Representations of Women and Nature in Canadian Women's Writing

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. The Canadian North

3. The North in Early Exploration Literature

4. The Significance of Nature in Canadian Literature

4.1 Literary Representations before the 1960s

4.2 The Renaissance of the Northern Myth

4.3 Women Entering the Canadian Wilderness

5. Representations of Women and Nature in Contemporary Canadian Literature

5.1 Margaret Atwood's Surfacing

5.2 Marian Engel's Bear

5.3 Joan Barfoot's Abra

5.4 Aritha van Herk's The Tent Peg

6. Conclusion

7. Bibliography

Research Objectives and Themes

This thesis examines the shifting representations of nature and the Canadian wilderness in contemporary Canadian women's literature, specifically analyzing how female protagonists navigate and redefine their relationship with these landscapes as a means to achieve self-discovery and agency, in contrast to traditional patriarchal depictions.

• The historical construction of the Canadian North as a male-dominated, "hostile" wilderness.
• The evolution of "women-in-the-wilderness" writing from the 1970s onwards.
• Comparative analysis of how specific female protagonists in selected novels reconcile with their past and nature.
• The intersection of ecofeminism, identity formation, and the subversion of colonial "Nordist" myths.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1. Introduction: Outlines the historical association of Canada with its landscape and the emergence of women's writing that contests traditional male-defined perspectives of the wilderness.

2. The Canadian North: Defines the Canadian North both as a physical geographical reality and as a constructed myth of "Nordism" that has influenced colonial and literary perceptions.

3. The North in Early Exploration Literature: Analyzes how early explorer accounts established the North as a hostile, masculine "monster" to be conquered, setting a precedent for later literary traditions.

4. The Significance of Nature in Canadian Literature: Reviews the scholarly development of literary representations of nature, focusing on the transition from traditional romanticism and survival themes to contemporary feminist perspectives.

5. Representations of Women and Nature in Contemporary Canadian Literature: Examines specific works by Margaret Atwood, Marian Engel, Joan Barfoot, and Aritha van Herk to illustrate how contemporary female authors redefine the relationship between women and nature.

6. Conclusion: Synthesizes findings, emphasizing that these authors successfully subvert traditional male hegemony and present the wilderness as a space for female self-realization.

7. Bibliography: Lists the primary literary texts and the extensive body of secondary scholarly literature used to support the thesis.

Key Terms

Canadian literature, women's writing, wilderness, Canadian North, ecofeminism, identity, survival, Nordism, exploration literature, self-discovery, patriarchy, mythology, shamanism, landscape, agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the central focus of this thesis?

The work focuses on how contemporary Canadian women writers represent the relationship between women and nature, specifically looking at how they challenge traditional male-dominated perceptions of the Canadian wilderness.

Which authors are analyzed in the study?

The study primarily analyzes works by Margaret Atwood, Marian Engel, Joan Barfoot, and Aritha van Herk.

What is the primary research question?

The thesis seeks to answer what happens to the concept of the "North" when female characters, rather than traditional male explorers, encounter the northern landscape.

What methodology is used?

The author uses a literary-analytical approach, incorporating concepts from ecofeminism, cultural history, and post-colonial literary criticism to analyze the primary texts.

What does the main body of the work cover?

It moves from definitions of the Canadian North and early exploration accounts to a thematic survey of nature in literature, culminating in detailed analyses of four novels regarding their subversion of patriarchal myths.

Which keywords best characterize this work?

The work is characterized by terms like Canadian literature, ecofeminism, self-discovery, wilderness, and the subversion of patriarchal myths.

How does the author treat the concept of "Nordism"?

The author follows Petra Wittke-Rüdiger's adaptation of Edward Said's "Orientalism," defining "Nordism" as a European way of perceiving, controlling, and exploiting the Canadian North through constructed "realities" rather than neutral observation.

How does the role of the "bear" function in Marian Engel's novel?

The bear serves as a mediator and mirror for the protagonist, helping her transcend the male/female dichotomy and achieve a unique, transformative self-realization that is both spiritual and sexual.

What role does the "tent peg" play in Aritha van Herk's novel?

The tent peg acts as a powerful symbol of the destruction of male hegemony and is used by the protagonist to stake her own claim, representing self-knowledge and an active takeover of a previously male-dominated space.

What is the significance of the "mirror scenes" in these novels?

Mirror scenes, as noted by the author, are frequent in women-in-the-wilderness literature, marking pivotal moments where the female protagonist visually confirms that she has been fundamentally altered by her experience in nature.