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Home , Feminist literature, Feminist poetry, Rupi Kaur

Sweet as honey and beautiful as a flower? An Ecofeminist Approach to Nature Symbolism in Rupi Kaur’s milk and honey and the sun and her flowers

Diplomarbeit

zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades einer Magistra der Philosophie

an der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

vorgelegt von Eden GOLOB

am Institut für Amerikanistik

Begutachter: Univ.-Prof. Dr. M.A. Stefan Brandt

Graz, 2020

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Acknowledgements

First of all, I would like to thank my thesis supervisor Professor Dr. Stefan Brandt for supporting me with his vast knowledge and expertise. Thank you for steering my research in the right direction and inspiring me to choose such a pioneering topic.

I would like to thank my beloved sister Eva, for her emotional support and always believing in me. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you to all my wonderful friends for their unfailing encouragement and uplifting words. Especially, I want to thank my fellow student and dear friend Anja for making my time at Uni special. Thank you for your advice and support.

Finally, I want to thank my parents for their love, their patience and their support during my entire life. This accomplishment would not have been possible without you. I am so grateful to have you as my parents.

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Table of Contents

Introduction ...... 5

1 Literature and ...... 9

1.1 Defining Important Feminist Terms and Concepts ...... 9 1.2 The Roots of Feminist Literary Criticism ...... 11

2 Women and Nature: The Ecofeminist Movement ...... 16

2.1 Significant Ecofeminist Philosophies ...... 18 2.1.1 Conceptual Links between Women and Nature...... 20 2.1.2 Connecting Women and Nature through Symbolism ...... 22

3 Feminist Ecocriticism: Intersection between and Literary Criticism ...... 25

3.1 The Influence of Canadian Ecocriticism on Feminist Writings ...... 27 3.2 The Use of Gender- and Nature-related Language in Ecofeminist Poetry ...... 30 3.3 Objecting and Oppressing Nature and the Female Body in Literature ...... 32

4 The Rise of Ecofeminist Poetry in a Digitalized World ...... 35

4.1 The Importance of for Rupi Kaur’s Poetry ...... 37 4.2 Intersectional Representations of Women’s Experiences Online ...... 41

5 An Analysis of Nature Symbolism in Selected Poems by Rupi Kaur ...... 46

5.1 Value Dualism and Patriarchal Oppression ...... 47 5.2 Fighting Patriarchal Oppression in Romantic Relationships ...... 48 5.2.1 Emancipation from by Connecting Masculinity and Nature ...... 54 5.3 Female Objectification and Rape in the sun and her flowers and milk and honey ...... 56 5.3.1 Breaking the Silence about Sexual Assault through Nature Symbolism ...... 57 5.3.2 the Female Body after Rape ...... 60 5.4 Female Empowerment through Self-love in Rupi Kaur’s Poems ...... 63 5.4.1 The Support of Nature Symbolism in Healing from Trauma ...... 64 5.4.2 Reclaiming Nature to Support Female Empowerment ...... 67

6 Conclusion ...... 70

7 Works Cited and Consulted ...... 73

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List of Abbreviations

SF the sun and her flowers MH milk and honey

5 this is the recipe of life said my as she held me in her arms as i wept think of those flowers i plant in the garden each year they will teach you that people too must wilt fall root rise in order to bloom (Kaur.the sun and her flowers 2017: 114)

Introduction This poem by Punjabi Canadian poet Rupi Kaur is part of her best-selling poetry collection the sun and her flowers (2017), her second poetry anthology after her literary debut milk and honey (2015). The life cycle of a flower symbolizes the experiences of the poet speaker in her book and therefore navigates readers through different life stages before eventually blossoming (cf. Imran 2018: 122). Nature symbols play a significant role and create a variety of different meanings in both of Rupi Kaur’s works. This thesis aims to take a closer look into Kaur’s texts and provides an insight into nature symbols in the poems and will ask the following questions: What is the function of nature symbolism in by Rupi Kaur? How and in what way do nature symbols contribute to the reinforcement/destruction of patriarchal structures within the texts? What is ‘value dualism’ and how does this ecofeminist concept influence Kaur’s poetry and do the nature symbols reinforce dualistic structures in a patriarchal society? Another question which will also briefly be discussed is how milk and honey (2015) and the sun and her flowers (2017) possibly affect readers and their critical thinking within a patriarchal society. Kaur’s poetry focusing on women’s experience initially had considerate success when posted on the social media platform Instagram. Subsequently, Kaur self-published her first poetry collection milk and honey at the end of 2014. After landing a book deal with the Canadian publisher Simon & Schuster, Kaur’s poetry has gained popularity among a broad readership and her books have spent more than two years on Best Seller List with sales of more than 6.5 million books combined1 (cf. Islam 2020: 111; Roberts 2018, online).

1 According to the website of Andrew McMeel Publishing, an affiliated company of Simon & Schuster, more than 4.5 million copies of milk and honey have been sold since 2015. Further, Rupi Kaur’s second poetry collection the sun and her flowers has also sold more than 2 million copies in 2017 only. The former has been translated into 40

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According to Lee, “Kaur’s popularity is […] unprecedented” (2019, online) and she is often referred to as the “best-selling Instapoet2 of all time” (Roberts 2018, online) with more than four million followers who also comprise a majority of her offline readers (cf. Pâquet 2019: 296). In 2018, poetry sales in selected book stores in Canada had almost doubled since the first publishing of milk and honey (cf. Roberts 2018, online). Kaur’s poetry is inherently activist and feminist as she primarily writes about the female experience3 in regard to oppression4, objectification, sexual violence as well as sexuality and female liberation from patriarchal norms. The poems highlight the inequality between genders and provide an insight into the female perspective (cf. Miller 2019, online). In addition, Kaur creates a new form of poetry by only using lowercase letters in her entire writing, because she argues that it produces a more “equal and […] symmetrical” (“Rupi Kaur Achieves another Bestseller Milestone”) poetry that is reminiscent of her Punjabi heritage as this language also lacks punctuation (cf. “Rupi Kaur Achieves another Bestseller Milestone”). Thus, this thesis purposely uses lowercase letters when referencing and citing Kaur’s texts. However, as Instapoetry is reshaping literature today, the main aims of this paper are to investigate this innovative form of poetry, emphasizing the unquestionable relevance of this emerging genre and demanding its unavoidable inclusion into literary criticism (cf. Pâquet 2019: 296). In this thesis I will investigate the nature symbolism in selected poems by Rupi Kaur and use an ecofeminist lens to question the message conveyed by nature symbols. The first section of this thesis will provide a background on feminist theory and discuss important terms and

languages and has been in The New York Times Bestseller List for 77 consecutive weeks, while the latter has been translated into 25 languages and remained on The New York Times Trade Paperback List for more than 70 weeks (cf. “Rupi Kaur Achieves another Bestseller Milestone”; cf. Islam 2020:111). 2 Instapoets are a group of writers who start posting their poetry online and become largely successful in the process (cf. Walker in McQullian 2018: 18). The Instapoetry genre is often considered to have a strong focus on superficial issues and to be rather ephemeral. However, its importance cannot be ignored as it has a fundamental effect on literature and reading culture (cf. McQuillan 2018: 18). The concept of Instagram poetry will be thoroughly discussed later in this paper as it is of great importance for the deeper understanding of the poems. 3 In this thesis the terms , women, female and feminine are used for every individual who identifies as female, regardless of their biological sex or socially constructed including cis-women, trans-gender as well as non-binary people. For further clarification: the definition of cis-gender is an individual who identifies with their birth-assigned sex, (cf. Aultmann 2014: 61) trans- gender refers to people who do not identify with their biological sex and non-binary describes people who identify outside of gender binary (cf. Richards et al 2016:95). However, it also has to be clarified that since 2018 the Austrian law states that intersex is an official gender category (cf. “Intersexuality”) describing individuals who lack distinct physical characteristics that categorize them as either male or female and possess biological traits of both sexes (cf. “Intersexuelle Personen haben ein Recht auf adäquate Bezeichnung im Personenstandsregister”). Therefore, the word ‘gender binary’ is only used in this thesis to describe and investigate preexisting social structures such as patriarchy, as these constructs mainly ignore the existence of intersexual individuals. However, this does not diminish the relevance of the intersexual gender from the analysis as the intersectional approach of this thesis analyzes patriarchy’s influence on all oppressed minorities, including intersexual individuals. 4 According to Li (cf. 1993:284) oppression is a term that refers to the process of subordinating women in a patriarchal society.

7 concepts that are significant for the understanding of the analysis in this work. Then a brief introduction into feminist literary criticism and its development is provided. The following chapter will provide necessary background information on ecofeminism which builds the foundation of the analysis in this thesis. The main concern of this theory, which focuses on the apparent connection between the oppression of women and the natural world, is environmental degradation caused by an unequal power relationship in a patriarchal society (cf. Gaard and Gruen 1993: 236). For a conclusive analysis I will refer to key scholars in the fields of ecofeminism such as Greta Gaard (1993, 2017), Susan Warren (1996), (1993, 2004), Vandana Shiva (2014) and Maria Mies (2014). These scholars have created a framework which investigates an issue that is ingrained in modern society, namely the oppression of “weaker” (regarding to Western society) individuals such as women, animals, people of color and indigenous people. The subordination of a specific group of people either because of some inherent biological factor that they cannot determine themselves, e. g. an X chromosome or a gene for darker pigmentation, or the simple fact that they are different, has been a problem since the beginnings of human civilization. A theoretical insight into ecofeminism will be provided as this concept is highly concerned with equality , the connection between ecology and and the conceptual links between nature and women (cf. Warren 1996: 19), and therefore nature symbolism. The third section, which is based on the findings of the previous chapters, will focus on the intersection between ecofeminism and literary criticism. Canadian ecocriticism and the importance of ecofeminist poetry and its themes, the objectification and oppression of women and nature will be discussed. Another important aspect of Rupi Kaur’s literary success will be examined in the following chapter of the thesis: the impact of the internet on poetry as a as well as Kaur’s works in particular. Here again, I will give an insight into the of feminism, which is also an inherent feature in ecofeminist theory. After creating a fundamental knowledge of the aforementioned theoretical approaches, selected poems from the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015) will be analyzed. As nature symbols are omnipresent in Kaur’s writing, the analysis will be divided into three main sections which will focus on different themes covered in the poetry. Each section will investigate the function and the meaning of nature symbols and their influence on the message of the poems. Firstly, I have selected poems that deal with patriarchal gender stereotypes and female oppression and masculinity. Secondly, pieces with a focus on female objectification, sexual oppression as well as sexual assault will be chosen. Thirdly, female empowerment,

8 healing and self-love are investigated. Each chapter will question how nature symbols are used to challenge or reinforce patriarchal structures. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate the impact of the portrayal of women and female sexuality through nature symbols in Rupi Kaur’s poetry. The naturalization of women is commonly considered to imply subordination in patriarchal structures (cf. Gaard & Gruen 1993: 238) and, thus, this work will show the effect of nature symbols on patriarchal oppression in the texts. Further, the breaking of gender stereotypes and the reweaving of value dualisms5 will be significant aspects, which will be thoroughly examined. As the research within the field of ecofeminist literary criticism is still evolving and the intersections between Instapoetry and ecofeminism is almost non-existent, this thesis can be considered a pioneering work in this field. This thesis will demonstrate that Kaur’s poetry is based upon the connection of ecofeminism and social media. Furthermore, the study and research in the paper will provide a deeper understanding of poetry today and the influences of ecofeminist theory on Instapoetry. Especially as Rupi Kaur’s poetry has not yet perceived a large literary critical response, this thesis is essential for further analysis and the development of the theories in this field.6 The critical background on the associations between nature symbolism and the reweaving of value dualisms within ecofeminist theory needs to be investigated in more detail, not to mention the connection between ecofeminist literary theory and Instapoetry that will be highly important for critically approaching selected poems by Rupi Kaur. Therefore, this thesis will produce an innovative critical framework that will support future research in this area.

5 According to Warren (cf. 1996: xi) value dualisms are dichotomic hierarchies between two opponents, for instance, men/women or culture/nature. One aim of ecofeminism is to eliminate this dualism and ‘reweave’ this dichotomy to create an equal position for all groups (cf. Mack-Canty 2004:155). As it is of great significance for the analysis of Rupi Kaur’s poetry, the concept of value dualism will be further discussed in the theoretical background of this thesis. 6 During the research process of this thesis the lack of a theoretical framework on Kaur’s work has become apparent. Scholars who have engaged themselves in Kaur’s poetry mainly focused on the commodification of Instapoetry, such as Alyson Miller (2019, online) who wrote the article “Poetry’s Beyoncé. On Rupi Kaur and the Commodifying Effects of Instapoetics” as well as on other aspects such as spatial settings in milk and honey and the sun and her flowers (cf. Kruger 2017, online). However, one article that investigates the portrayal of the female body through an ecofeminist lens in Kaur’s poetry was published as part of a Conference in Brazil in 2019. In her paper “Silenciamento e Ressignificação do Corpo Feminine- Natureza em Rupi Kaur” Alice Veras Costa (2019) focuses on unattainable female beauty standards and the female body. In the English- speaking world no further research into the connection of ecofeminism and Rupi Kaur’s literature has been conducted and therefore the further analysis in this field is crucial.

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1 Literature and Feminist Theory The following section of this thesis aims to provide a background of feminist criticism as well as give an insight into the concept of ecofeminism and its main goals as well as an insight into the criticism surrounding it. This is of great importance for the deeper understanding of Rupi Kaur’s writing.

1.1 Defining Important Feminist Terms and Concepts

Before we continue to gain a deeper insight into feminist theory, especially ecofeminism, some important terminology has to be explained. In feminist criticism, the distinction between sex and gender is essential for any discussion, analysis or critical statement. The former is categorized biologically and based on inherent sexually dimorphic characteristics between female and male individuals, whereas the latter refers to the social construct which conceptualizes ideal presentations of what is considered to be feminine or masculine. The differences between these gender identities in a society which conforms to rules of gender binary are significant (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 233). Although the majority of feminist criticists acknowledge the biological differences between the sexes and appreciate and even honor them, they strongly disagree with the sentiment that those physical attributes should reduce female value and enforce male superiority as biological characteristics do not correlate with intelligence, courage or leadership qualities (cf. Tyson 2006: 86). However, gender roles are also highly dependent on different aspects such as socio-cultural background and have changed over time and are continuously evolving (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 233). Feminism has always been concerned about equality between the sexes and although this movement has come a long way, even in modern society men and women are far from having equal rights and opportunities (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 233). This is due to patriarchy, a ubiquitous male-dominated societal system, which is based on , which, by definition, supports the idea of the natural inferiority of women under men (cf. Tyson 2006: 85). Some critics argue that this system which is based on oppression is rooted in a construct which is familiar to all: family (cf. Solanki and Modiani 2018: 256). Traditional gender roles have been imposed on women as well as men for many centuries, while males have adopted the dominant position and the role of the leader in a stereotypical family, a lower position in the power hierarchy has been inflicted on females. Traditional gender roles force specific characteristics upon men and women. The former are considered to possess qualities such as rationality, strength and decisiveness, whereas the latter are often described to be “weak, nurturing, and

10 submissive” (Tyson 2011: 142) as well as to be sensitive and naturally have strong emotions. Traditional gender roles are not naturally present, but they are a construct of patriarchal structures and norms and have been exploited to sustain and defend injustices and inequalities, such as exclusion of females from specific fields of work as well as leadership positions (cf. Tyson 2011 142). Patriarchy forces women and other oppressed groups to suppress their desire to be free, to express themselves and to be autonomous in their lives. Thus, women have been detained from creating and living in a society which fulfills their desire of emancipation and equity between all people (cf. Heller 1993: 238). Another important aspect of the oppression of women in our society is their inability to achieve justice and equality in both gender and sexual hierarchies (cf. Li 1993: 284). This construct of social inequality is based on gender and causes the subordination of women and their suffering under the male domination (cf. Solanki and Modiani 2018: 256). Many females (and those who identify as female) feel powerless when confronted with discrimination on account of their gender or biological sex. Therefore, a high number of women have a shared experience of being victims of violent men, being discriminated in cultural situations which are controlled by men (e. g. the work place, where unfair wages are a prevailing issue) as well as living within a society where men are often considered superior, regardless of their socio- cultural backgrounds. This demonstrates that the unequal power hierarchy and the oppression of women is not only the result of a conscious dichotomy between women and men, but is deeply rooted in society. Thus, the male domination cannot be eradicated by solely accepting women’s roles in patriarchy but has to be challenged by humanity in its entirety (cf. Li 1993: 284f.). In discussion of the oppression of women, another important issue is the objectification of women. According to Tyson (cf. 2011: 142), women are dehumanized and objectified in a patriarchal system as well as repudiated to be an autonomous individual of the human race. The patriarchal evaluation of women classifies females in consideration with the practicability and helpfulness they provide for their male counterparts of the society (cf. Tyson 2011: 142). Women who, thus, portray “feminine” characteristics and succumb to patriarchal norms are categorized as “good ”, the epitome of patriarchal virtues (cf. Tyson 2006: 90). The “good ” behaves properly in regard to patriarchal ideology (cf. Tyson 2011: 143) and portrays features such as modesty, devotion, calmness, undemandingness and obtains satisfaction from sacrificing her life for others. Further, to be a “good girl” women have to be submissive and have to suppress their sexual desires and not openly show their sexual interests to remain a valuable part of society and worthy for men (cf. Tyson 2006: 90). On the other hand, women

11 who do not adhere to these traditional gender roles and to the sexual conduct imposed by patriarchy are considered to be “bad girls”. According to Tyson, violations of the patriarchal norms such as sexually provoking men either with their clothes or behavior, classify “bad girls” as not worthy to be married but to be reduced and objectified solely as a sexual object (cf. Tyson 2006:90; Tyson 2011: 143). Neither the former nor the latter are considered to be independent individuals with their own lives, wishes and needs, but moreover both are results of the objectification of women and contribute to the preservation of patriarchy (cf. Tyson 2011: 143). These patriarchal structures may seem obsolete, yet contemporary society challenges obstacles such as the culturally induced sexualization of young women and the persistent categorization of sex and gender roles up to this day (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 159). The influence of patriarchy on our society and the classification of women being deficient in comparison to men who are socially considered to be biologically superior (cf. Moi 1991 in Brandt 1997: 16), contributes to this injustice. Therefore, feminist criticism wants to mitigate and then defeat patriarchal injustice where women are deemed patriarchal objects because of their bodies, minds and intrinsic features (cf. Tyson 2011: 142). In particular the objectification of women is of great importance for the analysis of this thesis in which selected poems of Rupi Kaur’s the sun and her flower (2017) and milk and honey (2015) will be investigated as the texts deal with the portrayal , sexuality and female exploitation.

