In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, life is centered around a rigid,
Puritanistic-structured society in which one is unable to divulge his or her innermost
thoughts and secrets. Every human being needs the opportunity to express how they truly
feel, or the emotion is bottled up until it becomes volatile. Unfortunately, Puritan
society did not permit this expression, so characters had to seek alternate means in
order to relieve themselves. Luckily, at least for the four main characters, Hawthorne
provides such a sanctuary in the form of the mysterious forest. Hawthorne uses the forest
to provide a shelter for members of society in need of a refuge from daily life.
In the deep, dark portions of the forest, many of the pivotal characters bring forth
hidden thoughts and emotions. The forest track leads away from the settlement out into
the wilderness where all signs of civilization vanish. This is precisely the escape
route, from strict mandates of law and religion, to a refuge where men, as well as women,
can open up, and be themselves. It is here that Dimmesdale can openly acknowledge Hester
and his undying love for her. It is here that Hester can do the same for Dimmesdale. It
is here that the two of them can openly engage in conversation, without being preoccupied
with the constraints that Puritan society places on them. The forest itself, is free.
Nobody watches in the woods to report misbehavior, so it is here where people do as they
wish. To independent spirits like Hester Prynne's, the wilderness beckons her: "Throw off
the shackles of law and religion. What good have they done you anyway? Look at you, a
young and vibrant woman, grown old before you time. And no wonder, hemmed in, as you are,
on every side by prohibitions. Why, you can hardly walk without tripping over one
commandment or another. Come to me, and be masterless." Truly, Hester takes advantage of
this, when Arthur Dimmesdale appears. She openly talks with Dimmesdale about subjects
which would never be mentioned in any place other than the forest. "What we did..." she
reminds him, "had a consecration of its own. We felt it so! We said to each other!"(p.
186) This statement shocks Dimmesdale, and he tells Hester to hush, but he eventually
realizes that he is in an environment where he can open up. The thought of Hester and
Dimmesdale having an intimate conversation in the confines of the society which they live
is incomprehensible. Yet here, in the forest, they can throw away all reluctance, and
finally be themselves, under the umbrella of security which exists.
In the Puritan society, self reliance is stressed among many other things. However self
reliance is more than stressed, it is assumed. It is assumed that you need only yourself,
and therefore should hold no emotional necessity for a "shoulder to cry on". Once again,
for people in the stations of life which Hester and Dimmesdale hold, it would be
unthinkable for them to comfort each other. Yet in the forest, these cares are tossed
away. "Be thou strong for me," Dimmesdale pleads. "Advise me what to do."(p. 187) This is
a cry for help from Dimmesdale, with him finally admitting he can't go through this
ordeal by himself. With this comes an interesting sort of role-reversal. When Dimmesdale
asks for help, he is no longer sustaining the belief that he is above Hester. He is
finally admitting she is an equal, or even that she is above him. This is possibly one of
the reasons that Puritans won't accept these emotional displays, because the society is
so socially oriented. Hester, assuming a new power position, give a heartfelt, moving
speech. The eloquence of her words can not be overemphasized, and a more powerful
statement had yet to be made in the book. Hester's speech turns out bear a remarkable
resemblance to one of Dimmesdale's sermons. "Begin all anew! ... Preach! Write! Act!"(p.
188) The questions she asks also are like the articulate questions which Dimmesdale would
pose during his sermons. The answer is obvious, yet upon closer examination they seem to
give unexpected results. "Whither leads yonder forest-track? Backward to the settlement,
thou sayest! Yea; but onward, too! Deeper it goes, and deeper into the wilderness...
until, some few miles hence, the yellow leave will show no vestige of the white man's
tread." (p. 187) If we look at the title of this chapter, the meaning becomes much
clearer. "The Pastor and His Parishioner" reveals that the roles are now reversed. Where
else could an incongruity such as this occur, but in an accepting environment? What other
platform is there for a man of high regard in the community to pour his soul to a woman
who is shunned by the public for a grave sin? Nowhere else but in the forest, could such
an event occur.
Finally, the forest brings out the natural appearance, and natural personality of the
people who use it correctly. When Hester takes off her cap and unlooses her hair, we see
a new person. We see the real Hester, who has been hidden this whole time under a shield
of shame. Her eyes grow radiant, and a flush comes to her cheek. We recognize her as the
Hester from chapter 1. The beautiful, attractive, person, who is not afraid to show her
hair, and who is not afraid to display her beauty. The sunlight, which previously shunned
Hester, now seeks her out, and the forest seems to glow. Dimmesdale has also come back to
life, if only for a short time, and he is now hopeful and energetic. We have not seen
this from Dimmesdale for a long time, and most likely will not see it ever again.
Puritan society can be harsh and crippling to one's inner self. Hawthorne created the
forest to give the characters a place to escape and express their true thoughts, beliefs,
and emotions. It was here that thoughts and ideas flowed as endlessly as the babbling
brook, and emotion was as wild as the forest it self. There are no restraints in the
natural world, because it is just that, natural. No intrusion from people means no
disturbance in the natural order, and therefore serves to bring its inhabitants away from
their world, and into this older one.
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