Romanticism and Primitivism: Literary Roots of Modern Ecocriticism

Abstract The relationship between literature and environmental consciousness has gained renewed scholarly attention with the advent of Eco criticism, a relatively new field of literary study. Romanticism and Primitivism, two closely connected literary and philosophical movements of the early 18th century, could foresee modern-day ecological concerns by advocating a return to the state of nature and critiquing industrialization. This paper explores how Romantic writers, including Wordsworth, Blake, Coleridge, and Clare, alongside Primitivism thinkers such as Rousseau, foreshadowed contemporary debates on environmental sustainability, conservation, and the ethical treatment of nature. Based on a qualitative methodology, the study will conduct a close textual analysis of key works by Romantic and primitivism writers. Analyzing significant Romantic and primitivism writings demonstrates how their paradigms of organic interconnectedness, profound reverence for the natural world, and critique of modernity can inform present-day ecological discourse. Moreover, the paper addresses both the celebration and criticism of Romantic ideals by modern scholars, offering a balanced perspective on their ecological legacy. It argues that Romanticism and Primitivism, though often idealized, provide crucial early articulations of environmental ethics, sustainability, and human-nature interdependence. By revisiting these movements, the research positions literature as a vital medium for ecological advocacy and calls for a renewed integration of literary insight into contemporary environmental debates.