1.2 The Roots of Feminist Literary Criticism

The subordination of women has its origins many centuries ago in a time before the beginning of the Scientific revolution where division of labor became a predominant aspect in society (cf. Agarwal 1998: 68). Feminism has evolved as a reaction to these injustices that led to one of the most significant inequalities in the contemporary society. As already discussed in the previous section, investigating, analyzing and dismantling the patriarchal structures in our society have been the main objectives of feminism since its first appearance in the 19th century (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 233). The women’s movement achieved its first political successes in the late 19th century where the suffrage movement claimed the right that women could vote. This period of time is commonly referred to as the first wave of feminism and can be considered to be the starting point of the women’s movement (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 234). Around the middle of the 20th century French feminist writer Simone De Beauvoir’s published the critical feminist book (1949) in which she discusses femininity, women in a patriarchal society and most importantly the difference between biological sex and gender (cf. Solanki and Modiani 2018: 257). Many critics agree that this marks the beginning of the second

12 wave of the which was strongly involved in solving patriarchal problems in the work field as well as in domestic life. Moreover, it concentrated on advocating women’s rights in labor and dealing with injustices in this field (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 234). During this time, the first feminist literary criticism evolved with more female writers appearing in University canons (cf. Tyson 2006: 84) and more critical analysis of gender roles and the portrayal of women in literature (cf. Barry 2009: 116). Thus, the second wave of feminism, supported the, still continuing, shift away from the universal standard representation in literature (the white male perspective) and therefore contributes to the diversification of writers included in the canon in terms of gender, race and socio-cultural background (cf. Tyson 2006: 84). Further, the movement also strongly questioned how women were depicted in literature and consequently scrutinized and criticized the images’ authenticity as well as opposed and challenged incorrect, patriarchal representations of females (cf. Barry 2009: 116). Many feminists would argue that this was a crucial step for feminism as the representation in media was one of the most important examples for an ideal woman in a patriarchal society and therefore presented what was socially acceptable and legitimate for women. Literature described a patriarchally constructed picture of femininity and conveyed the message that women’s goals and desires entirely align with the traditional gender role system (cf. Barry 2009: 117). Feminist criticism evolved from critiquing the wrongful, stereotypical presentation of women in a dualistic system, to disclosing patriarchal structures within literature. It also extended the scope to focusing on the female experiences and change the canon by integrating prominent women’s literature. Although the representations of woman in literature has slowly but continuously changed over time, the idealization of femininity is still an issue today (cf. Barry 2009: 117). Subsequently the third wave of feminism started in the beginning of the 1990s and some feminists are likely to agree that feminism is currently still in this phase (cf. Solanki and Modiani 2018: 257). However, when it comes to setting specific time stamps for political movements it can be rather difficult to determine the beginning of a new chapter while experiencing it. Hence, other feminists are convinced that the fourth wave of feminism, which will be discussed later in this thesis, has arrived. The third wave of feminism strongly focused on the differences between women such as their heritage, sexual orientation and socio-cultural background as well as investigated gender nuances within the female experience (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 234). During this stage, feminism also had to combat other significant issues of the time such as, once again, the of young women, traditional gender roles, the negative effects of an economic globalization on women and children, who account

13 for the vast majority of inexpensive labor force, and, most importantly for this thesis: the deterioration of the environment and hence the climate crisis (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 159). Another important objective of the movement was to dismantle the dualistic tendencies which built the foundation of the myriad different forms of oppression in the society, for instance, the man/woman dualism, which is a socially constructed hierarchy that promotes male superiority to females (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 174). Likewise, the relationship between culture and nature, with the latter being considered to be inferior as it shares female characteristics such as being nurturing and caring, was challenged and feminism sought to establish a connection between both concepts and “reweave the […] duality” (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 155) between them. Feminist literary criticism around this time concentrated on expanding to explore the female perspective as a central, universal standard such as in the previous movement as well as including a variety of female viewpoints. The realization that the female experience is, although shared by many, defined by often diverse experience realms and different backgrounds in terms of race, culture and also personal beliefs and mindsets (not everyone thinks the same), contributed to substantial progress within the movement (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 158). However, although media has positively evolved and started to include the female point of view, literature and media in general have been considered to be rather two sided. Both oppression as well as liberation through literature could be acquired by woman and therefore complicates the work of feminist literary criticism. The abolishment of traditional gender structures and the scrutinizing of these patriarchal hierarchies and the lack of a female observers and story-tellers as well as the encouragement to embrace individuality within women attributed to the liberation in political and personal spheres. On the other hand, the idealization of female beauty, behavior and manners, which were impossible standards implemented by patriarchy, negatively influenced the growth of the movement as it inhibited emancipation and fostered oppression based on gender stereotypes (cf. Ware 2015: 113). Literary criticism, thus, tried to analyze and challenge not only the portrayal of women, but also the perspective of writings and the effect on the female reader. The refusal to accept the idea of dualism as a basic patriarchal concept of society and, therefore the division of the world into a dichotomous hierarchy, was of great importance and emphasized the heterogeneity of the female experience (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 158). The regression which emerged with the appearance of known issues, such as female oppression, in the media and literary world is opposed by the newly gained liberation in the same context. Nevertheless, considering the advancements in the female writing and in the expansion of the canon to include more woman

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(cf. Barry 2009: 117), the third wave of feminism has laid a solid foundation for female literary criticism. When it comes to the discussion around fourth wave feminism, many feminists will readily agree that it is currently evolving. However, as it is rather recent, a universal definition has yet to be created. Feminist activism resurged around the beginning of the millennium after a phase of has followed the protests and efforts of the third wave. Not only have the aims of the current wave slightly shifted away from the manifesto of the preceding movement, but also one particular characteristic is new: the importance of the internet and the digital world (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 234). Social media platforms facilitate the extensive distribution of feminist beliefs (cf. Baer 2015: 18), the discussion of ideas as well as the possibility to connect and consult with other like-minded people. This has led to a significant rise in online protesting, often supported by hashtag usage to increase the outreach of the feminist message (cf. Benn 2013: 224; cf. Baer 2015:18). Evidently, this development demonstrates that the influence of digital media, which has become increasingly important for humans, has unavoidable changed how feminism operates today (cf. Baer 2015: 18). Another important aspect of feminism today is that the leaders of this movement are mainly women who are rather young, in comparison to the earlier years, and well educated (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 234). These new kinds of feminists are concerned about the cultural obstacles for women within society rather than about the fight of materialistic injustices, which still remains a valid, but less controversial, issue (cf. Benn 2013: 223). Among the most important cultural concerns, besides abuse against females, is, once again, the highly disputed female representation or a lack thereof. Women are often represented in an unnatural manner, overly sexual, or with unattainable beauty features (cf. Benn 2013: 223). Further, fourth wave feminists indicate that sex and the sexualization of bodies are progressively destigmatized and occur more frequently. This normalization is the effect of contemporary society, especially social media as well as the popular music and fashion scenes, where woman are often portrayed in a highly distorted way for the viewers (cf. Maclaran 2015: 1735). As a result, campaigns, such as “Object (‘challenging the sexual objectification of women’)” in media in the UK, have arisen (cf. Benn 2013: 223) to combat this current issue as young women are no longer accepting the sexist world surrounding them while learning about the increasing female empowerment (cf. Benn 2013: 223). Intersectionality is also one of the main characteristics of this wave as it advocates the belief that politics, society and economy can only undergo a positive change if individual backgrounds and experiences of different people are taken into consideration. Hence, this movement

15 generally recognizes that different women have different needs, depending on their own identity which is shaped by their sexual orientation, their gender identity as well as their racial and socio-cultural backgrounds (cf. Maclaran 2015: 1734). This framework also investigates the interactions between the different forms of oppression and how women are affected by these discriminations in their lives (cf. Cochrane 2013b, online). Women build the center of oppressional intersections (cf. Zimmermann 2017:54) as they experience injustice and inequality not only due to their sex and gender but also because of their dis/ability, sexuality, living background and race (cf. Cochrane 2013a: Chapter 6). Feminism nowadays focusses on inclusion of all forms of oppression and indicates the dynamical system behind these inequalities (cf. Zimmermann 2017: 57). The universal female perspective and experience is no longer restricted to the white middle-class woman and individuals who belong to this category, in particular, have the responsibilities to analyze their own privilege to then contribute to combat oppression of women (cf. Cochrane 2013a: Chapter 6). As Cochrane states in her book All the rebel women: The rise of the fourth wave of feminism (2013a: Chapter 6): “No person is free until we are all free” and therewith explains that equality, or even equity, can only be attained if no woman suffers from oppression anymore, regardless if they are a person of color, transgender or queer. Fourth wave feminism does not stop here, but also spotlights another highly important issue which should have ceased to exist many decades ago, but still is still increasing in modern society: the injustices and inequality between gender. As mentioned before, male superiority can be traced back to the beginnings of civilization, however, the gender pay gap and the unequal distribution of woman in leadership positions and men in low- paid so called “jobs for women” speaks volumes (cf. Maclaran 2015: 1736). The “feminization of poverty”, as Maclaran (2015: 1736) refers to it, is caused by the lack of feminist achievements in the working-class (cf. Benn 2013: 225). Compared to their male counterparts, women do not only earn smaller wages, they also struggle with additional factors, such as expensive and time- extensive childcare. Therefore, poverty affects women on a large scale and is difficult to overcome (cf. Benn 2013: 224f.). The fourth and current wave of feminism is a movement which has reevaluated its aims in consideration of the individual female experience. Young women all over the world fight for and the abolition of oppression of women or other subordinated minorities. The majority of this battle is fought online, which facilitates the inclusion of myriads of different perspectives and voices. The advent of the internet and, thus, social media platforms enables the movement to spread its message like wildfire as well as to create a unified mindset between

16 different females. However, some feminist critics would object that this shared experience positively contributes to the glorification of the individual, which was of great importance during the third wave, as this “collective spirit” (Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 234) might ignore or omit certain individual viewpoints (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019:234). Although some critics would readily agree with this statement, others are convinced that the use of the internet as a platform for debating and awareness-raising positively influences the movement and supports its cause. Ultimately, the main objectives of contemporary feminism are to end the sexualization and objectification of women in media as well as to achieve justice for every human being, regardless of ethnicity, sexuality or class. Both aims are highly important for this thesis as it will deal with the objectification of women within an ecofeminist framework, which demands equality not only for humans but for every sentient being, and therefore provides an essential foundation for the analysis of selected poems from Rupi Kaur’s best-selling poetry books. 2 Women and Nature: The Ecofeminist Movement Ecofeminist criticism is of great important for this thesis, as it will provide the foundation of the literary analysis of feminist poems which use nature symbolism in Rupi Kaur’s the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015). The ecofeminist movement has been highly discussed in the last decades as environmental issues have increasingly evolved into a severe problem, which could change life as we know it forever: climate change. During the second wave of feminism ecofeminism originated in the absence of awareness for the environment in feminism as well as in the green movement where sexism started to be seen more critically (cf. Plumwood 2004: 43). French Canadian ecologist and political scientist Linda Vance (cf. 1993: 133) emphasizes that ecofeminism is a fusion between feminism and ecology, combining the most relevant aspects of both into one united movement, rather than just being a pale imitation of the shared objectives. It is a theory that insists on resistance against oppression in all areas and has the goal to stop any form of exploitation, human and other (cf. Vance 1993: 133). When it comes to the etymology of the term ecofeminism, some critics will readily agree that it was coined by the French feminist writer Françoise d'Eaubonne in 1974 to highlight the female revolutionary spirit in connection to ecological issues (cf. Warren 1996: xvi). Other ecofeminists such as Gaard and Gruen (1993), however, are convinced that the term emerged globally around 1970 as an answer to activism in the field rather than being coined by one particular scholar (cf. Gaard & Gruen 1993: 252; cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 169). Additionally, environmental thinker Vandana Shiva and Marxist feminist scholar Maria Mies (cf. 2014: 13)

17 state that the word’s popularity rose among protesters and activists after the recurrence of natural catastrophes in the 1980s. Feminists in the 1970s increasingly started to perceive the interrelationship between women and the natural world (cf. Merchant 1996: 5) and became more conscious of the connections between different forms of oppression. The interdependency between racial, sexist and classicist inequality and environmental destruction also became apparent to women who were actively fighting for equality and peace (cf. Sturgeon 2016: 27). Ecofeminism, thus, particularly investigates the connection between the nature and women and has been an advocate for the belief of an inextricable link between oppressing females and exploiting the environment in Western societies (cf. Hartmann 2006: 93). Ecofeminist theory is based on the claim that the connection between women and the environment is caused by the oppression of the, as classified by society, subordinated group and therefore an intersection between ecological criticism and feminism is created (cf. Sturgeon 2016: 23). The oppression of woman and the environmental destruction have collaterally appeared by the impact of the dichotomous perspectives in the patriarchal ideology. While women, as will be discussed in more detail in the following chapter of this thesis, are often identified with nature, man are rather associated with culture. The former association attributes, for instance, to the female body and its reproductivity, an aspect that lacks from the male perspective and can be related to the fertility of nature (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 155). This dichotomy contributes greatly to the creation of injustices and inequality between two groups (cf. Agarwal 1998: 62). According to ecofeminists, feminist issues, such as oppressing and discriminating women or other inferior groups, are strongly associated with the discussion about the environment and, thus, integral in their genesis (cf. Hartmann 2006:93). As the androcentric structure and therefore the oppression within patriarchy, is a large contributory factor for environmental deterioration (cf. Mack-Canty 2004:171), the progressively degrading and exploited natural world is indeed considered to be a feminist problem by many ecofeminist scholars (cf. Gaard & Gruen 1993: 240). Ecofeminism wants to introduce and maintain a new perspective among humans that critically scrutinizes the anthropomorphic domination of the non-human world by investigating the connection between feminist and ecological issues, thus, the link between patriarchy and all forms of oppression (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 233). The destruction of nature, in particular, is a severe issue for ecofeminist theorists, due to the fact that it is based on male domination and female oppression (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 238). As a result, ecofeminism has the strong belief that environmental matters are predominantly affecting

18 women and their offspring because of their inferior position in the patriarchal society (cf. Gaard & Gruen 1993:240). This connection is often considered to be an incentive for females to combat environmental injustice and demand for humans to stop dominating the environment, and therefore also the ramifications of their own oppression (cf. Agarwal 1998: 62). Consequently, ecofeminism argues that equity and the liberation of women from the patriarchal structure can only be achieved, if all other oppressed entities, such as nature, are also emancipated from the domination of the superior system (cf. Gaard 1993:1). Recently, another important aspect within ecofeminist theory has been highly discussed: Intersectionality. As mentioned before, intersectionality has become more important within feminism and therefore also ecofeminism. This critical theory is not only concerned with the patriarchal stereotype of a women, but also focusses on other minorities as well as the environment. Ecofeminism aims to be inclusive of different genders (not only women but also intersex individuals who identify as female), sexual orientations, races, classes as well as nonhuman beings. A difficulty arising from this approach is the simultaneous conceptualization of the differences between women and men as well as considering the differences among women and acknowledging the inner hierarchy of this group. Thus, one of the goals of ecofeminist criticism is to create a framework that does not discriminate within the oppressed group and represents not only one universal female view point (cf. Sturgeon 2016: 16f.). Additionally, the conceptual link between nature and the environment has to be questioned and the concept of nature needs to be redefined in terms of the dynamics with culture and its different meanings for different people (cf. Hartmann 2006: 91). 2.1 Significant Ecofeminist Philosophies

As with other critical movements, ecofeminism is not comprised of one comprehensive philosophy, but includes various different views about the connection between the oppression of both women and nature (cf. Warren 1996: x). The different ecofeminist foci share specific characteristics such as the agreement that women have an important role within the current ecological crisis (cf. Agarwal 1998: 62). As mentioned above, ecofeminists have a mutual understanding of the relationship between females and environment as well sharing the opinion that these critical assumptions are not represented sufficiently in any preceding movements such as feminism, environmentalism and environmental philosophy. Hence, the exploration, discussion and the interpretation of the links between subordinated spheres has evolved into the main objective discussed by ecofeminists (cf. Warren 1996: x).

19 One important connection ecofeminists investigate, is, for instance, the historical and causal implication of the relationship between woman and nature. Ecofeminists, who research in this field, connect historical contexts in order to develop a criticism which is based on causality. Some feminists consider the ecofeminist movement to be a result of historical events, such as the cultural and scientific progress, with environmental exploitation being one of its negative implications (cf. Warren 1996: xi). American ecofeminist philosopher and historian Carolyn Merchant (cf. 1996: 10) argues that, indeed, the scientific revolution vastly contributed to the degradation of nature and the rise of patriarchy. These claims are further supported by other feminists, who readily corroborate this believe (cf. Mies and Shiva 2014: 29). Another focus of ecofeminism is empirical and experiential research which shows the connection between women and environment. Ecofeminism bases its assumptions on the assessment of health risks generated by ramifications of environmental destruction, such as pollution, emissions, toxins and toxic chemicals in nature. These hazards affect women and children conspicuously more often than men (cf. Warren 1996: xiii). This injustice can be, as briefly discussed before, explained by the disproportionally large number of women who struggle against poverty and have poor economic resources, and therefore cannot afford to live in a safe environment. The arising inequality often leads to insurrection and revolts within the group of the oppressed, which can be considered to be the foundation of another field of ecofeminism: politics. Political ecofeminism concentrates on activism emanating from environmental issues which have a negative impact on women particularly. Thinkers in this area of ecofeminism emphasize that activism among women is spiked through the fear for their loved ones and their environment. Moreover, political and practical issues, such as health impendences and risks for women or the environment, contribute to the growing female activism against nuclear power, exploitation of animals or the earth and the destruction of the environment (cf. Warren 1996: xvi; cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 173). Further, the mitigation of climate change and environmental destruction is fostered by the ecological activism arising among members of the ecofeminist philosophy (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 173). The implementation of ecofeminism in praxis and not only theoretically is a significant component of this criticism and weaves its message, theoretical framework as well as its goals together and constructs a powerful, all-inclusive movement with the aim to end oppression in every area of life (cf. Plumwood 2004: 43).

