In contemporary literature, nature has evolved from a mere backdrop into a dynamic character that shapes narratives, conveys thematic depth, and reflects human emotions and societal concerns. Modern writers draw on nature not only to explore humanity’s connection to the environment but also to examine pressing issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, and the loss of biodiversity. As readers face an increasingly complex relationship with the natural world, contemporary literature uses nature to interrogate these complexities, emphasizing our interdependence with the environment and prompting reflection on our responsibilities toward it.
One key role of nature in contemporary literature is as a symbol of both beauty and vulnerability. Poets like Ruth Padel, Pascale Petit, Sumana Roy, use nature to highlight the precariousness of ecosystems and the urgent need to protect them. They weave multiple narratives around trees, water, animals and birds, emphasizing that highlighting them are not only vital for ecological balance but that they also possess an intrinsic value that humanity often overlooks. In doing so, these writers challenge readers to rethink their relationship with nature, promoting awareness and empathy toward the natural world. Nature, in their works, becomes a call to action, urging readers to consider the ecological consequences of their actions. The poem “X” by Imtiaz Dharker, hums with a nervous energy that makes climate change feel personal. Dharker is a Pakistan-born British poet and the recipient of the Queen’s Gold Medal for her English poetry.
X by Imtiaz Dharker
Hand shaking on the stop-cock, she looks
at the X, the warning cross,
the water-tap unlocked, its padlock cracked.
Breath hacks in the throat, Check your back.
Turn it on and an anxious mutter swells
to thunder in the plastic bucket. Don’t spill it.
Fill it to the top. Lift to the hip, stop,
balance the weight for the dangerous walk
home. Home.
Don’t lose a drop.
From the police chowki across the track
a whistle, a shout. Run. Don’t stop. Don’t slip.
A drag at the hip. Hot, hot underfoot. Water slops
up and out in every direction, over the lip,
over her legs, a shock of cool, a spark of light.
With her stolen piece of sky, she has taken flight.
Behind her, the shouters give up. She puts down
the bucket. The water stills.
She looks into it, looks up to where the blue
is scarred with aimless tracks.
Jet-trails cross each other off
before they die out, a careless X.
In addition, nature serves as a powerful medium for exploring human emotion and existential themes. For instance, in Mary Oliver’s works, the simplicity of nature evokes feelings of melancholy, longing, and introspection. Oliver’s use of nature as a reflection of internal states allows her to delve into complex emotions in a way that is universally relatable, demonstrating how landscapes and natural elements can mirror human experiences. Through this connection, contemporary writers highlight how deeply intertwined human identity and emotion are with the natural world.
Nature also plays a role in fostering a sense of place and grounding characters in their environments. In Keki Daruwalla’s poem Of Ledges and Moss, ledges and moss are both a place of refuge and a source of identity of nature’s bandwidth. The poet uses his poem to bring home the point that “Nature’s empire is not confined/to forest and savannah.
The soul is also one of its habitats.” Daruwalla explores themes of isolation, survival, and resilience, showing how nature can shape the lives of those who live close to it. This approach reminds readers that nature is not only a setting but also a shaper of lives, shaping values, relationships, and self-perception.
Of Ledges and Moss
You don’t have to notice a gun
to visualise black buck falling
in a fusillade of hoofs.
And the bellies of wild geese
flying in formation?
What is there to visualise
I hear a gunshot
though I don’t see a gun.
I don’t even hear the shot—
its all in the mind.
It will spin as it falls
huddling into its wings.
Just because I haven’t
pulled out a pad of moss
from some rocky ledge,
doesn’t mean I do not hear
the rip and tear of rending.
Just because I do not shoot
quail or partridge it doesn’t mean
this birdlessness travelling towards me
like a visible void,
does not smother me.
Nature’s empire is not confined
to forest and savannah.
The soul is also one of its habitats
Finally, writers employ nature to address environmental justice and the impact of industrialisation. Climate change is depicted not as a distant threat but as a present reality affecting both ecosystems and communities. Contemporary literature exposes how marginalised communities bear the brunt of environmental crises, inviting readers to think about the social and ethical dimensions of environmental stewardship.
Their energy urges me to contemplate what I as a poet or my Indian English poetry community can do to fast track this concern for our environment. Can Delhites enjoy a relaxed evening walk without a mask? Can Mumbaites encourage an afforestation drive in Aarey Colony?
So how should we administer poetry to take charge of this grim environmental condition that is endangering our future generations? To begin a change, we must first initiate it and embody it. Can we then, as poets, collectively work to farm a deeper consciousness amongst schools children? Can we reject the rigidity that an agenda-driven poem is not a poem enough? Can we also retain the dignity of language customary to literary practice? The answer is, we can.
In conclusion, nature in contemporary literature serves multiple functions: it is a character, a symbol, a reflection of human emotions, and a means to explore environmental and ethical issues. By intertwining human experiences with natural elements, contemporary authors emphasise the importance of preserving the natural world, both for the environment’s sake and for our own. In an era of ecological uncertainty, literature reminds us that the fate of humanity and the fate of nature are inextricably linked.
Biography of the author
Vinita Agrawal’s latest collection of poems Eartha was published by Sahitya Akademi. Her book Twilight Language won the Proverse Prize Hong Kong 2021. She has authored six books of poetry. She was awarded the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2018 and the Gayatri GaMarsh Memorial Award for Literary Excellence, USA, 2015 and a special mention in the Hawkers Prize 2019. Her work was shortlisted for the inaugural Dipankar Khiwani Memorial prize 2021. She co-edits the Yearbook series of Indian Poetry in English. She has edited two anthologies on climate change Open Your Eyes (2020) and Count Every Breath (2023). She was former Poetry Editor with Usawa Literary Review. Based in Indore, her work has been widely published and anthologised. She is on the Advisory Board of the Tagore Literary Prize. She is Co-chair for the Global Council for Excellence for Environment and Sustainability. She was one of the twenty poets to be featured in a documentary on Asian poets titled Deepest Uprising made in Taiwan. She is a keen birder and photographer.