2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

19th Century Ecofeminist Women Writers

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-24-2026

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Tara Penry

Abstract

In the increasingly industrial 18th century United States, ideas about value and preservation of nature–especially in rural communities like the ones Sarah Orne Jewett and Mary Wilkins Freeman inhabited and wrote about–are prominent in literature of the time. Both authors write narratives with themes of women’s oppression and rebellion; appearing most often in feminist criticism are Jewett’s “A White Heron” and Freeman’s “Revolt of Mother.” There is significant overlap between feminist and ecological criticism on “A White Heron” and a number of Freeman’s other short stories (“A New England Nun,” “Arethusa,” “A Lover of Flowers,” etc.) also appear in ecological scholarship.

Combining these two critical approaches–feminism and ecology–leads to ecofeminism, a term first appearing in the 1970s and gaining traction since. Ecofeminism highlights the ability of women to find independence and freedom in the natural world as well as drawing parallels between society’s pendulum-like treatment of women and nature. Taking an ecofeminist lens to the works of Jewett and Freeman, I will highlight specific passages in their works and ignite conversation between their usages of women and nature.

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