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2.1.1 Conceptual Links between Women and Nature

Conceptualization is also considered to be an important field for ecofeminist studies. According to Warren (cf. 1996: xi) a large number of ecofeminist scholars ascribe the historical and the causal relation between female and environmental oppression to their (in Western societies) universal conceptualization. The following section will discuss four of these conceptual connections, which are highly important for the further understanding of this thesis (cf. Warren 1996: xi). One account suggests the differences of sex and gender as a conceptual link between the male superiority and the domination of women and nature (cf. Salleh 1984: 344; cf. Gray 1981; Caldecott and Leland 1983; Cheney 1987 in Warren 1996: xii). This link is based on the differentiation between female and male character formation and their resulting conscious mind. The conceptual theory claims that it is not female biology itself, but its implications on women, for instance through physically experiencing birth, that locate females closer to the natural world within a patriarchal and male-dominated world (cf. Warren 1996: xii). Further, the differences of western social conditioning on women and men reinforces this development and cultivates this connection between female subordination and male power (cf. Buell 2005: 20). Thus, women are considered to be more environmentally conscious and have a greater understanding of nature, because of their experiences as women (cf. Warren 1996: xii). A second conceptual connection originates from the claim that the connotation of the femininity of nature has drastically changed after the scientific revolution. Before the seventeenth century, nature was compared to motherhood, benevolence and femininity. However after the mechanization of the Western world, many accounts report that the environment and nature were conceived as lifeless and associated with machines (cf. Warren 1996: xiii). This development led to the ethical justification of exploiting the (female) nature as the environment was no longer associated with being a living being. Thus, the conceptualization between the change from the organic to the mechanistic ideal of nature, has had a large impact on ecology and needs to be reassessed to stop the damage of the (feminized) natural world (cf. Warren 1996: xiii). A third account locates the conceptual foundation of the oppression of woman and nature on value dualism, which is a concept that suggests a dichotomic relationship between two opposing sides, in this case, women and men or culture and nature. Value dualisms are based on a hierarchy and imply that one group is superior and inherently carries more value than the other (cf. Warren 1996: xi). This concept which is deeply ingrained in our society further contributes to the creation of value hierarchies, which consider dominant and superior groups, e.g. men and

21 culture, to be more valuable than the oppressed (cf. Warren 1996: xii). These hierarchies are also important factors in the construction of a dominant, superior identity, which Plumwood (cf. 1993: 42ff.) calls the Master identity. The Master identity is used to justify the inferior, subordinate and colonialized position of less dominant (as decided by society) identities, such as people who are indigenous or of color, non- human beings as well as females (cf. Plumwood 1993: 42ff.). Other value dualisms, which are highly discussed among ecofeminists in this field, describe the hierarchies between “reason/emotion, mind/body,[…], human/nature, and (as mentioned before) man/ women” (cf. Warren 196: xii; my emphasis). These hierarchies built the conceptual base for the argument that inferiority originates in the association with feelings, femininity, the physical body and the environment, whereas men, thinking, rationality and culture are associated with power and superiority. The distinction between dominant and oppressed parties, the former being either socio-economically privileged, human, male, cultivated, and the latter being indigent, low-class, women and animals, which are not human, as well as uncultivated nature (cf. Gaard 1993: 1), urges to be dismantled by feminists to initiate a rethinking and reconception of premised philosophical ideas such as knowledge and reason (cf. Warren 1996: xii). Relating to the concept of value dualism, a fourth conceptual base between the domination of women and nature is dealing with dichotomy and hierarchies on a larger level. As mentioned before, patriarchy is an omnipresent concept within society and has many oppressive tendencies and therefore attributes to the formation of so called “isms”, forms of oppression which include “racism, classism, heterosexism, sexism, as well as ‘naturism’” (Warren 1996: xii), the oppression of the environment. These oppressive conceptual frameworks are constructions of society and convey fundamental beliefs and mindsets which influence the individual’s perspective on self and other. The justification and explanation of the relationship between dominance and subordination creates such frameworks, however it is considered to be a patriarchal conceptual framework when the oppression occurs between man and women (cf. Warren 1996: xii). The difference between this conceptualization and the previously discussed value dualism and hierarchy, is the fact that this framework is characterized by a justification of the oppression because of the superiority of the dominant group, which is also referred to as “Logic of domination” (cf. Warren 1987 and 1990 in Warren 1996: xii). Ultimately, the goal of ecofeminists is to reveal and overcome the discussed frameworks because they actively contribute to the exploitation and domination of women and nature (cf. Warren 1996: xii). Albeit these conceptual links are restricted to a Western perspective, they can still provide an insight into the functions and effects of dualisms on the environment as well as show the

22 influences impacting the ecological downfall (cf. Li 1993: 288). However, the conceptualization in ecofeminist theory is of great importance for the discussion of the poems later in this thesis as value dualisms have a large impact on the writing as the domination of women and nature is a significant factor. In comparison to other , the inclusion of the nonhuman environment into the ecofeminist approach facilitates a more substantial and precise analysis of value dualisms in Rupi Kaur’s poetry, as this theory not only strongly focuses on reclaiming the female body, but also on the conceptual links between the oppressed groups (cf. Mack-Canty 2014: 154). 2.1.2 Connecting Women and Nature through Symbolism

Another important philosophy within ecofeminism and probably the most significant theory for this thesis, is the symbolic connection between woman and nature. Ecofeminist theorists within this field investigate literature, music, art and religion in regard to their depiction of women and their use of language. The symbolic link between femininity and the oppression of women and nature is often the focus of this research (cf. Warren: xiv). Some critics insist that patriarchy, as an undermining system for nature and women, is considered to be the justification of the exploitation and domination of the inferior groups (cf. Murphy 1988:87). This patriarchal structure builds the basis for some ecofeminist literary criticism as it examines the male domination over the subordinated individual and questions its influences on the text (cf. Warren 1996: xiv). Other ways of critically analyzing literature through an ecofeminist lens are: the creation of ecofeminist languages, spiritual symbolism or hypothesis. However, one of the most significant symbols for the analysis in this paper is the connection between sexism and naturism through language. Hence, words and phrases which subordinate women as well as nature need to be explored (cf. Warren 1996: xv). Symbolism, in particular, plays an important role in the portrayal of women in literature and some ecofeminists focus on the language which is used to characterize and define women. For instance, the application of animal terms is a salient aspect in myriads of writings, but also in day-to-day life derogatory terms for females such as cow, chick, bitch, pussy and bird, to only name a few, are highly common. On the contrary, nature is often sexualized and feminized by words, which expresses its oppressed situation in the world (cf. Warren 1996: xv). This language suggests that nature is “raped, mastered, conquered, controlled, [and] mined” (Warren 1996: xv), which are frequently used words for describing oppressed women. Another example for this symbolical feminization of nature are phrases such as “the penetration of the environment” and “the fertility of the soil” which are associated with women and reproduction (cf. Warren 1996: xv). American feminist writer and animal rights activist Carol J. Adams (cf.

23 1990: 61) claims that the domination and superiority conveyed by these phrases and symbols are perpetuated through a language which feminizes the environment and naturalizes females. By maintaining these hierarchies through language usage, the cultural parallels between nature and women, which are the foundation for the aforementioned power imbalance, are often neglected. Ecofeminism has the goal to develop a framework which omits such language and the structures of domination they consolidate, to stop the justification of injustices against inferior groups (cf. Warren 1996: xv). Nature feminizing metaphors and symbols, as well as those which naturalize women, need to be abandoned by writers to prevent further damage of the environment and within patriarchal structures (cf. Warren 1996: xii). Symbolism plays an important role for the discussion of Rupi Kaur’s poetry as she actively uses nature symbolism to illustrate femininity and describe the female narrator and her lifeworld. Using an ecofeminist lens to analyze and investigate selected poems, will support the understanding of the writing as well as provide a deeper insight into the connection between women and nature. Currently ecofeminism is dealing with the hardships of combining all those different viewpoints into a connected coherent theory that is self-reflective and inclusive of all oppressed groups. In her book Critical ecofeminism (2017) Greta Gaard explores the advancements of ecofeminism after having dealt with feminist activism for peace, animals, environmental justice, queerness and against nuclear power and racism in connection to ecofeminism before. This new distinction profited from the previous studies in the field of ecofeminism and combines knowledge of decades of research on this issue. Not only does critical ecofeminism entail insights into current discussion within environmental justice, but also, as the name implies, helps to critique them (cf. Gaard 2017: xxiii). Although ecofeminism encompasses many different perspectives, value dualisms are often considered to be the foundation of all oppression. Therefore, contemporary ecofeminist research draws back to its origins, namely the concept of dualism, as in gender dualism where male and female are considered to be opposing sites, with men adopting the dominant role (cf. Plumwood 2004: 43). The application of this concept deepens the understanding of how and what gender contributes to the creation and development of cultural and economic thought processes and how they contribute to the critical ecological situation in modern societies (cf. Plumwood 2004: 43). Critical ecofeminism aims to show that this value dualism eventually leads to the ecological disruption (cf. Plumwood 2004: 44). However, not all ecofeminists think alike and some of them argue that the prerequisites, i. e. the predominant ideologies in regard to nature and women, generate limitations for this theory as it relies excessively on historically and culturally constructed dualism. Further, the omission

24 of non-environmental related gender injustices is considered to decrease ecofeminism’s reliability (cf. Agarwal 1998: 57). Further, some research suggests that no sex or gender is closer to nature or has a stronger connection to the natural world than the other (cf. Roach 1996: 59). As value dualism is still a valuable conceptual framework shaped by history and culture and influenced by patriarchal structures, the question of whether women and nature in the value dualisms are rightfully associated with each other cannot be asked, as the question itself is flawed as it validates hierarchical norms and patriarchy (cf. Roach 1996: 59). This thesis will not try to investigate the validation of this dualism but use its prevailing effect in society, such as gendered linguistics, to analysis selected poems by Rupi Kaur. On the other hand, many theorists would agree that neglecting the relevance of value hierarchies will not progress the ecofeminist movement. Thus, critics who would dispute the claim of value dualisms insignificance, insist that the conceptual link between nature and women, particularly, contributes to a better understanding of the hierarchical dualism and, therefore, the reweaving of this construct is possible. This entails eliminating the hierarchy between nature and culture as well as women and men and therefore is not only a feminist or an ecological, but an ecofeminist issue. The main objective is to transform gendered dualistic systems and reposition the groups within this system, using embodiments as part of the process to unite and combine dichotomic structures (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 173). Further, by including more-than-human nature in in this process, ecofeminism advances the progress of reweaving the dualism (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 175) and an expansion of the range of the ecofeminist theory is promoted as well as the knowledge and awareness of both environment and corporeality is increased (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 173). As a result, this change will positively affect the subordinated groups that have been devalued and silenced by value dualisms (cf. Alaimo 2008: 240). Conceptional links are crucial for ecofeminist analysis and provide the foundation for a discussion of the current issues. Symbols as well as dualism are especially significant for this thesis and will support the deeper understanding of Rupi Kaur’s work. Ecofeminism strives to be an “anti-dualist, anti-phallogocentric theory” (Oppermann 2013: 69) that opposes the anthropocentric perspective and challenges the gender relationships as well as questions all forms of oppression. The aim is to analyze the connection between environment, sex and gender beyond the sole implications on women’s bodies and therefore to investigate how minorities, nature and women are socially, economically, physically and mentally affected by value dualisms (cf. Oppermann 2013: 69). The realization that women as well as men belong to both nature and culture assists in the debunking of the dualistic myth and reinforces the message that

25 the conceptual links between women and nature are a mere result of a patriarchally imposed concept that not only causes, but also justifies oppression (cf. Plumwood 1993: 35, 39).

3 Feminist Ecocriticism: Intersection between Ecofeminism and Literary Criticism The following section of this thesis will be essential for the further analysis of poems by Rupi Kaur as it will provide an insight into the history and development of ecofeminist literary criticism as well as show its relevance for the research conducted within this paper. Although having raised discussions among ecofeminist and ecocritical theorists for decades (cf. Gaard 2010: 643), Feminist ecocriticism is a rather recent field of studies within ecological and feminist research (cf. Hartmann 2006: 87). Experiencing the current change in climate, environmental disasters and the exploitation of animals on a large scale has been eye-opening to many scholars, as the repercussions and effects of these issues not only affect the environment but also humankind (cf. Gaard et al 2013:14). This chapter will try to demonstrate the importance of this theory as a literary framework, which will facilitate better understanding of the connection between ecofeminism and selected poems in the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015). Renowned ecofeminist writer, scholar and activist Greta Gaard agrees with her colleagues ecocritical researcher Simon C. Estok and environmental humanities professor Serpil Oppermann (cf. Gaard et al. 2013: 3) that literary ecofeminist criticism originated from the influence of various different events and activisms. , for instance, initiated the expression of feminist thought for a broader audience and supported the feminist movement by successfully channeling their creativity to combat patriarchy (cf. Islam 2020: 109). Ecological literature and the first feminist literary criticism, which emerged in the 1970s, are considered to have contributed greatly to its development and are considered to be the birthplace of feminist ecocriticism. On the other hand, sociopolitical and environmental movements also affected the progression of this field of studies and created a new feminist perspective within ecocriticism (cf. Gaard et al. 2013: 3). However, before being acknowledged as an important autonomous field of study, ecofeminism was not approached as a significant topic of ecological literary criticism as researchers often marginalized feminist perspectives. This controversial issue has been perpetuated for decades through the omission and backgrounding of feminist perspectives within environmental criticism (cf. Gaard 2010: 643). The ecocriticist theory which was highly influenced by writings such as The Ecocriticism Reader (Glotfelty and Fromm 1996) and Greg

26

Garrard’s Ecocriticism (2004) lacked a broader female viewpoint and the connections between ecofeminism and literature. Although exploring a connection and interrelationship between humans and the environment through an ecocriticist framework was important (cf. Glotfelty and Fromm 1996: xix), the significance of the repercussions of patriarchal ideas on this theory and therefore the importance of ecofeminist research were largely ignored. Gaard (cf. 2010: 644), for instance, claims that Garrard (2004) omits significant aspects of ecofeminism and therefore conveys a distorted representation of ecocriticism. The importance of ecofeminism, thus, needs to be reassessed and integrated into ecocriticism. Gaard (cf. 2010: 643ff.) is certainly right about the absence of ecofeminism in early ecocriticism and is eager to prevent the currency of a flawed theory and aims to correct the history of ecocriticism to support the upcoming ecofeminist directions (cf. Gaard 2010: 643). The feminist perspective contributes to a more sophisticated and profound insight into environmental writing as the apparent relation between women and nature in a patriarchal society is continuously relevant today. The aforementioned link between the suppressed entities is not biologically or naturally determined but can be described as a patriarchal “shadow” (Joyce in Lal 1995: 309f.) projecting naturality and physicality upon females, suggesting a proximity between the suppressed groups as consequences of inherent reproductivity and nurturing abilities (cf. Joyce in Lal 1995: 309f.). Undoubtedly, differences between the sexes are predetermined and have always affected society and humanity in certain aspects of culture, causing conflicts that further can be used to justify domination and oppression within the socially constructed gender concept (cf. Murphy 1995:7). Feminist ecocriticism, thus, is a significant attribution to literary criticism as it discusses feminist issues in association with environmental problems and further includes a broad spectrum of diverse perspectives influenced by race, sexuality, gender and identity (cf. Oppermann 2013: 67). Therefore, research can extend the scope of analysis beyond the human, or white-male, perspective and also focus on females, minorities, oppressed individuals as well as other sentient beings and their literary and cultural portrayal in environmental writings (cf. Gaard et al. 2013:8). Ecofeminist literary criticism not only concentrates on female bodies and speciesism, as Oppermann (cf. in Gaard et al. 2013:8) implies, but also reevaluates the position of humans in a world, in which oppression, injustice and ecological decay are highly prominent. Further, this “anti-phallogocentric theory” (cf. Oppermann in Gaard et al. 2013:8) strongly focuses on the implication and influences of society within ecocriticism as well as the realization that the nonhuman environment is indeed not inanimate (cf. Gaard et al. 2013:8).

27 Hence, the constantly expanding field of ecofeminism (cf. Hartmann 2006: 87) as part of ecological literary criticism examines writings through a feminist lens and focuses on the moral values of feminism, such as gender equality and the elimination of all forms of oppression (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 172). The aim is to reveal that the objectification, which is invariably present in the female experience, expands to objectify nature and other living beings. The investigation of the connection between humans and nature and the attempt to dismantle the dualism and the hierarchical structures, particularly evident in Western societies, tremendously support the progress of feminist ecocriticism (cf. Oppermann 2013: 68). Another important demand claimed by ecofeminist literary critics is the reassessment of the literary canon, which has been problematic in the development of feminist ecocriticism from its beginnings (cf. Mack-Canty 2004: 172) as the majority of writers, such as in other canons, have predominantly been male. This can be ascribed to the underlying patriarchal structure which controls our society and affects literature as well as environmental problems. Around the end of the 20th century, ecocritics reflected on themselves and increasingly became more self- aware of the flaws in their movement. The realization that intersectionality has not been a primary concern among ecofeminist literary criticists and that male, heterosexual, environmental writers amount for the majority of ecofeminist representatives, has resulted in an awakening among feminist ecocritics (cf. Gaard et al. 2013: 5). The diversification of the canon and the scholars to involve different races, ethnicities, classes and gender set a milestone for feminist ecocriticism (cf. Gaard et al. 2013: 5) and builds the foundation for this new “ecofeminist settlement specifically in the fields of ecocritical studies and environmental humanities” (Oppermann 2013: 67).

3.1 The Influence of Canadian Ecocriticism on Feminist Writings

As Canada is a breeding ground for ecological writing and Canadian literature has always been strongly influenced by the country’s vast landscapes and proximity to nature, it can be considered to be particularly important for this thesis to gain a deeper insight into Canadian ecocriticism. Further, Rupi Kaur is a female Punjabi-Canadian writer and not only inherited Indian values and culture, but was also raised in a country, where minority writing is highly present (cf. Padolsky 1997: 25; cf. Miller 2019, online). Kaur, who strongly identifies with the ‘quintessential South Asian female experience’ (cf. Kaur in Miller 2019, online) has the aim to portray this perspective in her poetry, to create intersectionality in the ecofeminist canon and provide an insight into this minority view point. As a woman of color Kaur is not only oppressed by society in regard of her gender but also because of her Punjabi background, being an

28 immigrant writer in Canada. This enables her to internalize a multiperspective view and address a diverse group of readers. Canadian culture and therefore literature is highly influenced by the cultural diversity displayed in this country. Not only does Canada provide a home for both francophone and English writers, it also shows a “growing corpus for minority writing” (Padolsky 1997: 24). Canadian women’s literature represents multiple voices and perspective and comprises a great variety of authors with different backgrounds and stories (cf. James 1995:102). As the notion of national identity in Canada often has a negative connotation, the divisions within the culture are reinforced. Therefore, ecofeminist writing in Canada is not only linguistically diverse, but also ethnically heterogenous and culturally divided which adds to the decentralization of the author’s perspectives (cf. James 1995: 103). As Rupi Kaur can be considered to be a minority poet because of her background and her self-identity, one could claim that she is the personified interrelation between digitalized ecofeminism and Canadian minority writing. However, Canadian (literary) history demonstrates a rich variety of influences and its writing traditions also include some important female writers (cf. James 1995: 105) such as , who wrote The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) and Margaret Laurence, who is the author of Stone Angel (1964). This can be attributed to aspirational female authors who have the goal to debunk the myth of nature, which is highly feminized, and establish their own portrayal of wilderness and thus create a “female selfhood” (James 1995: 101). Female authors have the desire to overcome marginalization and oppression within literature and therefore write their own books. The writings often oppose patriarchal structures by addressing multiple perspectives and standpoints as well as being inclusive of different groups. This form of liberation from oppression is significant for Canadian environmental women’s literature (cf. James 1995: 109) and results in a great variety of women’s writing which provides a substantial basis for ecofeminism in Canada (cf. James 1995: 101). Considering the Canadian infrastructure and its natural environment it is understandable that environmental writing is highly prominent in Canadian culture and literature. Wilderness and therefore nature are important influences for the latter (cf. Littlejohn and Pearce in Garrard 2004: 78). As the differences in landscape and the environment in Canada are fairly large owing to its size, the Canadian pluralistic national identity can be considered to be a result of these ecological conditions (cf. James 1995: 103). The representation of these multiple viewpoints and the integration of different individual experience realms create an intersectional approach within Canadian literature. As already mentioned, intersectionality is not only highly important during the current phase of feminism but is also predominant within ecofeminism, as this

29 movement aspires to include not only a white female cis heterosexual perspective, but also women with other racial or sociocultural backgrounds, as well as trans-women and women with all different sexual orientations and everyone else who identifies themselves as a female. As a hierarchy can not only be noticed between the dominant and the subordinate parties, but also among those who are oppressed, another issue arises. Thus, the assumption that the more privileged among the oppressed, such as white middle-class woman, are the representative for all women, has to be prevented. This concept which indicates the hierarchical system within women is referred to as “” (cf. Schüssler Fiorenza 1992: 123) and describes the intersection of superior structures (cf. Schüssler Fiorenza 1992: 8). This is specifically important because, especially those minorities, who also happen to be female, often experience oppression not only within the patriarchal system, but also in other areas and cannot achieve the standards set by average white women, who, for instance, have a racial advantage, although they are inferior within patriarchal structures (cf. Maclaran 2015: 1735). These different aspects all contribute to the importance of intersectionality in feminism and ecofeminism today. Indeed, the intersectional analysis of woman as well as the environment is not exclusively found in feminism alone, but rather works as a tool to challenge economic and social inequality as well as humanly induced environmental degradation and discrimination of all forms (cf. Gaard 2010: 659). The connection between woman and nature, which is often investigated and scrutinized by ecofeminists, is a notable aspect in Canadian writing for several reasons. Firstly, women’s literature often discusses the environment as well as strongly integrates nature and therefore creates a foundation for ecocritical readings (cf. Lal 1995: 309). Secondly, The Canadian environmental canon contains, in comparison to, for instance, its American equivalent, many female writers (cf. Estok 2009: 93). Further, Lal (cf. 1995: 308) states that Ecofeminism is predominant in Canadian writing because it has been connected to Canadian literature from the beginning of literary criticism. This can be attributed to the impact of early Canadian female authors, such as Susanna Moodie (Roughing it in the Bush 1852), on the development of environmental literature in Canada (cf. Lal 1995: 309). Lastly, as Lal phrases, the “female identification with wild nature” (Lal 1995: 308) is highly present within Canadian women’s writing and a connection between women and nature is often implied. Contemporary women’s writing is characterized by its focus on handling patriarchy and destructing its underlying oppression on women as well as other inferior groups. This is accompanied by an attempt to reconstruct history in terms of female perspectives and the separation of culture and women (cf. James 1995: 103). Therefore, the connection between ecofeminist criticism and Canadian

30 literature is highly present as the reweaving of the hierarchal dualisms, gender as well as human and nonhuman, is predominant in the writings.

