The Cultural Philosophy of the Forest in the Eponymous Play by A.N. Ostrovsky

For the first time, “The Forest” by A. N. Ostrovsky is analyzed in the terms of cultural philosophy, which determines its relevance. The problem in question is investigated using a number of methods, the most significant being the analytical, historical-cultural method using a general cultural-philosophical approach to understanding the essence and semantic field of the phenomenon of “forest”. On the basis of the articles by A.A. Grigoriev, the author outlines the worldview of the playwright, defined as the organic development of community life. The main meaning and semantic field of such a natural and cultural phenomenon as “forest” are considered, and the most significant examples relevant to the given problem, drawn from ancient, Italian and folk cultures, as well as testimonies from the playwright’s contemporaries, are brought forward. The choice of examples is explained by A. N. Ostrovsky’s knowledge of foreign languages, which allowed him, among other things, to be engaged in translation activities, and also to study authors writing about folk culture. All that was reflected in the language and plots of his plays. The article presents a detailed analysis of “The Forest” and reveals all the semantic shades in the use of the word “forest”, their functions in the description of the characters and the development of the plot. The philosophical and socio-cultural meanings of the “forest” as a phenomenon of Russian life are clarified. Special attention is paid to the symbolist tendencies in the play, which fit into the general pursuit of time, not only in the life of the playwright, but also later. The methodological basis of the author’s reflections is ontologism, meaning here the reality of the hidden essences of being in their objective expression. On this basis, the cultural-philosophical approach to A. N. Ostrovsky’s play “The Forest” allowed to reveal all the meanings of the word “forest”, to structure these meanings, to determine their place in the development of the plot and to show their role in the formation of the characters’ personalities. In addition, it was the cultural-philosophical approach to the “forest” phenomenon that allowed to see the hidden symbolism of the play, which makes “The Forest” by A. N. Ostrovsky an object of the research on the late XIXth century.