THE TOPOS OF THE FORESTIN N. HAWTHORNE’S “THE SCARLET LETTER”

The article explores the symbolism of the forest in N. Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” This study aims not only to interpret the meanings associated with this topos but also to illus­trate its role in developing three internal plots within the novel. A brief overview of the for­est’s reception as a symbolic space in European culture reveals four primary interpretations: the forest as a source of materials and resources, the forest as hell, the forest as paradise, and the forest as a frontier — a space for the hero’s initiation. This analysis of “The Scarlet Let­ter” through the lens of literary historicism and archetypal criticism demonstrates that Haw­thorne ironically reinterpreted all four readings of the forest to highlight the internal contra­dictions in the history of his native New England. For instance, the Puritans' fear of the for­est as the “abode of the Black Man” did not prevent them from using timber from the forest to build their New Canaan. Similarly, their dreams of an earthly paradise were contradicted by their act of cutting down the forest, which is depicted in the novel as a locus amoenus. The forest serves as a transformative space in the lives of the main characters; notably, only Hester Prynne successfully undergoes the “forest initiation.” This observation allows us to draw conclusions about the author’s true sentiment regarding the legend of the Black Man in the forest. The relevance of this research stems from the importance of engaging with classical texts and addressing existing gaps in scholarship, particularly the exploration of spatial poet­ics in Hawthorne’s work.