3.2 The Use of Gender- and Nature-related Language in Ecofeminist Poetry

The following section of this thesis will focus on poetry and feminist ecocriticism. This is especially important as Rupi Kaur’s poems can not only be considered to be feminist poems but also to be part of the ecopoetry genre. According to American ecopoetry and ecopoetic professor John Shoptaw (cf. 2016: 395), ecopoetry is a type of poetry which is related to the environment and therefore includes aspects which are not about the human world. In addition, he states that, another quality it has to possess is the idea of environmentalism (cf. Shoptaw 2016: 395). Hence, an ecopoem portrays the nature perspective and is not anthropocentric, however some readers may argue that Kaur’s poetry is focused on the female experience and therefore not ecopoetry. Others may maintain that the solidarity and similarity in terms of subordination unites women and nature and therefore her poems are ecocentric as well as anthropocentric (particularly from a woman’s perspective). My own view is that the shared oppression and the use of natural symbols and the description of environmental aspects clearly indicates Kaur’s poetry as ecopoetry as well as feminist poetry and therefore a feminist ecocriticist lens can be used to investigate the relevance of those symbols within the text. Compared to ecocriticism, ecopoetry is also concerned with the environment and wants to achieve a positive change in the anthropologically induced ecological degradation, however the latter is rather a form of expression than an analytical framework and therefore can be investigated from an ecocritical perspective (cf. Estok 2009: 90). As Estok (cf. 2009:90) claims, many scholars consider ecocriticism as reluctant to accept the importance of theory, as some believe that a non-practical approach cannot change society. Again, this demonstrates the great importance of activism within environmentalism, but neglects the interdependence of ecocriticism’s diverse branches, such as political protest, theoretical framework and literary criticism. Nevertheless, feminist ecocritics, who deeply understand the connection between theory and applied ecological commitment will probably argue that the goal of (feminist) ecocriticism is to facilitate theoretical findings and concepts within literature and apply them in praxis in the world outside of literature to erase dominance and oppression against nature as well as women (cf. Estok 2009: 90). An important aspect of ecofeminist literature and therefore feminist ecocriticism is nature related language used in such writings. This phenomenon has been influenced by the former discussed dualistic hierarchy that places women/minorities and nature on the same level. Nature

31 symbolism is, certainly, not always referencing the oppression of women and the subordination of the environment, however, analyzed through an ecofeminist perspective, the patriarchal structures within ecoliterature will often be debunked. Highly prominent linguistic aspects of environmental literature are, for instance, metaphors. Those stylistic devices are prominent in many literary texts and convey underlying meaning. In context of ecofeminist literature metaphors are often applied to create a feminization of nature, as in “the rape of nature”, “virgin forests” and “mother nature” (Gaard and Gruen 1993: 238). The latter can be seen as a justification of patriarchal norms such as the submissiveness and the social pressure of being a mother and therefore to utterly live up to those culturally installed standards. The reinforcement of these patriarchal values demonstrates the continuous comparison between the environment and women and provides an insight into the expectations of female individuals within this society (cf. Heller 1993:232). Considering the subordination of women and femininity within the patriarchal structure, these metaphors demonstrate that nature is seen as subordinated to culture and therefore inferior (cf. Gaard and Gruen 1993: 238). On the other hand, language that is used for describing women is rather animalized, or in other words, animal names are chosen for women. Thus, they are not only referred to as “chick” or “old hen”, to only name a few, but also their status is devalued and their inferiority to the dominant group is increased by addressing their animalistic side and portraying women as closer to non-human than human (cf. Gaard and Gruen 1993: 238). This shows the importance of language and therefore the linguistic consequences of patriarchal norms in the submission of women in society. By using such terms and words that subtextually contribute to the subjugation of the oppressed, sexism, racism and naturism against those subordinated groups are further reinforced and perpetuated. Western languages, in particular, imply a large number of imagery and phrases that not only substantially diminish the value of women or animal in comparison to culture and men, but also the gendering of words in non-English languages and the use of female or masculine articles produces a sexist as well as naturist speech (cf. Mack- Canty 2004:172). However, although the English language does not distinguish between different gender in terms of articles and nouns to such an extent, metaphors, symbols or subconsciously feminized or naturized linguistic discrimination is omnipresent and reinforces the power hierarchy between the dominant and the subordinate entities. Thus, this further contributes to the subordination of female individuals as well as the environment. The value dualism is like a vicious cycle that has to be reweaved by ecofeminism, as the dichotomy between nature and culture as well as women and men only enhances this oppression (cf. Gaard and Gruen 1993: 238).

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Another important aspect of language for ecofeminist poetry and literature is the communication between the dominant and the oppressed. The concept of gendered communication describes the dynamics in conversations or within a text in regard to gender. Gendered communication plays an essential role in the framework of ecofeminism as scholars such as Gaard (cf. 2017: xvii) state that women often have to linguistically support and stylistically accommodate to the dominant speaker’s needs and therefore mostly adopt a role which is influenced by gender-norms in conversations. Additionally, women tend to surrender the leading role in the innovating stages of conversations to the more dominant conversation partner. Conversational topics introduced by nondominant individuals, who are often but not exclusively females and genderqueers in our society, are less likely to be continued in the conversation than topics introduced by a dominant communicator. These dominant speakers are often privileged men who rather talk then listen (cf. Gaard 2017: xvii). However, these findings of communicational feminism are important for ecofeminism as the act of listening to others, especially individuals and “more-than-humans” (Gaard 2017: xvii) who are oppressed is the only way of demolishing inequality not only in regard to gender and race but also between humans and nature (cf. Gaard 2017: xvii). Further, some ecopoetry, especially the poems analyzed in this thesis, avoids adapting to these gendered communication rules and, thus, empowers the female speaker. According to Gaard (cf. 2017: xvii) the act of speaking and leading a conversation is considered to be a sign for superiority, power, dominance and knowledge whereas the listener is in a subordinate position. By creating literature from a female perspective that dominates the conversation, the male-domination is not only questioned, but derogated. The emancipation from the silenced and subordinated position can be achieved through raising a joint female voice and establishes language as a dominant vehicle against oppression (cf. Donovan 1998:75).

3.3 Objecting and Oppressing Nature and the Female Body in Literature

The female body and female sexuality are of great significance for feminist ecocriticism. Woman are not only often objectified because of their appearance and reduced to their physical features, but also the self-liberated expression of their sexuality within patriarchal structures is restricted, judged or frowned upon. The following section provides a deeper understanding of the objectification of women and tries to explain the connection to nature and environmental issues, and therefore its importance for ecofeminist literary criticism. The representation of the female body has been a highly discussed issue since the emergence of ecofeminism (cf. Glotfelty and Fromm 1996: xxiii). In fact, ecofeminism above all, questions

33 the categorization of bodies in regard to gender, regardless of whether human or nonhuman bodies. The escape from the value dualism and the reweaving of those dichotomies can only be achieved if the physicality of neither women nor other oppressed minorities is judged and categorized (cf. Gaard et al. 2013:3). However, society is unfortunately not ideal and therefore the objectification and classification of female bodies concerning their desirability is still a serious problem today. The observation of women, people of color and other minorities as sheer objects and not living individuals, empowers those in dominant positions as the ethical importance of those subordinated individuals is neglected. Thus, the exploitation and oppression is stimulated and continuously executed (cf. Donovan 1998:74). In Western culture the association of nature with female corporeality has been ubiquitous (cf. Alaimo 2010: 7) and “trans- corporeality”, which describes the inseparability of the human body and the environment, the intersection of both environmental and corporal theories, has been used to describe this phenomenon (cf. Alaimo 2008: 238). Whereas some critics suggest that within literature the body can be considered as a social text (cf. Slicer 1998: 57), others emphasize that it is the main place for social oppression and subordination (cf. Slicer 1998: 58). As the female body is objectified and dehumanized and therefore not valued as a worthy opponent to its male counterpart in the dualistic concept of patriarchy, this hierarchy not only benefits from this oppression and sexualization of women, but also initiates this unjust social behavior. Environmental humanities researcher and professor Stacy Alaimo (cf. 2010: 7) explains that the analysis and critique of the symbolisms, metaphors and language used to convey a connection between women and nature is essential. However, investigating further and therefore focusing on the implication of nature itself on humans is another significant research field. Yet, symbolism in literature and the simultaneous objectification and oppression of women will be the most important aspect in this thesis as further analysis would go beyond the scope of this work. Another main aim of feminist ecocritism as well as ecofeminism is to discuss female sexuality in regard to oppression of women and nature and how sexuality is suppressed to conform to patriarchal norms. Serpil Oppermann (cf. 2013: 72) argues that sexual diversity and relations are still propagated through the anthropocentric perspective of environment, sexuality and gender hierarchies and therefore shaped by the male point of view. Sexual oppression through objectification and sexism can be attributed to the polarizing positions of men and women in patriarchal society and the predominant perception of nature and women to be less valuable than men and culture. This inferiority and the socially constructed differences further reinforce the manipulation of the subordinated group and therefore convey the notion that the

34 oppression of the subordinated is legitimate as well as imposes false patriarchal values and norms upon women and minorities (cf. Gaard and Gruen 1993: 243). Thus, the injustice and inequality is perpetuated and promotes an even larger disparity between maleness and femaleness. The exploitation of women and the nature can be directly linked to their oppression and the sexual hierarchy established by patriarchy. This further promotes and justifies male aggression towards women (cf. Li 1993: 288). The issue of rape and oppressing or neglecting female sexual desires and needs is a significant issue within ecofeminist literary criticism. Women are often reduced to their reproductive function and the ideology of motherhood is forced upon them. This perception is intensified by the value dualism and the conceptual link between nature and female individuals as both of them are characterized to be nurturing and caring (cf. Gaard and Gruen 1993: 243). Although some readers may argue that the oppression of nature and the oppression of women are entirely different and that rapes of nature (here again, the feminization is used as an oppressing feature) do not correlate with sexual assault or harassment of women, others may maintain that the objectification and therefore dehumanization of women is reinforced through the ecofeminist conceptualization and the use of specific linguistic aspects, such as symbols and, thus, women are reduced to their bodies and dehumanized or objectified, such as nature (cf. Li 1993: 284). However, the sexualization of women is also controlled by language which is sexist or naturalistic as well as derogative words or terms that are used for women and their bodies. The objectification does not stop there, but the portrayal of women and nature as objects that can be used or consumed by the dominant groups is omnipresent in literature, media and everyday life in our society (cf. Brennan 1988:176 in Warren 2000:126). Therefore, sexualization of women in relation to nature symbolism is also of great significance in Rupi Kaur’s poems, as she describes scenarios from the female experience realm such as sexuality, corporeality as well as violence and rape. How these nature symbols influence the poems and the message they convey will be discussed in more detail in the upcoming chapters. As discussed before, patriarchy has infiltrated every corner of society and influences everyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, race or religion. Therefore, the aim of ecofeminism is to assure that all groups of females are represented, and that sexual justice and liberation is demanded for all of them (cf. Gaard 2010: 650). Further, ecofeminism continuously has to reevaluate the relationships within the oppressed groups and question if disadvantages or injustices occur (cf. Vance 1993: 134). Only then can the main aim of ecofeminist criticism, in literature but also in praxis, namely eliminating all forms of domination and oppression be

35 accomplished (cf. Heller 1993: 234). Ultimately, all environmental movements, such as ecopoetry, ecofeminism or feminist ecocriticism, share a common purpose: the revolutionary change of society through activism, either by writing literature, protesting in the streets or scrutinizing patriarchy online as well as in real life (cf. Estok 2009: 90). The current generation of feminists predominantly uses the internet to demand change and make their voices heard. Hence, the digitalization of feminism and the significance of social media, which also initiated Rupi Kaur’s success, will be thoroughly investigated in the following chapter.

4 The Rise of Ecofeminist Poetry in a Digitalized World Following the previous chapters that provided a deeper insight into the concepts of ecofeminist literature and ecopoetry, which are both essential in Rupi Kaur’s writing, another important aspect of her work will be discussed in the following section. The significance of the internet and social media for feminist literature has recently increased tremendously. Many young feminist writers use online platforms to share their poems and therefore reach a wider audience than any previous generation. Punjabi-Canadian writer Rupi Kaur also uses technology to promote her art and therefore this phenomenon, which I refer to as “digitalized feminism”, needs to be investigated in more detail. In recent years feminism has not only changed in regard to the demographic of its activists, namely increasingly attracting young women to actively participate in this movement, but also the medium has shifted from being mainly research, protests and speeches in real life, to online activism. Thus, a “fresh feminist zeitgeist” (Maclaran 2015: 1734) that is influenced by young feminists who demand political, social and economic change is evolving with the support of social media (cf. Maclaran 2015: 1734). This positive development and therefore the broader spectrum of people participating in the movement due to the internet’s inclusiveness has led to the revival of feminism in the 21st century, following the receding of the achievements and endeavors of the previous movements (cf. Jouët 2018: 133). Therefore, this newly shaped feminism celebrates innovative forms of communication and generates a new feminist discourse that not only benefits from the increasing outreach of feminist messages, but also from the interconnectedness among various diverse feminist activists (cf. Baer 2016: 18). However, important issues that have been discussed by previous feminists, such as and , remain of great interest for fourth wave feminism (cf. Jouët 2018: 133). It can be stated that the internet as well as social media platforms have gained much traction and have established themselves as foundational spaces for young feminist’s political actions that originate from a contemporary feminist collective (cf. Jackson 2018: 35, cf. Baer 2015:29).

36

Digital media not only contributes to the dissemination of the feminist message, it can also be considered to be one of the reasons for the currently growing popularity of feminist activism in mainstream media. In comparison to former feminist movements that have often been discredited or vehemently judged, feminism in the digital age enjoys a good reputation among the masses (cf. Jackson 2018: 33). In addition, social media platforms such as Instagram not only support the democratization of feminism and therefore promote intersectional feminism, but also facilitate the active involvement in activist causes (cf. Miller 2019, online). A large factor that contributes to the success of feminist activism today, is online interaction. Fourth wave feminists campaign for gender equality and protest against sexism, discrimination and on social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram. Global networks facilitate the connection of a large number of individuals who have suffered under patriarchy and enable them to raise their voices and share their experiences with each other and the world. In 2014, for instance, the social media platform Twitter was flooded with posts featuring the hashtag #YesAllWomen that drew attention to the mal-treatment of women in society (cf. Baer 2016: 17). This is only one of myriads of social media campaigns fighting for equality, with Insta- poetry making a significant contribution to this social movement. Overall, the internet serves as a liberal space for all feminist activists and has had many positive effects on the progress of the women’s movement. Hence, one of the most prominent social media sites for feminist action and discourse, namely Instagram, and its significance for feminist literature, will be further discussed in the following section. Instagram, a popular social media platform among teenagers as well as millennials, has been particularly important for young feminists to promote their work. Some critics may argue that Instagram is not an appropriate medium to publish literature, in particular poetry, as its main goal is to attract and entertain the masses and not deliver sophisticated content, such as literature. Although they have a point, other critics may insist that the simplicity and minimalistic style of Instagram poetry not only appeals to a variety of different groups of people but also considerably increases poetry’s popularity in our fast-paced contemporary society (cf. Ridgway and Clayton 2). In other words, poetry’s renaissance has arrived, stimulated by the renewal of its reputation and the deviation from the entrenched popular view of being boring, daedal as well as reserved for scholars who were constituted primarily by white men. The image of poetry has indeed made a shift from being an obsolete form of literature, only enjoyed by a few, to being ubiquitous online and leading bestseller lists worldwide.

