WORKSHOP AND GENERAL LECTURE ON ECOCRITICISM

The discussion on prominent English Literature such as those of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s works focuses mainly on the socio-cultural aspects of his more famous short stories or novels. Taking a different direction, it is important to also focus on the Ecocritical reading of several of Literary works that are prominent in our time. Among these, the prominent American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne is of interest. Hawthorne’s works for example focus on how nature frames, guides, or even seemingly sets his stories. In order to increase the impact of such Ecocritical studies, a Workshop and a General Lecture (Stadium Generale) was held in 4-11 September 2021 via Zoom and Building B3 at Universitas Negeri Malang, to give training and improve the understanding of Ecocriticism to academics and students across Indonesia. Participants of the events come from Universitas Negeri Malang, Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), and other Universities in Indonesia. The speakers were UM’s own Dr. M Misbahul Amri, the President of HISKI, Prof. Dr. Suwardi Endraswara of UNS, and Dr. Niklas Salmose of Linnaeus University, Sweden.

Gambar 1. Dr. Yusnita Febrianti from UM and Dr. Niklas Salmose from Linnaeus University during the Workshop and General Lecture via Zoom

During the workshop, the participants explored many Ecocritical topics. As an example, the study of Nathanial Hawthorne through the Ecocritical lens revealed new knowledge on his view on Nature. Taking a starting point with Hawthorne’s relatively less studied short story Sights from A Steeple, as this short story is unique, Hawthorne’s works mainly describe sceneries where natural forces act together as an overwhelming power in the story. The living elements of water, including the clouds, sea, and rain, affect the story’s direction, with both the overarching plot and the mini-plots seemingly predestined by the forces of nature. This notion is brought over to Hawthorne’s other short stories, The Gentle Boy, The May-pole of Merry Mount, and Young Goodman Brown, where these elements of nature set the events and even set the noble destinies of the main characters. However, a subverted direction is given in Hawthorne’s short story Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment, where the unnatural water fuels humans’ greed down to the path of destruction.

The workshop and General Lecture ended with the creation of many research proposals. Several participants proposals of Ecocritical studies were being submitted, presented, and discussed during the Workshop as well.