Writing in “the midst of an unfolding disaster”: ecocritical perspectives on contemporary imaginative representations of Tasmanian wilderness

Contemporary Australian literature and film depict Tasmanian wilderness as increasingly threatened by human activity, shifting away from traditional Gothic and Romantic tropes. This thesis applies ecocritical analysis to eight texts—including works by Richard Flanagan, Julia Leigh, Cate Kennedy, Heather Rose, and Cameron Hindrum—to demonstrate how nonhuman agency and shared materiality challenge anthropogenic degradation narratives. By synthesizing posthumanist theories of kinship, entanglement, and environmental prophecy, the study reveals that these representations offer ethical frameworks for addressing ecological crises, with global implications beyond local mythology.

Condren, V. M. (2018). Writing in “the midst of an unfolding disaster”: ecocritical perspectives on contemporary imaginative representations of Tasmanian wilderness [University of Tasmania]. https://doi.org/10.25959/23226410