Ecocriticism and Indigenous Knowledge: Understanding Nature in Third World Literature through "The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth"

Abstract

As man grows, nature dwindles. This is a fact in the modern times as human dependency on nature is gradually degenerating to exploitation. The selfish human motives and his superiority over other creatures make him exploit nature. But the big question posed to man is how far can this exploitation be continued? It has reached to that limit where any further plunder can bring human existence at stake. This is an eye-opener for the entire human race. Many movements and organisations have sprung up with the motto of protecting nature and thereby human life in this planet. Deep ecology put forward by Arne Naess is one such prominent concept, now in vogue all over the world. This paper is an attempt to analyse how far this concept can be made a reality in the third world situations. Basheer's story "The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth" is read in this light to evaluate the concept in such a situation.