37 4.1 The Importance of Instagram for Rupi Kaur’s Poetry

Rupi Kaur also started her writing career on this social media app launched a decade ago with the intention of creating a space for sharing photographs (cf. Ridgway and Clayton 2). However, the young Punjabi-Canadian feminist writer gained popularity through posting a provocative (if judged from a patriarchal perspective) picture of herself with menstrual blood on her clothes as part of a university art project to raise awareness for the normalization of periods and female bodily functions (cf. Pâquet 2019: 297). Following this immediate media attention, Kaur started to post her poetry on Instagram, paving the way for a new era of contemporary literature: insta- poetry (cf. Islam 2020:111). This form of poetry is often described to be minimalistic, simple and individualistic but yet inclusive and universal as it deals with topics such as love, heartbreak but also more profound topics such as sexual assault, objectification and sexualization of women as well as racism and other social injustices (cf. Miller 2019, online). Although Kaur’s writing is strongly influenced by the advance of the digital age, the roots of her poetry draw back to the confessional mode, with historical representatives being white men such as Whitman, Yeats or Wordsworth, who primarily focused on their own sensitivity and created self-centered poetry (cf. Molesworth 1976:163). Kaur has managed to appropriate as her own way of expressing and articulating feminist ideas and speaking her own truth (cf. Miller 2018, online). Confessional poetry in a contemporary context emphasizes the speaker’s emotions, thoughts and desires and therefore produces a text which appeals to a wide range of people (cf. Molesworth 1976:163; cf. Gilbert 1997:444). Poetry on Instagram shares this aspect with confessional poetry and also generates texts that are aimed towards quite a diverse group. Further, they often reiterate internal monologues and provide an insight into the mind of the narrator. This focus on emotions and sensitivity is a significant aspect of Rupi Kaur’s poetry and therefore contributes to its large success. Another important aspect of Instagram poetry is its production as well as the consumption is rather fast. Australian literature professor Alyson Miller (cf. 2019, online) describes Kaur’s work as “Fidget spinner poetry” (Miller 2019, online), arguing that not only its production but also the reading process is rather fast. This does not imply a negative judgement on this type of literature but describes the new zeitgeist of feminist writings as a perfect addition to the fast- paced, internet centered society we live in today and declares its relevance within a young, media-based audience. Further, the accessibility of poetry has increased exponentially as a result of the online distribution and smartphones serving as a new alternative to print media. Thus, the simplified quotability of these poems is considered also to contribute to the readers’ relatability with the writing and further stimulates the dissemination of the poems, through

38 sharing online, word of mouth or even tattoos of the poems in people’s bodies (cf. Pâquet 2019: 301). The literary genre which we refer to as insta-poetry is further distinguished by its brevity and the discussion of universal topics, encapsulating the essence of profound emotional topics in only a few lines (cf. Roberts 2018, online). Poems on social media often focus on women’s issues and portray the female experience as well as show a highly relatable personal perspective. Rupi Kaur’s poetry, for instance, not only deals with sexual abuse and violence against women, but also the influence of her mother on her life as well as her cultural background and upbringing as a woman of Indian descent in a Western society. Nor is she reluctant to approach issues such as global feminist problems, thereby promoting women’s liberation as well as equality in her writings (cf. Miller 2019, online). Hence, her poetry does not only expand the circle of readers, but also actively contributes to a reshaping of literature and causes a rethinking among feminist literary theorists (cf. Pâquet 2019: 296). Digital platforms, as mentioned before, offer a great potential for young feminist writers as they facilitate a distribution of literature that is easier than ever before. Recently, this contemporary phenomenon has contributed to a rising demand for poetry not only online but also in print. According to Berens (cf. 2019:2), book sales in this genre have been increasing by over 20% annually since 2013, where the first self-published poetry of this kind appeared on the market. Further, in 2017 Instapoets accounted for almost two thirds of all poets on the New York Times bestseller list. Considering the fact that poetry has been a dying breed for the last decades, this spike in popularity demonstrates Instagram’s strong impact on the literary field (cf. Berens 2019: 2). According to Lee (cf. 2019, online), Kaur’s poetry particularly contributed to the creation of this new literary genre which easily reaches the readers online. However, despite the positive audience appraisal, insta-poetry is a highly controversial literary genre. Some scholars question the authenticity and seriousness of poems originating from a social media website because of the dubious literary value of texts by young writers such as Rupi Kaur. The poems are often considered to be “too” simply and “too” accessible and therefore not deemed worthy of being part of “serious” poetry (cf. McQuillan 2018: 14). The brevity and also the seeming lack of complexity is often harshly criticized by theorist and apparent similarities between insta-poetry writings, such as using an excessive amount of metaphors and clichés, are another point of criticism of this genre (cf. Pâquet 2019: 301). Other critics add that insta-poetry is only entitled to be part of the literary genre because it is strongly commercial and therefore suitable for mainstream audience. (cf. Roberts 2018, online). According to Pyykkö (2017, online) Kaur’s poetry is successful as an internet phenomenon,

39 however she argues that the poems are lacking depth and ambiguity compared to well- established poetry that is part of the canon. Moreover, other critics judge the sensitivity and self-centeredness of these texts harshly and degrade it as a narcissistic mode of expression, created for an “anxious generation scrambling for distraction” (Roberts 2018, online). However, poetry today has not been the first literary genre producing texts that reflect the emotions and feelings of the author or the lyrical I (cf. Molesworth 1976:163) and therefore Kaur’s confessional verse (cf. Berens 2019: 1) may challenge some readers perspectives and introduce a new area of poetry, characterized by multimedial, intersectional and mainstream characteristics. Although, these negative reviews are certainly based on a kernel of truth, particularly the aspects which deviate from the commonly known, preceding poetry strongly influenced Kaur’s success. Certainly, insta-poetry can be described as being concise and rather short compared to other poetry, however, it is exactly these features which not only enable the broad distribution and understanding among various diverse groups, but also leave more space for interpretation and therefore produces a more personal reading experience. The formal structure may appear shallow at first glance, but the missing punctuation and the mid-sentence disruptions formulate a new style of poetry which serves a different purpose than poetry that was published in the previous decades (cf. Pâquet 2019: 301). Insta- poetry often functions as a voice for writers who represent a generation that has grown up as digital natives and therefore the shift of the medium from print-only to books emerging from social media posts has naturally evolved. Some theorists may even argue that this can be considered to be the next step in the evolution of poetry. Further, the response to Rupi Kaur’s poetry speaks for itself as it satisfies the readers’ desire to be understood and be part of a greater whole with shared struggles, hopes and hardships. Thus, a sense of collectiveness is created which provides a safe space for many readers within a time of large economic as well as ecological issues affecting the youth’s lives (cf. Miller 2019, online). Despite conflicting opinions on this literary genre, it has to be admitted that feminist scholars, especially ecofeminist theorists, have largely neglected not only Kaur’s work, but also the poetry created by other authors who have gained popularity over the internet. The reason for this exclusion of Insta-poetry from academically approved literature and the denigration of its literary status are manifold and include its aforementioned simplicity and mainstream popularity. Therefore, some theorists strongly argue that Insta-poetry is not sophisticated enough to be part of academic research and deny its literariness (cf. McQuillan 2018: 16). However, this lack of appreciation is contradicted by other scholars who emphasize this genre’s

40 significance and influence on a large audience. These critics maintain that the very approach of rejecting this poetry from the scholarly world is flawed in itself, as it only increases the gap between popular culture and academia and therefore impedes the development of poetry as well as literary criticism in a contemporary context (cf. Pâquet 2019: 296). Instagram poets such as Atticus (2017) or Charlie Cox (2018) who also produce literature similar to the poems that can be found in the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015), also contribute to the increase of the significance of this literary genre within literary theory. Further, the rhetorical significance and the reader reception should not be overlooked by scholars merely because of its relation to a medium such as Instagram, which is often described to be superficial and to lack profundity. Therefore, the inclusion of this subgenre into research and academics is highly important to provide an essential insight into the workings of this lyrical form and to investigate the influence of social media on literature in general (cf. Pâquet 2019: 296). Indeed, Insta-poetry has not only a different background and influence than poetry in the decades and century before, but also has different objectives that are accommodated towards the 21st century lifestyle. Criticism of the marketing machinery behind poetry books such as the sun and her flowers has its raison d'être. However, the question of whether a larger audience automatically equates to a lower quality of writing is debatable. Certainly, a direct comparison to the sublimity of artists such as or is not beneficial for Insta- poetry’s evaluation among scholars, as they display disparate qualities in many aspects. These female writers were highly influential during their times, yet Insta-poets such as Rupi Kaur also have a great impact on the female reader today despite having different characteristics (cf. Roberts 2018, online). Therefore, it can be concluded that, although the texts are produced, disseminated, published and received in an entirely new manner, this does not imply that they are less worthy of being part of the feminist literary canon. Thus, the criticized triviality of Instapoetry has to be reevalued as the reader reception, regarding to book sells, portrays a different, more positive picture and accredits significance to this genre (cf. Berens 2019: 3). On the other hand, the themes and topics of poetry today can be compared to texts from former poets. The human experience has always been one of the most important aspects in any writing and therefore it is not surprising that Insta-poets continue to write about topics such as love, lust, loss and liberty. Rupi Kaur, in particular, embraces these topics and focusses on the female perspective by normalizing the discourse about sexuality, trauma, mental health and objectification within a patriarchal society. Overall, the current feminist movement is fairly outspoken about sex and demands a desexualization of bodies and nudity and therefore wants

41 to diminish sexualization by using social media as a platform to share this view (cf. Maclaran 2015: 1735). Further, a strong focus of Insta-poetry lies in the untangling patriarchal structures and the stopping the female body objectification in particular. In her poems, Kaur addresses both topics such as corporeality and women’s sexual desire which is often still considered a taboo topic in a male-dominated social construct, in which women have to adapt to specific gender roles. These roles often force women to portray qualities such as vulnerability, chastity, obedience and modesty and, although these gender stereotypes may sound obsolete to many readers, unfortunately they persist to this day and create a harsh reality for many women world-wide (cf. Miller 2019, online). In addition, Kaur’s texts criticize the social pressure imposed on young women to be sexually desirable and adhere to the beauty standards instilled in them by patriarchy (cf. Maclaran 2015: 1735). However, some may argue that social media, in particular, negatively increases female sexualization, as superficiality plays an important role in this image-focused network. In addition, the fact that the poetry strongly appeals to a mainstream audience is considered a conflict in itself as some theorists argue that this audience in particular is shaped and influenced by patriarchy. This social construct needs to be recognized by readers in order that they reflect on their own life and the society they were born into. Then readers are able to identify the underlying patriarchal norms, stereotypes, biases and also the effects this hierarchy has on the lyrical I and therefore themselves, as they relate to the poetry and recognize their own experiences within Kaur’s words. Indeed, Rupi Kaur’s poetry, among other insta-poetry books, can be considered to be a vehicle for initiating change and provides the ideal space to reverse patriarchy’s inflictions on society against this construct (cf. Miller 2019, online). Thus, the fight against objectifying bodies on Instagram should be fought at the same place as where the initial problem occurs, namely online. The exploitation of patriarchal view points by normalizing nudity and removing the power from the oppressor, i.e. men, could contribute to a reversal of this hierarchy. Nevertheless, most people would agree that Instagram, and especially poetry deriving from this platform, certainly has the potential to positively change our patriarchal society as it supports awareness-rising processes as well as serving as an empowering space for women and minorities.

4.2 Intersectional Representations of Women’s Experiences Online

Looking at Rupi Kaur’s poetry, some important topics that can be identified in her writing are the female identity, oppression and experience. These topics definitely had a positive impact on the success of her work, together with her highly discussed writing style and the influence of

42 social media (cf. Islam 2020:111) because (female) readers can relate deeply to her poems and their portrayal of universal experiences. For instance, the detailed description of how to deal with difficult issues such as rape or violence against women speaks to many, as patriarchy still inflicts a large amount of pain on women in our contemporary society. According to Imran (cf. 2018: 121,122), Kaur manages to chronicle young women’s lives in a way that focuses not on the oppressor or superordinate groups within patriarchy or a dualistic system, but, moreover, on the experience realm and the coping mechanism as well as the emotional perspective of the oppressed party, namely the women. The concept of female identity is highly discussed in both the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015) and Kaur repudiates the patriarchal limitations imposed on female identity and pursues a liberation from male- dominated standards by normalizing taboo issues and voicing female opinions and topics that are often suppressed by society. By writing about aspects which are mostly exclusive to the female realm, such as menstruation7, female sexual desire and the sexualization of women’s bodies, the Indian- Canadian writer draws attention to the restrictions or even the censorship patriarchy imposes on women and their experiences, opinions and needs. Further, she subtextually criticizes how women’s bodies and their body images are controlled and shaped by patriarchy and rejects the beauty ideals created and enforced from a male-directed perspective (cf. Miller 2019, online). Patriarchally induced body dysmorphia, for instance, is only one of several highly important aspects covered by Kaur’s texts. Overcoming this social pressure and handling its impact on the individual as well as women as a diverse group is part of the poems’ message (cf. Imran 2018:122). However, to reinforce the critique of patriarchal injustices, Rupi Kaur includes nature symbols in her poems that underline the inferiority of the women in society, as, as discussed before, the value dualism between nature/culture and women/men has not yet ceased to exist in humans’ minds and therefore perpetuates and fuels and an unequal power relationship. This conceptual link created by an unjust dichotomy, which emanated from ecofeminist criticism, will be of great importance for the further analyzes of selected poems from the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015) by Rupi Kaur in the following

7 Milk and honey (2015) features some poems that explicitly speak about female reproductive organs and female periods. One poem that deals with this topic can be found on page 177: “apparently it is ungraceful of me / to mention my period in public / cause the actual biology / of my body is too real / it is okay to sell what's / between a woman's legs / more than it is okay to / mention its inner workings / the recreational use of / this body is seen as / beautiful while / its nature is / seen as ugly”. This piece judges the sexualization and objectification of the female body while simultaneously denigrating natural female bodily functions.

43 chapters. Thus, the connection between the portrayal of women’s experiences and physicality and nature and environment will build the theoretical basis for this thesis. Another important aspect discussed in Rupi Kaur’s poetry is violence against women and rape. Trauma often influences the individual’s life and also their identity. In Rupi Kaur’s books sexual abuse and its ramifications are portrayed from a victim’s viewpoint, focusing solely on the healing and the women’s experiences and coping mechanisms. The way this poetry addresses issues such as harassment strongly highlights the female perspective and avoids concentrating on the shaming of the oppressor but emphasizes the female empowerment and supports the women in overcoming difficult situations in life (cf. Imran 2018:122). Moreover, the ubiquity of sexual abuse is highlighted as is the idea of victim shaming and therefore the way women should act to not become a victim is vehemently criticised in Kaur’s writing. In fact, the poems celebrate the fact that women should not have the need to cover their bodies to avoid the and encourage females to choose for themselves if they want to adapt to social norms and universalized beauty standards or reject them8 (cf. Imran 2018: 123). In other words, the writings demand freedom of choice for women in a world oversaturated by male- dominated gender stereotypes and embrace the female individual’s decisions. Indeed, the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015) feature poetry which stresses that women should never aim to appeal to anybody but themselves (cf. Imran 2018:123) and therefore contributes to the destruction of patriarchal norms. However, what may sound self-explanatory and painfully obvious has not yet been universally established within our patriarchal society and therefore Kaur’s writings challenge not only the hierarchy, but also attempt to reweave the dualistic differences between genders. Besides, the texts utilize the association between the inferiority of the environment and women to reinforce this inequality and injustice and support the female liberation from oppression. Although the portrayal of nature as an “ally” for feminist issues adds to the stereotypical dualism, Kaur continuous to exploit this male imposed construct and transform it into a vessel for the pain inflicted on women. Hence, the processes and portrayal Rupi Kaur explores will be analyzed in more detail in the next chapter. Besides female representation and oppression, another important influence and theme within Rupi Kaur’s poetry that has recently become more important within the literary world,

8 One of the poems that enhances this sentiment reads as following: “the next time he / points out the / hair on your legs is / growing back remind / that boy your body / is not his home / he is a guest / warn him to / never outstep / his welcome again” (MH 164). In this poem Kaur highlights the female bodily autonomy and self-determination.

44 particularly in feminist writings, is the representation of a broad diversity of individuals and therefore the inclusion of different female experiences. As feminist, and particularly ecofeminist, perspectives have long been overlooked by literary theory (cf. Gaard 2010: 643ff.) young feminists today advance the idea of intersection within the literary field and seek to include different female perspectives. Intersectionality, as mentioned before, is one of the most significant aspects in feminism today and therefore also influences Kaur’s work. With Kaur identifying as a woman of color herself (cf. Miller 2019, online) and attracting a broad variety of different readers online, her poetry has the potential to contribute to the progress of the women’s movement. Specifically, Kaur’s audience and therefore readers constitute a highly diverse group that shares a sense of belonging und unity from their disenfranchisement within a patriarchal society (cf. Khaira-Hanks 2017, online). By representing an oppressed minority not only in terms of gender but also in regard to race, Rupi Kaur creates “an icon of diversity” (Miller 2019, Online) within her poems and generates a high relatability for her readers. One aspect that is crucial for embracing different female experiences can be considered to be Kaur’s immigrant background. Some critics suggest that living in multicultural Canada while being raised by Indian parents has strongly influenced the author’s relationship to her readership and has built the foundation for her intersectional approach (cf. McQuillan 2018: 35). Feeling alienated within a patriarchal society that has strongly focused on the male perspective, Rupi Kaur has created a space and a platform that is inclusive of all different types of individuals (cf. McQuillan 2018: 36) and through the universal accessibility of her poetry online, the poetry manages to reach a broad spectrum of different readers with varied backgrounds (cf. McQuillan 2018: 27). Extratextually, Kaur also addresses theorists’ critiques by emphasizing that the purpose of her writing is intersectionality as well as the representation of minorities and stresses that “This is actually not for you. This is for that, like, seventeen-year-old brown woman in who is not even thinking about that space, who is just trying to live, survive, get through her day.” (Roberts 2018, online). Thus, milk and honey (2015) as well as the sun and her flowers (2017) are created to be highly relatable for women, who are like Kaur, oppressed in society and have a troubling relationship with patriarchy. Likewise, the poems are inclusive of the experience realms of all different kinds of female experiences as they share universal insights into femininity and womanhood. By attempting to speak for a broad spectrum of different women and simultaneously celebrating and incorporating aspects from her cultural background, Kaur accomplishes a balancing act between writing about individual experiences and being representative of different perspectives and therefore creating a relatable narrative (cf. McQuillan 2018: 38).

45 In covering topics such as rape, oppression and the influence of cultural heritage on women, milk and honey (2015) as well as the sun and her flowers (2017) not only create a narrative with a high relatability for females, but also pave the way for an outspoken, simple and accessible renewed poetry genre arising from the social media popularity of a young female writer (cf. Lee 2019, online). The books’ focus on intersectionality truly demonstrates the influence of the current feminist movement on Rupi Kaur’s work and therefore proves that the literary world is changing under the pressure of oppressed minority voices. Thus, Insta-poetry should be given a chance to establish itself in literary theory and should not be excluded solely for the reason that this new feminine perspective does not align with the stereotypical image of a poet. Although, the criticism against Insta-poetry and especially Kaur should certainly be taken into consideration, it cannot be ignored that racially and socially more privileged writers (i.e. white men) are generally less harshly judged for their texts and therefore these authors are more likely to be integrated into the literary canon (cf. Khaira-Hanks 2017, online). By keeping these facts in mind, many readers would probably agree that Rupi Kaur’s poetry has risen to popularity for several reasons, on being the inclusiveness and simplicity of her writing (cf. Roberts 2018, online). In conclusion, the poems which will be analyzed in this thesis live up to insta- poetry’s name as they show provocative tendencies which are considered to be an essential quality of this genre (cf. Miller 2019, online) and, thus, provide new literary insights and perspectives which contrast the renowned omnipresent white male point of view. In fact, the focus on female sexuality and oppression not only refines feminist literature to a certain extend but also provides a new approach within ecofeminist literary criticism as the conceptual link between nature and women is common in Kaur’s poetry. Indeed, the analysis of these elements can contribute to the further clarification and mitigation of patriarchal structures and value dualisms in ecofeminism today and investigate to what extend this literary strategy assists in eliminating hierarchies and reweaving dualisms to create equality and abolish injustice. Moreover, by “reclaiming the female body” (Mack-Canty 2014:154) milk and honey (2015) as well as the sun and her flowers (2017) demonstrate activist efforts and show parallels to climate activism that focuses on the current restoration of the environment as women as well as nature have the desire to be liberated. However, to escape this inferior position within this power hierarchy, both nature and women have to be liberated from patriarchal domination (cf. Mack-Canty 2014:154). Hence, this thesis will investigate the importance of specific links between women and nature in Rupi Kaur’s books milk and honey (2015) as well as the sun and her flowers (2017) to analyze the impact of nature symbolism in selected poems. The effect of metaphors and ecological terms

46 and phrases on the meaning of the text and therefore the attempt to dismantle patriarchal structures will be thoroughly discussed and the question of how nature symbolism affects selected poems by Rupi Kaur will be asked.

