44. Beyond the Human Gaze: A Comparative Ecocritical Study of Hardy's Wessex and VanderMeer's Area X

This paper explores how the fictional settings in literature can act as an important driving force that shapes the plot of the novel. It compares two very different fictional geographies, Thomas Hardy’s Wessex and Jeff VanderMeer’s Area X, to understand how nature is represented in each. While Hardy’s Wessex is based on real places in Southwest England, it reflects the characters’ emotions, inner turmoil, societal problems and the slow decline of rural life in the Victorian era. In contrast, VanderMeer’s Area X is a mysterious place which decentres the human, transforms people and challenges their identity, science and nature itself. By comparing Wessex and Area X, this paper highlights how literature reflects changing attitudes towards nature and the environment. These fictional landscapes encourage readers to move beyond a human centered view of the world and to see nature as something active, alive, and interconnected with human life.