Natural elements and spaces in A.S. Byatt’s short stories

Abstract

This paper examines the centrality of nature in Byatt’s short fiction, tracing the presence of natural elements and spaces in some of her short stories, and their association with female characters and experiences. In the course of this examination, special attention will be paid to the recurrent setting of the forest, analysing the implications of this natural space for the configuration, structure and meaning of some of Byatt's short stories.