Ecofeminist theory strives for a society free of all hierarchies which enable the exploitation of nature and women, due to the connections between their positions. Therefore, simultaneous liberation of both is necessary. Ecofeminism also reaches into the area of literary criticism. The thesis concerns Margaret Laurence, a prolific Canadian author whose writing was dedicated mostly to feminist and social matters. I analyzed whether the two selected novels, A Jest of God and The Fire-Dwellers, display ecofeminist ideas and enable an ecofeminist interpretation, which would indicate that Margaret Laurence contributed to the development of ecofeminist literary stream. The analysis was in accordance with Greta Gaard’s theory about the seven contours of ecofeminist literature – the seven principles by which a literary work can be examined. After the analysis, the two research questions were answered. The novels partially exhibit ecofeminist ideas and highlight the areas which an ecofeminist understanding of the world could improve. Based on the findings, Margaret Laurence can be marked as one of the predecessors of Canadian literary ecofeminism.
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