Precarious Landscapes and Human Fragility in Charlotte Smith and Mary Robinson.

This paper examines the depiction of precarious landscapes and human fragility in the works of Charlotte Smith and Mary Robinson, two prominent Romantic writers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Through their vivid portrayals of decaying rural environments, eroding coastlines, and desolate seascapes, both authors use nature as a metaphor to reflect emotional vulnerability, societal instability, and existential uncertainties. Smith's focus on rural decay and personal grief contrasts with Robinson's juxtaposition of urban chaos and natural isolation, yet both converge on the theme of nature as an external manifestation of human fragility. By analyzing their works through the lenses of eco-criticism and feminist theory, the paper reveals how these authors critique gender dynamics and societal power structures through their representations of the natural world. This study contributes to a broader understanding of Romantic literature's engagement with nature, gender, and ecological destruction, highlighting the intersection between human fragility and environmental instability in their works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]