5 An Analysis of Nature Symbolism in Selected Poems by Rupi Kaur

Milk and honey (2015) and the sun and her flowers (2017) are pioneering works in the field of ecofeminist poetry during the current feminist movement which is highly influenced by young, diverse female voices online. A large number of readers can relate highly to Kaur’s portrayal of the marginalized gender and therefore her books enjoy great popularity among an audience whose demographic mainly includes women and different minority groups, in other words the patriarchally oppressed (cf. Roberts 2018, online). Indeed, these women constitute the majority of the voices within fourth wave feminism and share their opinions and demands on social media websites which also build the basis for activism on the streets. Besides being a woman herself and sharing the female experience with her readership, Kaur also identifies as a woman of color and is the daughter of Indian immigrants in Canada. Thus, this further contributes to her recognition among a diverse group of women, including individuals of different socio- cultural and racial backgrounds as well as people whose sexual orientation silences or marginalizes them in society (cf. Pâquet 2019: 305). Milk and honey (2015) covers, as well as the sun and her flowers (2017), universal topics such as the objectification of the female body, violence against women with a focus on the healing process and the overcoming of hardships, emancipation from male superiority and the togetherness and the solidarity between women and therefore female sisterhood. These issues are narrated through a simplistic, raw, but highly relatable manner and continuously revisit one recurring theme: The connection between humans and nature, especially women and naturist language or nature symbols. The question of how this link influences the text and the portrayal of women and the impact on patriarchal structures and hierarchal value dualisms is to be investigated in this section of this thesis. Hence, the following chapter will focus on nature symbolism in selected poems in Rupi Kaur’s the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015). Phrases and words that show a connection to the environment will be identified and their purpose within the poems will be discussed. According to Warren (cf. 1996: xv) the subordination of women as well as nature as a consequence of patriarchally imposed value dualisms needs to be explored and therefore it is of great importance to provide a deeper understanding of the application and the impact of nature in feminist poetry such as the one discussed in this thesis. On the one hand, the following analysis will examine symbols that naturalize words used to describe women or their traits and

47 interpret the presumed influence on preservation of male-domination (cf. Adams 1990: 61). On the other hand, an in-depth look at the implications of those nature symbolisms or phrases and at the messages they convey will be provided and thoroughly discussed. Ecofeminist theory and therefore ecofeminist literary criticism are of great significance to gain a deeper insight into modes of action in Rupi Kaur’s poems. Some ecofeminist scholars have debated that the naturalizing process can be found within different areas of oppression, such as sexist or speciecist contexts. Further, they assume that this use of nature in literature influences the interconnectedness between dualistic theories that originate from a human perspective and those that are androcentric and therefore attain a male viewpoint (cf. Oppermann 2013: 70). “The intersection of sex and nature” as Oppermann (2013: 70) describes, is supposedly affected by nature symbolism and, thus, this thesis will focus on providing an insight into the mechanism that are impacted by this association. The analysis will be divided into three main sections, which can be categorized in regard to the themes or topics of the poems. A large amount of Rupi Kaur’s poetry focuses on objectification of women, patriarchal oppression and love. By investigating nature symbols and their meaning from an ecofeminist perspective, this thesis will attempt to explain the effect this symbolism has on the text. Further, the question of how these literary devices contribute to the reassurance or destruction of patriarchal norms as well as the maintaining or eliminating of value dualisms will be discussed. This thesis will investigate the impact environmental symbols in Rupi Kaur’s poetry have on the dichotomy between genders and therefore demonstrate that nature, emotions and the physical body are, as well as “sexually diverse beings and behaviors, and itself” (Gaard 2017: xxiv), oppressed in the concept of value dualism and how the texts manages to portray these aspects while simultaneously advancing from this patriarchal construct. The analysis in the upcoming chapters will focus on the female perspective and demonstrate that Kaur uses an interwoven mixture of sexuality, erotic, nature symbolism and a female speaker who dominates the conversation by raising her voice and describing her most inwards feelings and forcing the oppressors to listen to achieve liberation from patriarchal oppression.

5.1 Value Dualism and Patriarchal Oppression

Rupi Kaur’s books share one important common feature which strongly contributes to their popularity and success, namely covering topics which are relevant for a great variety of different individuals with a diverse background. By writing about universal topics such as life as a woman in a patriarchal society, love, lust, heartbreak or violence against woman, Kaur has

48 managed to transfer familiar everyday topics in the lyrical world and to create poems that speak for all women. The first section of this analysis will revolve around a theme that has been essential in literature since its genesis: love. The sun and her flowers (2017) is comprised, inter alia, of poems that deal with this emotional state that every human can highly relate to and features poems about heartbreak, unrequited love and emotions. Again, the significance of nature cannot be overlooked in these texts as the use of ecological phrases and words produces a particular message. Thus, selected poems will be closely investigated in the following chapters. After the in-depth analysis of love and heartbreak in the sun and her flowers, the relevance of love and the intersection with the oppression of women in milk and honey will be examined in more detail. In addition, there will be a focus on the objectification of the female body and sexual violence against women and the significance of nature symbolism and its effect on the poems will be debated. The critical analysis will attempt to provide a deeper understanding of the workings of naturistic and nature related language and will explain in what way and to what extend these terms influence and challenge patriarchal hierarchies and viewpoints. In literature female love is often portrayed to be innately different in comparison to male affection. As Islam (cf. 2020: 112) states, femininity is often associated with emotions and therefore women are attributed to completely sacrifice themselves for their object of love, whereas men primarily focus on themselves. Certainly, this is a broad generalization and encompasses a strong prejudice, however, the different social presentation and perception of the genders in different areas, such as love and emotions, cannot be denied. The following chapter searches to demonstrate how nature symbolism influences the portrayal of love, oppression and value dualisms in milk and honey (2015) and the sun and her flowers (2017).

5.2 Fighting Patriarchal Oppression in Romantic Relationships

The first poem which will be analyzed is eponymous for Rupi Kaur’s second bestseller the sun and her flowers (2017) and describes the sadness about the absence of a significant other and the dependence on another human being to achieve happiness. Considering most of Kaur’s poems have autobiographical tendencies or at least draw on personal experiences of people in Kaur’s immediate environment (Kaur, “Interview”), the love object described is assumingly male and therefore this contributes to the reinforcement of patriarchal structures. Although Kaur has stated that her work is not entirely autobiographical, her life as a woman in a male-

49 dominated society has influenced her writing and stories of her sister, friends, mother or other family member provide her with inspirations for her writing (cf. Szkutak 2017, online). The poem “the sun and her flowers” features nature allusions9 and symbols that will be thoroughly investigated in the following section. The text describes the relationship between the narrator and her lover by comparing it to the natural world: what is it with you and sunflowers he asks i point to the field of yellow outside sunflowers worship the sun i tell him only when it arrives do they rise when the sun leaves they bow their heads in mourning that is what the sun does to those flowers it’s what you do to me -the sun and her flowers (SF 173)

In discussion of nature, the main symbols in this poem are flowers. First the lyrical I illustrates a scene in which her lover asks her about her connection with sunflowers. At a surface level this question may not seem to hold any bias, but the sunflowers can be attributed feminine aspects as the woman is directly associated with them and the man asks, “with you and the sunflowers” (SF 173). Thus, the environment is connected to the female and a dualistic implication can be identified. This value dualism where the female is identified with the natural world contributes to the creation of a patriarchal setting within the poem and immediately implies the oppression of the woman. However, as the poem goes on, the lyrical I, who is clearly female10, continues to compare herself and her subordination and dependence on her lover with the relationship between the sun and the flowers which can only survive if the sun is present. Further the poem describes that “only when it arrives do they rise” (SF 173) and demonstrates that the lack of sunlight and therefore the dominant party in this nature hierarchy negatively influences the life of the subordinated as the flowers cannot live or bloom without the sun. The poem the sun and her flowers is a vivid representation of the ecofeminist concept of value dualism and includes nature symbols that reinforce this gender hierarchy and show the subordinated position, women as well as nature hold in a patriarchal society. Kaur’s words not only express strong emotions towards the male significant other, but also enhance the hierarchy within a heterosexual relationship. The position of the women in this poem displays a strong

9 The literary term ‘allusion’ refers to indirect, implicit meanings that convey additional information without an explicit description (cf. Irwin 2001:287). 10 In an interview with Emma Watson for her book club Our Shared Self, Kaur has stated that she either refers to her own experiences or the ones of women close to her (cf. Kaur, “Interview”).

50 dependence on the male part and therefore “when the sun leaves” (SF 173) the narrator is struggling with their own identity and happiness (“they bow their heads in mourning”, SF 173). The nature symbols in this poem, with women being flowers and men being the sun and therefore the power, the energy or the essence of life, portray a narrative that implies that a life without men is inherently sad and that women need men in their lives. Further, the line ”sunflowers worship the sun i tell him” demonstrates the strong emotions towards the man and the idolization of the male oppressor by the female narrator and intensifies the symbolic conceptualization between nature and women and reinforces the dualistic hierarchy. Indeed, this poem assists the advancement and emancipation of women from a patriarchal oppression to no degree. However, without representing emotions and the female experience and trauma in regard to relationships and woman’s position within a patriarchal construct, no substantial argument or objection against patriarchy is possible. Therefore, the text visualizes the patriarchal situation in which the lyrical I is trapped and centralizes not only the oppressor but also the oppressed and their emotions. This provides the reader with a deeper understanding of the underlying pressures of this hierarchy on women and also supports the ecofeminist claim that dualism needs to be eradicated to achieve equity. Reweaving the value dualism by using and emphasizing nature symbols may seem to be an insufficient approach at first, therefore more poems by Rupi Kaur have to be analyzed to question and review the effectiveness of her work as a tool in defying patriarchy. Another poem in the collection the sun and her flowers that continues to address this subject matter can be found in the chapter titled “wilting” that thematizes heartbreak and loss. In the poem “you took the sun with you / when you left” (SF 35) Kaur writes in a brief, concise matter and composes a two-line poem that may be interpreted to lack complexity by some critics. Yet, others maintain that exactly this simplicity provides a platform to exchange opinions or specific viewpoints, because it enables the interconnection of a variety of different characters. However, such as the poem “the sun and her flowers” this untitled piece creates a connection between the love object and the sun. Here again, the addressee is supposedly male, as the narrator is considered to be a heterosexual woman and therefore the poem implies that without the male counterpart, the life of the lyrical I is filled with darkness and sadness. The dependence on men is highlighted once again because the patriarchal hierarchy with men being perceived to be on a higher level than women and having control about women can be compared to the sun that controls the flowers and their lives.

51 This short poem conveys a message that undoubtedly transcends its brevity as it depicts the struggles of the narrating person with their relationship, the heartbreak they faced and the impact of the patriarchal construct on these experiences. By idolizing their partner and putting them on a pedestal, a power hierarchy is created, which influences the relationship between the partners and the position of the individuals within this partnership as well as within society. The influence of patriarchy on the lyrical I and the ramification of their experiences that further contribute to the construction of this hierarchy results in a vicious cycle that has to be defeated. By acknowledging the implication of male superiority as an elemental aspect of our society, the foundation for deconstructing this mindset is provided and further the dualism, reinforced by the nature symbolism, can eventually be debunked. Despite its brevity the poem “you took the sun with you / when you left” (SF 35) holds a plethora of meaning not only in regard to ecofeminist values, but also concerning patriarchal projections imposed on women and their lives. The text demonstrates that patriarchal values are still, up to this day, of great importance for women’s experiences and therefore also their relationships with men, regardless of its nature being platonic, sexual or emotional. Patriarchy is omnipresent and impacts every female in our society. “The sun and her flowers” manages to elicit the essence of this social construct and portrays it in a raw and simple way by using symbols that are connected to the environment. Thus, the oppression and inequality between men and women as well as culture and nature is accurately illustrated in Kaur’s work. Further, the chapter “wilting” includes another poem about heartbreak which features nature symbolism that describes the aftermath of a relationship and the overcoming of the pain inflicted by the loss of a beloved person. This poem is significant for the analysis of nature symbolism in Rupi Kaur’s work as it shows signs of advancing from the oppressed position and acting against patriarchy. On a surface level the lyrical I describes how they demolish the remains of their lover, gifted flowers, in their life: i reached for the last bouquet of flowers you gave me now wilting in their vase one by one I popped their heads off and ate them (SF 15)

On the other hand, this poem describes the wilting of the flowers which can be interpreted as the slow fading of the love between the ex-lovers or more precisely the narrator’s emotions towards her lost love. Here again, the wilting flowers can be seen as an explicit nature symbol, signifying the woman’s feelings towards her lover. Further, the patriarchal stereotype of men

52 giving flowers to women as a present is emphasized and contributes to the perpetuation of gender stereotypes within patriarchy. In addition, the value dualism is also intensified as flowers are considered to be a feminine non-human object. The poem continues to depict the process of wilting, one flower after the other, when the lyrical I interrupts the story by stating: “I popped their heads off / and ate them (SF 15). This climax at the end of the poem certainly changes the preceding message of the text and can be interpreted to be the beginning resistance against the patriarchal oppression. The destruction of the flowers and the process of (literally) ingesting them can either be read as the closure the narrator achieves with the love that they lost or, if analyzed on a more profound level, the coping or mastery of the patriarchal influences in their lives and its eradication. Considering the latter the aim of the poem, some readers may argue that the consumption of the flowers, and therefore the patriarchal oppression and domination imposed on the narrator in their relationship, symbolizes the overcoming of not only heartbreak and their past relationship which was, as almost all human connections within patriarchy, inherently shaped by a power hierarchy, but also liberating themselves from the male-imposed pressures and restrictions in their life. To conclude, the flowers that are again used as nature symbols in this poem, convey a slightly different meaning than in the two previously discussed poems. Certainly, in the first three lines of the poem the reader perceives the flowers as symbols of sadness and loss, however with the progression of the text the direction of the poem becomes more distinct. Thus, the critique of patriarchal oppression and the opposition against the notion that happiness can only be achieved by being in a socially conformed hierarchal relationship is introduced in the second half of the text. The poem challenges the social construct of patriarchally influenced relationships that are accompanied by the subordination of women and uses flowers as a symbol for patriarchy, thereby not conforming to the value dualism. Therefore, the wilting and subsequent decapitation and consummation of the flowers can be interpreted as the fight against patriarchal structures in the narrator’s life. Escaping the relationship and the oppression caused by this hierarchy results in a personal liberation for the voice in the poem. This process is strongly attributed to the nature symbolism in the poem and reverses the ecofeminist concept of value dualism as it contributes to the reweaving of the different levels in this concept and therefore positively influences the advancement of a more equal society. Another example for the female oppression and conforming to stereotypical gender roles within a dichotomic hierarchy is a poem from Rupi Kaur’s first poetry anthology milk and honey (2015). From a superficial perspective the piece reads as a love poem and describes the inner transformation of the narrator from a wild and ravenous “forest fire” (MH 65) into

53 “running water” (MH 65). According to McQuillan (cf. 2018: 22) the question “how do you turn / a forest fire like me / so soft I turn into / running water“ (MH 65) demonstrates the vulnerability of the poet speaker and signals their total surrender to their lover. Therefore, the taming or rather repression of a women in a relationship is implied in this poem. The nature symbols that are significant for these lines are primarily the forest which is on fire and therefore destructed as well as the flowing water. The former can be compared to the female desire to overcome the natural dualism and the association between women and nature. By metaphorically burning down the environment, the lyrical I abandons the socially constructed naturalization of women. Hence, the woman is in the process of ridding herself of dualistic tendencies when she is being changed by her lover. The emotions and feelings turn their anger and rebellion into softness or as Kaur describes it: “running water” (MH 65). As water is also a nature symbol, the opposite of the speaker’s intention and, thus, the liberation from patriarchal structures, is achieved as femininity is repeatedly compared to nature and the speaker is, once again, forced into this dualistic construct. This poem in particular illustrates the power dynamic between the speaker and her lover and provides an insight into the patriarchal impact on a relationship and the glorification and idolization of objectifying a woman. By dehumanizing the female speaker and “taming” her like a non-human animal, the conceptual link between nature and woman is strongly reinforced. This sexist discourse of nature contributes to maintaining dualistic gender structures (cf. Gaard et al. 2013:2) as well as further elevating the oppressor. Hence, the perpetuation of this value dualism is supported and therefore the speaker reverts being a victim of patriarchal oppression. As this poem describes the situation from a female perspective and provides an insight into the male influence on the female nature, some readers may argue that the relevance of the emotional component, i. e. love, outweighs the claims of gender inequality in this work. However, others may believe that the portrayal of the female perspective and the questioning of the reasoning behind the oppression and the process of objectification initiated in the first line invigorates the speaker and challenges the dualism. Indeed, the realization of the speaker that the romanticized oppression is solely enhancing their own disadvantage can be interpreted as an incentive that initiates the critique of patriarchally enforced norms. Although the poem seems to be a love poem on the surface level, it can be argued that the speaker in the text is contesting against male-superiority by questioning and scrutinizing the actions of the addressee. In fact, the poems that have already been discussed in this thesis share one main theme, namely overcoming the struggles of patriarchy and challenging the heterotypical relationship structures imposed on woman today. Further, the objectification of women through nature

54 symbols and a naturalization of femininity play a significant factor in Rupi Kaur’s poetry. Indeed, the use of nature symbolism may be considered to strengthen the unequal value dualism as part of female oppression. Nevertheless, others may disagree with this statement and argue that nature symbols particularly contribute to a rising awareness of women’s oppression and that they support the female liberation from patriarchal structures by reversing and reweaving the value dualism. 5.2.1 Emancipation from Patriarchy by Connecting Masculinity and Nature

Another approach to reweaving the patriarchal value dualism is the symbolic naturalization of men instead of women. As masculinity is usually alienated or separated from nature and “feminine” qualities such as being nurturing or caring (cf. Heller 1993: 219), a reversal of this dissociation results in a relocation of men in the value hierarchy within patriarchy. Milk and honey (2015) features a selection of poems that portray masculinity and therefore male attributes through nature symbolism. The first poem which will be analyzed in more detail is a brief, two-line poem that draws the comparison between a male lover and a rose. When first reading the lines “you were temptingly beautiful / but stung when i got close” (MH 87) one could assume that the speaker is male, because the proximity between nature and the addressee induces the inherent patriarchal processing in our mind, as the link between women and nature is ubiquitously acknowledged. However, knowing that Kaur writes from a universal female perspective, it can be argued that the poet speaker addresses their male love object. By using the metaphor of the person being a rose, Kaur illustrates a nature image. The rose is a nature symbol that, one the one hand, is seductive and beautiful, but on the other hand, hurts people that come close. The thorns can be interpreted as the socially determined male inability to show emotions and vulnerability. When the lyrical I has the desire to get (emotionally) closer to the addressee, the latter hurts the former as a form of self-preservation and maintaining their masculinity11. Although the addressee attempts to perpetuate the dichotomy in patriarchy by aligning with masculine qualities12, the portrayal of a man as a rose, and therefore a nature symbol, contributes to the rethinking of the dualistic system. Not only does this poem show the link between men and nature, but it also contributes to the discussion about important male

11 According to Birkland (cf. 1993: 25) masculinity is often associated with power and superiority and is strengthened by increasing the distance from ‘feminine’ characteristics. 12 Thorns can be interpreted to be a symbol for strength, dominance and they inflict pain on subordinated individuals.

