Patriarchy, Gendered Oppression, and Ecological Exploitation in Parry’s Carrion Crow

Abstract

The study explores the connection between the oppression and exploitation of women and nature in Carrion Crow through the lens of ecofeminism by Eaubonne. It examines Parry’s portrayal of patriarchy as a pernicious force that not only oppresses women but also harms natural resources to represent power and domination. This paper employs qualitative textual analysis to examine the themes, characters, symbols, and narrative techniques in the selected text. The findings of this study reveal that the exploitation of nature and women is interlinked. The protagonist is confined in an attic to learn social norms and can sense the smell of the polluted Thames, which is the result of patriarchal decisions to gain financial stability. It presents the helplessness of both nature and females. The study offers a compelling ecofeminist critique of the entangled patriarchal oppression of women and nature. This study contributes to the discourse on gender justice and protection of natural surroundings with a call for an ecofeminist reconceptualization in the future where women and nature can both be liberated.