approaching Ecocriticism in Modern Maithili Literature: Environmental Issues and Literary Responses

Abstract

Ecocriticism has emerged as an important paradigm for studying the relationship between literature and the natural environment, and environmental concerns have become a prominent focus of current literary studies due to the growing ecological catastrophe. Ecocritical studies on current Maithili literature are still in their infancy, in contrast to those on English and other Indian literatures. This paper investigates the representation of environmental themes in modern Maithili literature through ecological deterioration, floods, deforestation, climate change, agricultural transformation, and the disappearance of traditional ecological knowledge. Environmental issues are reflected in this literature through local landscapes and indigenous cultural activities; it is situated in the ecologically fragile region of Mithila. Based on the work of ecocritical thinkers such as Rob Nixon, Ursula K. Heise, Greg Garrard, Cheryll Glotfelty, and Lawrence Buell, this study contends that contemporary Maithili literature adds significantly to the ecological discourse in India by promoting sustainable living, cultural memory, environmental justice, and coexistence.