55 issues such as toxic masculinity13. Therefore, the rose as a nature symbol for a male individual contributes to the critical rethinking of patriarchal values and stimulates the reweaving of value dualism. Thus, this poem increases the progress of ecofeminism as it heads towards a more equal future. The next poem that will be analyzed further highlights the male connection to nature. The poet speaker portrays her lover to be in close connection to the environment and uses nature symbols to describe their scent. my favorite thing about you is your smell you smell like earth herbs gardens a little more human than the rest of us (MH 50)

The nature symbols that are of great significance in this poem are “earth / herbs / gardens” (MH 50) and can be interpreted to be symbols for calmness, grounding as well as passiveness. In patriarchy these attributes are commonly associated with femininity as well as women and therefore using nature symbols as descriptors for a man reduces the stereotypical patriarchal categorization. Indeed, the smell of the man reminds the speaker of the environment and the non-human world but on the other hand it explains that this contributes to the creation of an increased humanness. This statement supports the reevaluation and questioning of the dualistic system and criticizes the opposition of nature and men. By stating that the link between the addressee’s features and nature makes them “a little more / human than the rest of us” (MH 50) the speaker contradicts the norms of patriarchal dualisms that oppose human and nature. Thus, this poem conveys the message that humans and the environment are worth the same and are on the same level. This argument contributes to the reweaving of value dualism through nature symbols and therefore improves the female position within the patriarchal system, as it diminishes the link between the subordinated groups. Another example for the use of nature symbols in regard to masculinity can be investigated in the following poem that is found on page 66 in milk and honey (2015): “you look like you smell of/ honey and no pain/ let me have a taste of that” (MH 66). Here again, the speaker

13 The term ’’ describes male behavior that is harmful and destructive against themselves and others. This form of socially imposed actions and attitudes include emotional repression and the exercise of power and dominance over others (cf. Barr 2019, online)

56 mentions the smell of their lover and compares it to honey, a natural substance that is associated with fertility (cf. Levine 1984: 35), pleasure, sexuality and health (cf. Levine 1984: 339). By using this symbol to describe the addressee, a link between them and nature is formed and connects men and the environment. The connotation of honey as a nature symbol includes nurturing attributes and conveys sweetness which are both commonly more closely associated with females than with males. Due to this atypical use of honey as a symbol describing male characteristics and body odors, the power relationship between woman and men in a patriarchally constructed setting is reversed. Additionally, the value dualism between man and woman as well as culture and nature is changed as the superior male is forced onto the same level as nature and therefore the hierarchy is destroyed. The third line of the poem illustrates that the speaker wants to have a “taste of that ” (MH 66), referring to the smell but also to the body of the man. As patriarchy tends to objectify women rather than men, this line deviates from the normative social conditioning of sexualizing women. The sexualization of the male opponent by objectifying them through the use of nature symbolism creates a new power structure within the poem and raises the speaker to a higher level in the gender hierarchy. Thus, if this poem is placed within a patriarchal framework, the woman obtains the role of the dominant individual as well as the oppressor and therefore liberates herself from the constrains of a male-superiority. All in all, the poems discussed in this chapter all use nature symbols such as flowers, forests, gardens or honey to either portray, question, challenge, rethink or even reestablish patriarchal norms and structures. Kaur uses nature symbols to draw attention to the overarching issue that influences her writing: patriarchy. The poems scrutinize and challenge this system to eventually reweave the dualistic value structures as described in the last pieces that feature nature symbols as signifier for masculinity. Therefore it can be argued that nature symbolism plays a significant role in combating female oppression in Kaur’s poems.

5.3 Female Objectification and Rape in the sun and her flowers and milk and honey

Following the discussion of oppression and the attempt to reweave value dualisms in milk and honey (2015) and the sun and her flowers (2017) another highly important topic covered in Rupi Kaur’s poetry will be the center of the discussion: objectification and sexualization of women’s bodies. Female sexuality, sexual oppression and rape are aspects of the female experience that are often suppressed or silenced by superior groups and many women are ashamed or afraid to speak freely about these issues. However, Rupi Kaur’s poems do not

57 refrain from dealing with such controversial matters and therefore provide a platform for women to feel better understood and supported in their lives. Further, the incorporation of nature symbols in these poems contributes to easier engagement with such topics and promotes the empowerment of female voices. This is due to the fact that nature as well as women has been oppressed for such a vast amount of time and the opportunity provided by insta-poetry can be used to finally confront injustices of patriarchy. The male domination is not only relevant in larger social structures but also in regard to the oppression of women and nature (cf. Plumwood 1993: 12). In her first book milk and honey (2015) Kaur strongly focuses on sexual oppression and covers topics such as rape and female sexuality. The first poem she has ever posted online also deals with the topic of sexual and domestic against a woman (cf. Kaur 2013, “Instagram”) and provides an insight into Kaur’s own experience with sexual violence. In her Ted Talk “I’m taking My Body Back” Rupi Kaur speaks about her own history with sexual assault and states that the writing process of milk and honey (2015) strongly contributed to her own healing process. The poems helped her to reclaim her body and deal with her trauma (cf. Kaur, “Interview”) and therefore her books should create a safe space for all oppressed and are highly relatable for many victims of sexual or domestic violence. Thus, it can be argued that some readers may feel empowered and better understood when coming into contact with the poetry. 5.3.1 Breaking the Silence about Sexual Assault through Nature Symbolism

The following section will investigate selected poems that cover rape, female sexuality and objectification by examining the nature symbols in the poems. First it has to be highlighted that through the aforementioned connection between women and nature, both groups are assigned to serve male physical needs as they are subordinated in patriarchy (cf. Gaard 1993: 1). The dominance of men often produces the misconception that they possess power over the oppressed, both mentally and physically. By objectifying and sexualizing women, patriarchal culture dehumanizes women and labels them, similar to nature, as a socially inferior group that has the purpose of satisfying male desire (cf. Solanki and Modiani 2018: 256). Unfortunately, sexual assault and harassment are not only relevant in the theoretical context of ecofeminism and therefore the portrayal of these taboo topics can contribute greatly to the empowerment of women in a gender hierarchical society. The first poem, which will be part of this in-depth analysis of unjust power relations, is highly sexually explicit and describes a one-sided sexual act, where a man forces himself on a woman. The poet speaker is not the lyrical I but speaks from an outside perspective and provides the reader with a detailed description of the sexual assault and uses nature symbols to underline

58 the oppression of the female individual in the situation. Kaur’s words illustrate the events as following: he guts her with his fingers like he’s scraping the inside of a cantaloupe clean (MH 31)

The poem uses a fruit, namely a cantaloupe, to illustrate the female genitalia or moreover the process of sexual assault by manual stimulation without consent. As the poem uses terms such as “guts her” or “he’s scraping” (MH 31) it can certainly be argued that the male individual coerces the woman, because the former as well as the latter verb enhance the dehumanization of the female as such words are not commonly used to describe humans. In hunting jargon “to gut” may be used to describe the violent removal of intestines from an animal. Rupi Kaur uses this brutal imagery to describe a form of rape and male induced oppression of women. The nature symbolism in this poem creates a vivid picture of how this violent action impairs the female body. Further, the objectification of the female body by using a fruit as a symbol for her body parts disseminates the notion of female oppression and the male superiority. In fact, the cantaloupe, being a plant and therefore part of the environment, is considered to be less valuable in the value dualism and, thus, the inferiority of the women is increased by using such a symbol. The poem chooses wording that produces a narrative which is highly unpleasant to read, regardless of the position of the reader being more male or female centered. From a female perspective, the piece could be perceived to be highly unsettling and alarming as well as relatable for some individuals. The selection of words enhances the wrongfulness of the man’s action and his sexual behavior that is non-consensually coerced upon the oppressed individual and should be referred to as rape (cf. Islam 2020: 111). Moreover, the brutality and violence displayed as a sign for masculinity reinforce the concept of toxic masculinity and demonstrate the influence of this harmful concept on men. However, the aforementioned construct cannot solely be blamed for the horrendous crime committed by the dominant party. Ultimately, this poem attempts to represent the female perspective and empathizes with the female experience to show that many women share these burdens and that they are not alone with their pain. Therefore, the use of a fruit as a symbol for the female body can also be interpreted as a sign of connectedness, as women and nature are both oppressed in patriarchy. Another poem that covers the topic of sexuality and objectification implies the forceful intrusion into the speaker’s body without her physical approval. Kaur writes in milk and honey (2015):

59 You must have known you were wrong when your fingers were dipped inside me searching for honey that would not come for you (MH 101)

The piece illustrates a situation in which a man continues to sexually penetrate the speaker without registering or caring about the missing consent of the women. The lack of the female lust in this situation can be interpreted as a clear sign of a non- consensual sexual act and therefore it can be considered to be a rape narrative. This is emphasized by the application of honey as a symbol for female body fluids, referring to them as a locus for pleasure and health (cf. Levine 1984: 339). Here again, honey is a sign for fertility and sexuality and its connection with the female body reinforces the conceptual link between these oppressed groups and perpetuates the value dualism. The absence of this natural substance and therefore the lack of lust in this situation can be further interpreted as a clear sign of a non- consensual sexual act. Hence, this poem can be categorized as a rape narrative that uses nature symbolism to enhance the inferiority of the female by oppressing her desires. However, the poem demonstrates the patriarchally imposed inherent relationship between females and nature (cf. Miller 2019, online) and, by describing a situation with a lack of this natural element in the female physicality, the value dualistic notion is flawed. The text creates a platform of rebellion against value dualistic structures as the female body refuses to adapt to the masculine desires. Further, the act of retelling this personal and highly traumatic event results in the creation of a shared voice for women with the same experiences. As female silence is one of the main factors for maintaining patriarchy, it is constantly forced on women to increase female oppression and reduce women’s value (cf. Miller 2019, online). Thus, this poem challenges male dominance by reclaiming the power in the hierarchy through speaking up and reiterating the incident from a female perspective. The nature symbol used in this poem, honey, is notably absent as it symbolizes lust and consent in this situation. As both elements are not present because sexual assault is depicted, the connection between the woman’s body and nature is also missing. The elimination of the physical link between honey and the female body further empowers speaking out as an act of rebellion, because the woman is liberated from the dualistic categorization. Therefore the poem supports the reclaiming of the woman’s body and their freedom from patriarchal oppression. Breaking the silence about sexual violence by using nature symbols is a technique that has been highly effective in Rupi Kaur’s writing. The two poems that have been discussed in this chapter provide a disturbing inside into female experience with sexual assault. The relatability

60 of both poems is increased by the authenticity of Kaur’s writing, in which she describes situations other writers would avoid. Further, the nature symbols as well as the simplicity and the choice of themes, also generate a sense of verisimilitude that makes readers feel more addressed. Sexual assault is a highly sensitive and complicated topic for many women as it has many different forms. However, Kaur manages to create a narrative that is relatable for women despite their cultural, religious or racial background by using nature symbols that are the same for all beings as well as writing about universal topics such as rape and female oppression that are ubiquitous in our society. 5.3.2 Reclaiming the Female Body after Rape

After thoroughly discussing nature symbols in poems that explicitly describe rape scenes, the next piece taken from the sun and her flowers (2017) focuses on the aftermath of rape and how the woman suffers from the invasion of her mind and body. The process of ‘washing off’ the thoughts and what has happened to her is illustrated by using more natural symbols in the following poem: at home that night i filled the bathtub with scorching water tossed in spearmint from the garden two tablespoons almond oil some milk and honey a pinch of salt rose petals from the neighbour’s lawn i soaked myself in the mixture desperate to wash the dirty off the first hour i picked pine needles from my hair counted them one two three lined them up on their backs the second hour i wept a howling escaped me who knew girl could become beast during the third hour i found bits of him on bits of me the sweat was not mine the white between my legs note mine bite marks not mine the smell not mine the blood mine the fourth hour I prayed (SF 76)

The narrative of this poem vividly describes a woman who cleans herself after being sexually assaulted. Kaur writes that the speaker uses “spearmint from the garden […] some milk and

61 honey” (SF 76) in her bath to calm her mind and her body after the rape. Further, the speaker rids herself of remnants of the crime scene which I would presume to be either a forest or other outside area, as the speaker finds “pine needles” (SF 76) in her hair. In fact, the environment of the crime being a natural area can be interpreted as a denigration of women and reducing them to the same value as nature in the culture/ nature dualism. As humanity is constantly oppressing and exploiting the natural world, this suggests that the inferior position of the coerced woman is linked to the environment. The nature substances in “at home at night” (SF 76) not only convey an explicit meaning by being physical components in this scene, but could also be interpreted as support for the speaker reclaiming control over herself. In fact, they signify a reestablished connection between the woman and nature, after the destruction of the female body through violence. This poem does not explicitly reweave or challenge the value dualism such as the previously discussed pieces, but rather exploits this patriarchal construct to reclaim her power over her body. Therefore the link between women and nature is reinforced, but, in comparison to a patriarchally imposed dualism, this poem utilizes the socially constructed proximity between the oppressed groups for their own advantage. However, some may argue that ,by referring back to the link between females and the environment, the speaker increasingly loses control and succumbs to male domination. On the other hand, some would disagree and claim that the speaker reclaims the power over her own physical body following the incident by using nature symbols to reconnect to her environment and her body. I agree with the latter statement and think that this poem from the sun and her flowers (2017) uses nature symbols to empower the speaker and relieve her pain. With this in mind, the statement that female bodies are a locus of regulation and control, while simultaneously being a place for “empowerment and identity formation” (Baer 2015: 24) unarguable holds truth. Consequently, a woman’s body can be considered to be an activist site by reclaiming control through the usage of nature symbols (cf. Baer 2015: 19; 24). The result of the reestablishment of the woman/nature link is the idea that “there is still more to the self even after being torn apart” (cf. Islam 2020: 111). The essence of Islam’s argument is that although the body and the psyche of the speaker were damaged by the traumatic event, her will to recover is strong because her being and experiences expand this single incident. The connection to nature reinforces this healing process and the regained control and supports the speaker in continuing her life as a survivor. Therefore Kaur’s poem manages to portray the significance of nature for humans and conveys the message that hardships can be overcome by the empowerment of women.

62

Considering the importance of nature symbols in the three previously discussed poems covering the topic of sexual assault, another poem that is placed one step further in the future, after the reclaiming of their body and their power, will be analyzed in this section. The following poem is the first poem in milk and honey (2015) and describes the female “plight” (Islam 2020: 111) of being kind in a world that is not kind to women. how is it so easy for you to be kind to people he asked milk and honey dripped from my lips as i answered cause people have not been kind to me (MH 11)

Here again, honey is used as an attribute to describe a woman, or more precisely her connection to her experiences. The phrase “milk and honey dripped / from my lips as I answered” (MH 11) can be seen as a link between nature and the female and describes the woman as fertile and healthy (cf. Levine 1984: 33; 35) even after “people have not / been kind to […]” (MH 11) her. This implies that the speaker has overcome hardships imposed on her by patriarchy and the indivual’s conforming to this hierarchy and its underlying power structure. Considering the fact that Kaur’s writing is highly influenced by true events and stories, and features a large number of poems that deal with domestic abuse and sexual assault, it can be interpreted that the speaker has a similar backstory. In fact, by stating that others have not treated her well, the lyrical I leaves the reader room for their own interpretation. However, as the female experience is highlighted in Kaur’s poetry, it can be assumed that male induced violence or patriarchal oppression play a role in the speaker’s history. The use of honey as a nature symbol emphasizes the recovery from past events as it is a sign for the (mental and physical) health of the speaker and therefore implies that the woman has overcome struggles, but is in a better state now. Another interpretation of the honey symbolism in this piece is that female perseverance and resilience is everlasting, as honey is also a sign for eternity because it can be preserved for thousands of years. Therefore the illustration of the speaker’s words to be honey dripping “from her lips” (MH 11) entails the notion that the speaker has reclaimed her body and mind by reconnecting with her own nature. As discussed in previous poems, honey is not only a sign for health and fertility but also for female sexuality. The lack of honey in sexual assault narratives demonstrates that reacquiring this symbol of nature refers to reclaiming her own sexuality. Thus, this piece clearly shows a woman who has grown from her past and the inflictions of patriarchal oppressions in her life.

