Abstract
This article explores the intersection of Eco-Gothic tropes and Anthropocene anxiety in contemporary Pacific Island poetry through a material ecocritical lens. Focusing on works published since the turn of the millennium, it investigates how poets from various Pacific nations articulate the profound environmental degradation, colonial legacies, and climate change impacts facing their communities. The study argues that these poets strategically deploy Eco-Gothic elements—such as haunted landscapes, monstrous entities born of pollution, and the aesthetics of ruin and decay—to convey the visceral horror and existential dread of living in an era defined by human-induced ecological crisis. By adopting a material ecocritical approach, the analysis foregrounds the tangible, embodied consequences of environmental destruction, revealing how the poetry makes visible the often-invisible processes of resource extraction, nuclear testing, and rising sea levels. Ultimately, this research demonstrates how contemporary Pacific Island poetry not only registers Anthropocene anxiety but also offers powerful critiques of global power imbalances and advocates for indigenous resilience and environmental justice, contributing significantly to both ecocritical discourse and postcolonial literary studies.
