Wetlands and Western Cultures: Denigration to Conservation (Environment and Society)

In Wetlands and Western Cultures: Denigration to Conservation, Rod Giblett examines the portrayal of wetlands in Western culture and argues for their conservation. Giblett's analysis of the wetland motif in literature and the arts, including in Beowulf and the writings of Tolkien and Thoreau, demonstrates two approaches to wetlands--their denigration as dead waters or their commendation as living waters with a potent cultural history. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: An Invitation for Wading into Wetlands The Elements and the Humors The Horror of Wetlands Exploration, Colonization, and Urbanization The Swampy Pathway Afoot Notes Part I: Wetlands and -Ologies Chapter 1: Theology of Wetlands: Tolkien, Beowulf, and Milton on Marshes and Their Monsters Beowulf’s Monstrous Fens Milton’s Monstrous Marshes Tolkien’s Dead Marshes Kingsnorth’s The Wake Note Chapter 2: Psychology of Wetlands: Mourning, Melancholy, and Marshes The Slough of Despond Mourning, Melancholy, and Freud Melancholy, Despair, and Cioran The Grim Domains of Giant Despair and Melancholy Mourning, Melancholy, and Benjamin Mourning, Melancholy, and Brittain Notes Part II: Wetlands, Art, and Culture Chapter 3: Wetland Cultures of the English Fens: Politics, Painting, Poetry, Prose, and Art History The Fens in Art History The Fens in Politics The Fens in Painting The Fens in Poetry The Fens in Prose Notes Chapter 4: Wetland Cultures of “Australia Felix”: From Mountain Ranges and Landscape Painting to Wetland Places in Environmental Artwork Aboriginal Significance European Exploration Landscape Painting Mount William Swamp Other Grampian Wetlands National Park Environmental Artwork Notes Chapter 5: Wetland Cultures of “Western Australia Felix”: From Mountain Range and Landscape Aesthetics to Wetland Wombs in Environmental Artwork European Exploration Aboriginal Significance Landscape Aesthetics Geology Environmental Artwork Notes Part III: Wetlands and Cities Chapter 6: The Birth of Sydney and the Death of Its Wetlands Tank Stream From Swamp to Park Back to Botany Bay Weird Australian Melancholy Masculinized Mateship against Feminized Bush Notes Chapter 7: Water in Urban Waterscapes and Wetlands in London and Melbourne Urban Choreography The Blueness of the Blue Lake Dancing with Water The Watery Fabric of Space Notes Part IV: Wetlands and Nature Writing Chapter 8: Henry David Thoreau: The Patron Saint of Swamps Wyman Meadow, Henry’s House and His Desk The Swamp Is the Holy of Holies Quaking Zone Notes Chapter 9: Farewell: Nature Writing and Black Swan Lake Note Bibliography Index About the Author Introduction: An invitation for wading into wetlands -- PART 1. WETLANDS AND -OLOGIES. Theology of wetlands: Tolkien, Beowulf, and Milton on marshes and their monsters -- Psychology of wetlands: Mourning, melancholy, and marshes -- PART 2. WETLANDS, ART, AND CULTURE. Wetland cultures of the English fens: Politics, painting, poetry, prose, and art history -- Wetland cultures of 'Australia Felix': From mountain ranges and landscape painting to wetland places in environmental artwork -- Wetland cultures of 'Western Australia Felix': From mountain range and landscape aesthetics to wetland womb in environmental artwork -- PART 3. WETLANDS AND CITIES. The birth of Sydney and the death of its wetlands -- Water in urban waterscapes and wetlands in London and Melbourne -- PART 4. WETLANDS AND NATURE WRITING. Henry David Thoreau: The patron saint of swamps -- Farewell: Nature writing and Black Swan Lake "In Wetlands and Western Cultures: Denigration to Conservation, Rod Giblett examines the portrayal of wetlands in Western culture and argues for their conservation"-- Provided by publisher