63 Another aspect that cannot be overlooked is that the conversation is conducted between a man and a woman, with the male initially asking a question (“how is it so easy for you / to be kind to people“ MH: 11) and being in a superior position. However, the dialogic structure changes as the female speaker introduces honey as a symbol for nature and withdraws the power from the male conversation leader. The focus is shifted to the female perspective by using honey, on the one hand to describe the woman’s perseverance and resistance against patriarchy, but, on the other, to display her kindness and “sweetness” in reference to honey. By using a nature symbol the female speaker reverses the power structure within the dialogue and undermines the male dominance. In order to adopt the dominant position the poet speaker not only claims her own story but also exposes her oppressor and therefore patriarchal society in stating “cause people have not / been kind to me” (MH 11). Hence, it can be argued that the use of honey as a symbol of nature in this poem reconstructs the power hierarchy between the speaker and the addressee due to the female empowerment caused by the reclaiming of her body and nature. Ultimately, the processing and growing a female has to experience after enduring patriarchal injustices can often be rather difficult. However, with the support of nature and nature symbols, women not only reclaim the power over their own life and their bodies, but also reconnect with another oppressed group. As Ecofeminist theory focuses on “reclaiming the female body” (Mack-Canty 2014: 154) as well as the environment and the link between nature and woman it supports this statement (cf. Mack-Canty 2014: 154). In fact, some readers may argue that this contributes to the reinforcement of the value dualism and the denigration of both women and nature. On the other hand, others may insist that this process greatly increases the emancipation of the woman and impedes the dualistic structure of this concept as women are not forced to be on a level with nature, but choose to identify with the environment to empower themselves. This is a highly controversial issue, as although the connection between women and nature aligns with patriarchy’s oppressional concepts, the independence and freedom of the woman is enhanced due to reclaiming this connection from patriarchy. In my view the latter is the case in Rupi Kaur’s poetry as her poems by using nature symbolism contribute greatly to female reassurance and empowerment. The speaker advocates for women’s rights and represents their experiences by using nature symbols with the goal of eventually destroying the patriarch 5.4 Female Empowerment through Self-love in Rupi Kaur’s Poems

As discussed in the previous chapters, female empowerment is a crucial aspect in Rupi Kaur’s the sun and her flower (2017) and milk and honey (2015). Recovering from oppression in patriarchal relationship and reclaiming the female body after sexual assault have already been

64 critically analyzed in selected poems by Kaur. This section will expand this investigation by providing an insight into the workings of poems that deal with healing, self-love and accepting and celebrating women’s bodies. In her books Rupi Kaur highlights that not the “body but the way one thinks about one’s body” (Miller 2019, online) is important to empower women. The poetry conveys the message that females can grow from trauma and develop a stronger personality to eventually combat patriarchal oppression (cf. Miller 2019, online). The rhetoric of self-love posits that women should love themselves and embrace their sexuality, their flaws, that are socially defined, as well as their past, to subsequently not only reclaim their bodies and nature but also to destruct the patriarchal hierarchy. The strategy Kaur uses to reinforce this argument is the inclusion of nature symbols to form a connection between women and nature that is not predetermined by male domination but established by female choice. According to Imran (cf. 2018: 123) the sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015) suggest that humans, especially women, have to create a strong emotional connection with themselves and to appreciate their bodies thereby gaining the power to love others and the environment. Therefore they reclaim their power through empathy and connecting to nature to end oppression caused by patriarchy. This healing process and emancipation is illustrated by nature symbols in selected poems that will be analyzed in the following chapter. 5.4.1 The Support of Nature Symbolism in Healing from Trauma

In the following chapter poems that use nature symbols to portray the healing from patriarchal injustices and oppression, such as rape and domestic abuse but also social and racial inequality, will be discussed. The poems not only show the process of rehabilitation but also advocate self- love in women to regain the power over their lives. The following poem from the sun and her flowers (2017) compares humans and their personal evolution and experiences with the life cycle of a flower: this is the recipe of life said my mother as she held me in her arms as i wept think of those flowers i plant in the garden each year they will teach you that people too must wilt fall root rise in order to bloom (SF 114)

Kaur uses flowers as a direct comparison to humans and therefore reconnects the dualistic between human and non-human nature. By using the life of a flower as an example for the

65 experiences in the speakers life, the mother in the poem not only conveys a sense of togetherness in her message but also strengthens the bond between women and nature. As the speaker states that she was suffering or crying in the third line, the conversation with her mother is designed to provide her with comfort. It could be argued that the speaker had to endure a traumatic situation or had to experience loss or heartbreak. Nevertheless, the narrator seems to be living through a hardship she needs to overcome. Therefore, the flowers as symbols of nature could be a sign of comfort or familiarity for the speaker. The life cycle of the flower starting with wilting, followed by falling, rooting, rising and eventually blooming can be translated to the stages of healing from trauma, sexual assault or oppression. The initial aggravation of the condition of the victim and the following pain are openly thematisized Kaur’s poetry14 and therefore the readers could potentially feel more understood in their own pain. Further, the poem describes recovering and evolving as a human being which demonstrates the ability of women to sustain hardships under patriarchy. As a flower has to root and to rise before it can bloom the nature symbolism in this piece by Kaur implies that also humans have to find and love themselves before they can be reclaim their power and be happy in their lives again. The blooming can be interpreted to be a sign for the empowerment and liberation of women from patriarchal oppression and norms as well as the value dualistic structures that interiorize nature and women. The experience of these stages that constitute the life cycle of a flower are inherently human and highly relatable for most readers. Thus this poem supports the reader in reflecting on their own experiences and healing processes. However, some may argue that the nature symbolism and the environmental link in this piece slightly enhances the relevance of value dualism if viewed from a patriarchal perspective. On the other hand it could be argued that the women’s conscious reconnection with nature, instead of the patriarchal denigration imposed on them, results in a rise of female empowerment. Hence, this poem conveys a message that aims to reinforce acceptance and female empowerment in society (cf. Miller 2019, online) by using the life cycle of a flower as a symbol for human experiences. These stages in a woman’s life are inextricably linked with the healing after trauma and can be interpreted as a form of accepting the pain and overcoming it in the process. It could be argued that the creation of a narrative that depicts this experience not from a human but from

14 See for “at home that night” (SF 76) and “i reached for the last bouquet of flowers” (SF 15).

66 a non-human perspective diminishes the shame felt by the victims. In addition, the acceptance of the situation is increased as the poem explains that everyone has to endure the same pain because it is part of life. The next poem that will be investigated in more detail can be found in milk and honey (2015) covers and covers the topic of healing and self-love. In the following piece Kaur compares the female body to a “museum / of natural disasters” (MH 173) which implies that the woman has had to overcome a large number of difficult situations in her life. However, as the poem continues, the text states that the addressee’s perseverance is admirable with the following words: your body is a museum of natural disasters can you grasp how stunning that is (MH 173)

The nature symbol used in this poem, namely the “natural disasters” have multiple underlying meanings. Firstly, it can be argued that the comparison between a female body and natural catastrophes creates the connotation that the women is internally disrupted and broken such as nature after a hurricane or an earthquake. Thus the woman is degraded and inferiorized through this connection to nature. Secondly, the description of the woman’s body can be interpreted as an accumulation of experiences that influences the development of the speaker. By establishing a link to nature, the hardships that are similar to the events in the environment, contribute to the bonding between the two oppressed groups, namely women and nature. In fact, the association with nature generates female benefits and therefore it can be claimed that the value dualistic system is being exploited by women and used for their own advantage. Considering the fact that Kaur’s poetry is composed to empower women, the latter interpretation seems more suitable and therefore it can be argued that this poem which portrays the celebration of the woman’s body uses nature symbolism as a form of empowerment. According to Kruger (cf. 2017, online) the celebration of the woman’s body, despite its scars and history with detrimental experiences, facilitates the transformational process of reclaiming power over “her embodiment” (Kruger 2017, online). I agree with this statement and claim that the nature symbols further facilitate this transformation and support the change of perspective on the female embodiment. The poems that have been discussed in this section both cover the topic of personal development and emancipation from patriarchal oppression. The healing from trauma and the reclaiming of the female body is highlighted in “your body” (MH 173) whereas “this is the

67 recipe of life” (SF 114) addresses healing as a process and depicts the stages of sell- empowerment in the speaker’s life. Both poems use nature symbolism to convey a narrative of the female experience that emphasizes the strength and endurance women have to acquire to survive in a patriarchal society. The significance of nature symbolism is, once again, predominant in these poems and provides a better insight into the female experience.

5.4.2 Reclaiming Nature to Support Female Empowerment

After the discussion of nature symbols as significant for the portrayal of healing in Kaur’s writing, the following chapter will provide a brief insight into how the process of reclaiming nature can support the empowerment of women. By reclaiming nature, I mean to consciously establish a connection between women and nature that is not predominated by patriarchal society, but chosen by the female for her own benefit. The poems which will be discussed in this section will investigate the connection between nature symbolism and women, which are not only inherent in Kaur’s poetry but also in society (cf. Miller 2019, online). The first piece which will be analyzed describes a woman’s resilience and opposition to oppression by comparing her to a rose: she was a rose in the hands of those who had no intention of keeping her (MH 18)

In this poem, the nature symbolism is rather obvious and provides the comparison of a female with a natural element, a rose. The rose is commonly known to be a symbol of love, desire and romance, however, Kaur rephrases this narrative and adds additional meaning to this nature symbol. On the one hand, describing a woman as a rose may evoke a strong connection with femininity as it is defined by patriarchal norms by conforming to stereotypes such as beauty, softness and passion. However, this poem does not refer to the physical appearance or beauty that could be linked to a rose, but more likely to its thorns that serve as a defense mechanism. Stating that the women was only acting like a rose in contact with people “who had no intention/ of keeping her” (MH 18) demonstrates the female multifacetedness. The rose as a nature symbol serves to empower the reader as it not only depicts female strength and independence but also portrays the depths of the female personality, by being beautiful and empowered at the same time. Whereas, in many literary works women have to adapt to the male-defined role of the submissive, modest and beautiful being (cf. Miller 2019, online), Kaur shows that women are capable of being fierce and strong human beings who challenge gender roles and oppressive structures. Thus, the use of a rose as a symbol in this poem in milk and honey (2015) creates a

68 strong connection between nature and the woman, as they share the same features. Reclaiming nature in this form, contributes greatly to the female emancipation and empowerment as it demonstrates that women, like roses, have the power to retaliate against patriarchy despite their socially perceived weakness and reduction of their appearance. Subsequently, the nature symbolism in this poem provides an insight into the workings of patriarchy. In this poem, the shared qualities of nature and women that generally contribute to oppressing these groups increase the union between nature and women for their own benefit. This connection supports the empowerment of both the woman and nature by rejecting male domination and revealing an aspect of female nature that is not approved by patriarchy. The thorns of the rose and the female refusal to succumb to male oppression are both displays of emancipation. Therefore using the rose as a nature symbol for the women and her rejection of patriarchy can be considered as a strategy to empower females. Another poem that portrays the reclaiming of nature as a strategy for female empowerment through self-love will be discussed in this section. The speaker uses nature allusions and symbols and compares herself to different natural elements and substances to demonstrate her inner strength, empowerment and love for herself. Kaur composed “it is so full here in myself” (SF 224) by using nature metaphors that describe the female body and enhance the notion of female empowerment. Nature symbolism influences the poem to a great extent, which can be seen in its setup: have your eyes ever fallen upon a beast like me i have the spine of a mulberry tree the neck of a sunflower sometimes i am in the desert at times at the rain forest but always the wild my belly brims over the waistband of my pants each strand of hair frizzing out like a lifeline it took a long time to become such a sweet rebellion back then i refused to water my roots till i realised if i am the only one who can be the wilderness then let me be the wilderness the tree trunk cannot become the branch the jungle cannot become the garden so why should i -it is so full here in myself (SF 244)

This poem depicts the speakers description of herself as a “beast” and “wilderness” (SF 244), which entails the emancipation of the woman. By portraying herself as being wild and having “roots” and living in nature (“sometimes i am in the desert / at times at the rain forest” SF: 244)

69 the poet speaker draws a strong connection to her environment and integrates it into her experience realm. The piece begins by addressing the reader and asking if they have ever seen a being as strong and as wild as the speaker and then continues to compare her body parts to plants that reinforce the notion of strength within her body. By claiming that she has always been “wild” (SF 244) but that her “sweet rebellion” (SF 244) was the result of a prolonged process of struggle within herself, the speaker shows that she had to overcome hardships and reclaim her power by connecting to nature. Furthermore, referring to herself as being “the wilderness” (SF: 244) highlights the strong connection the speaker feels with nature and that she draws strength from this connection. Thus, nature allusion and metaphors are used as strategies to portray the female self-love and empowerment in this poem. Another important aspect of this poem by Kaur is the rejection of being reduced to appearance or a feminine characteristic that only accounts for a small part of the woman’s entire nature. Ending the poem by stating that “the tree trunk cannot become the branch / the jungle cannot become the garden / so why should I” emphasizes the multifacetedness and diversity of a woman and demonstrates that the speaker does not accept being reduced to an inferior or lesser part of herself by patriarchy. She claims that something as strong and rooted as the trunk of a tree cannot be reduced to one branch, which could be interpreted as the description of a woman that cannot be reduced to one small aspect of her being, such as aesthetics. In addition, the garden can be considered to be a symbol for tameness in opposition to the wilderness of the jungle and therefore the speaker explains that she will stay wild and live her own truth, regardless of society’s influences and restrictions. These nature symbolisms contribute greatly to the empowerment of the speaker as they are strategies that not only support the reclaiming of the woman’s power over her own life but also of nature as a part of being human that is not oppressed but liberated in this narrative. Consequently it can be argued that the nature symbols in the previously discussed poems about reclaiming nature to combat patriarchy facilitate the liberation of women from oppression. The poems could also have an empowering effect on the readers as they portray the speaker in a relatable and authentic fashion which increases the texts’ authenticity and verisimilitude. Providing a deeper insight into the mind of a woman and the acceptance of the connection between her and the environment creates a universal female story and therefore a shared experience that increases the relatability with the poem and creates a safe space for the reader (cf. Miller 2019, online) in which they have the opportunity to express and accept themselves like the speaker in the poem.

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6 Conclusion Rupi Kaur’s poetry collections milk and honey (2015) and the sun and her flowers (2017) provide a highly relatable insight into the female experience. By creating poetry in a raw and seemingly transient manner (cf. McQuillan 2018: 20) the Punjabi-Canadian author introduces a new era of poetry that strongly relies on the internet as an additional distribution space. The simplicity of Kaur’s poetry results in accessible poems that “make(s) sense” (cf. McQuillan: 23, my emphasize). The meaning of her pieces in both books is influenced by a unique connection to the environment, as they feature nature symbolism as a vehicle for female empowerment and riddance of patriarchal oppression. According to Gaard (cf. 1993:8) a main goal of ecofeminism is the deromanticizing of women and nature to increase intersectionality in order to end female oppression on a broader level. This has been proven to be an essential aspect of Rupi Kaur’s work as her writings contribute greatly to this reconceptualization within feminism and convey messages that are relatable for a diverse audience. Moreover, the scrutinizing of the dualistic hierarchy in our society, which denigrates nature as well as women, is a significant part of this poetry. Ultimately, embracing a new concept that is based on a connection between humans and nature without differentiating between the values of genders or the non-human world will lead to society change rather than remaining in an anthro- or androcentric position (cf. Maclaran and Stevens 2019: 239). Therefore, the sun and her flower (2017) and milk and honey (2015) build a foundation for reweaving the dualistic tendencies of patriarchy and empowers subordinated groups to combat patriarchal structures. As discussed at the beginning of this paper, the link between feminism, ecology and literary criticism in connection with social media has been thoroughly discussed to create a framework which not only applies to feminist ecocriticism but also provides an insight into the workings of contemporary poetry in a digitalized world. Thus, the introduction of the ecofeminist framework, as well as ecocriticism and digital media as a medium for the increased dissemination of literature, has been highly important for the analysis of the nature symbols in the poetry. The attempt to interconnect these different approaches to a larger theoretical framework has facilitated the deeper understanding of nature symbolism in milk and honey (2015) and the sun and her flowers (2017) and has provided an innovative approach to analyze contemporary Instapoetry. In this thesis, I have argued that nature symbolism has an important function in Rupi Kaur’s poetry as she not only applies it to describe femininity but also to illustrate patriarchy as well as masculinity thereby establishing a connection that reaches beyond value dualism. Besides using this aesthetic strategy to increase the equality between genders as well as the non-human

71 world, the poems also feature a simplistic and ‘raw’ structure that further intensifies the environmental link in her poetry as it imitates naturalness and antagonizes artificiality. It has been demonstrated that nature symbols have empowering effects on the texts, thus, they mostly serve one main goal, namely the female liberation from patriarchal oppression. First it has been shown that nature symbols such as flowers contribute to the reweaving of the dualistic system by linking masculinity and nature and empowering women through their connection with the environment and, thus, Kaur’s writing positively contributes to the destruction of a patriarchal hierarchy. Then the impact of nature symbols on female objectification and rape narratives has been analyzed, demonstrating that they support females in reclaiming their bodies by amplifying their voices and telling their assault stories. Lastly the nature symbols in poems that debate healing, self-love and empowerment of women served as tool to emphasize the importance of the female experience and women’s value in a patriarchal society. Subsequently, this thesis has shown that the use of nature symbolism in Rupi Kaur’s poetry stimulates the rethinking of the unequal power construct in our society and could motivate female readers to stand up for their rights and question patriarchy. The ecofeminist concept of value dualism has an implicit impact on milk and honey (2015) and the sun and her flowers (2017) and Kaur exploits this concept to reverse its detrimental effect on women and therefore utilizes the connection between women and nature for female benefit which results in emancipation from male dominance. Furthermore, the use of nature symbols in connection with sexual assault and rape has supported the illustration of difficult thoughts and situations and contributed to the empowerment and overcoming male imposed struggles. In addition, the verisimilitude and authenticity15 of Kaur’s work is high as the poems portray women and their bodies and experiences in a realistic and relatable fashion. The style of the poetry is characterized by intuitive, maybe even visceral, use of words, sentence structures and an expression of emotions that produces poems perceived as truthful and authentic. Ecological symbols also contribute to this effect and further reinforce the female emancipation in Kaur’s poems. Thus, it can be stated that nature symbolism functions as a strong and significant carrier of added meaning and conveys implicit notions that eventually support the emancipation and

15 By posting glimpses of her life online and interacting with her community on Instagram, Kaur provides an insight into her writing process and communicates that she is writing about real experiences (Kaur, “Interview”). Further, the universality of her topics and the intersectionality in her poetry contributes to the authenticity of her writing. Talking about experiences such as sexual assault that is prevalent in many women’s lives adds to the verisimilitude of her poems. According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation not even 5% of sexual assault cases get reported to the police and therefore the dark figure of crime is particularly high (cf. “The Facts About Sexual Assault and Harassment”). Thus, a large number of females can highly relate to her poetry.

72 empowerment of women as well as the destruction of patriarchally constructed values, concepts and ideas. In conclusion, I agree with the statement that Kaur’s poetry is “essential reading for women everywhere” (Miller 2019, online) as she portrays the female experience from a highly vulnerable and bold perspective which is relatable for a great number of people of all genders. Due to the multifacetedness16 of Kaur’s poetry, other aspects that would be highly interesting for research such as ethnicity, race and the influence of Kaur’s heritage as well as the notion of sisterhood and the intersectionality in her work could not be investigated as this would go beyond the scope of this paper. However, I hope that the findings in this thesis will contribute to a deeper understanding of Rupi Kaur’s work17 and the connection of Instapoetry and ecofeminist criticism.

there is nothing left to worry about the sun and the flowers are here (SF 248)

16 The sun and her flowers (2017) and milk and honey (2015) not only provide an insight into a great variety of topics that are relevant for the female experience but also cover racism and migration. The connection between the influence of Kaur’s Punjabi descent and the poems would also serve as an interesting field of research. In addition, the intersectionality and the inclusion of different experiences in her poetry as well as the innovative form of dissemination, namely social media, could also be of great interest for further research. However, investigating other literary techniques such as the lack of punctuation and capitalization that creates a songlike structure and the influence on the accessibility for the reader is highly interesting. Therefore, a large number of different aspects of Rupi Kaur’s poetry have yet to be investigated. 17 On July 13, 2020 Kaur announced on her Instagram (@rupikaur_ ) that “it’s finished!!!!! i just wrapped up the manuscript for book 3 (Kaur 2020, ”Instagram”) and therefore her third poetry collection will be published in the future with more poems to study.

73 7 Works Cited and Consulted Primary Sources

Main Texts Kaur, Rupi (2017). The sun and her flowers. London: Simon and Schuster. Kaur, Rupi (2015). Milk and honey. Toronto: Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Companion Material Kaur; Rupi (2013, Nov 18). “Instagram: you trace the bruises on your ribs“. Instagram.com. Rupikaur_. [Online]. https://www.instagram.com/p/g2BHhAHAyL/ [2020, May 23]. Kaur, Rupi (2018, Sep. 5). “Interview: Emma Watson Interviews Rupi Kaur for Our Shared Self” (2018, Sep. 5). Youtube.com. Totally Emma Watson. [Online]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkw1 S1eqNBI [2020, May 25]. Kaur, Rupi (2020, July 13). “Instagram: it’s finished![…]” Instagram.com Rupikaur_. [Online]. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCmf4C6BTp-/ [2020, July 14].

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