Grant Allen’s Eco-Apocalypse and Late-Victorian Masculinity in “The Thames Valley Catastrophe”

Abstract

Recently nineteenth-century literature is being revisited to understand early observations and representations of environmental issues. Grant Allen’s “The Thames Valley Catastrophe” is the late-Victorian London apocalypse narrative that explores ecological relationships and human responses to environmental crises. This essay also draws on Amitav Ghosh’s ideas regarding the perception and representation of environmental disasters. In the case of “The Thames Valley Catastrophe,” it explores how Allen’s narrative reflects this difficulty in recognizing the Earth’s agency in the unfolding crisis. Furthermore, the essay delves into the intersection of ecological instability with the male gender crisis. By analyzing the protagonist as the last man survivor, who embodies characteristics of paternal masculinity and physical prowess, the essay underscores how Allen uses gender dynamics to frame the catastrophe narrative. The rescue scene with the protagonist as a paternal, muscular figure on a bicycle may symbolize a certain kind of ‘heroism’ in the face of ecological catastrophe.