pointing out he beauty and "perfect elegance". He never once pointed out a flaw of…
There is not much to cover about Dimmesdale's week, however, there is much to elaborate on about his weak character. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Arthur Dimmesdale is a weak individual. Dimmesdale expresses how he is selfish, co-dependent, and a coward. Throughout the course of the novel Dimmesdale shows his struggles or emotions, furthermore, portraying Dimmesdale as a weak individual.…
In the Scarlet Letter, it is remarkable how Hawthorne shows Hester Prynne's strength of character. Although Hawthorne does not give us much information about Hester's life prior to the novel, he does show her great character which is revealed through the number of trials and obstacles she faced, her public humiliation and isolated Puritan life. Hester seems to have changed the greatest in character and attitude, from a haughty and proud demeanor to having a warm and tender heart. Throughout the novel, Hester changes three different times, from being a shamed woman to a capable and able woman and then to a healer. Her honesty, strong willed spirit and compassion may have been in her character all along, but the scarlet letter really brought it to the attention or others.…
(An analysis of the letter ‘a’ and all the symbolisms behind it from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter.)…
Vengeance, truth, and loyalty are the base of the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. There are several scenes that are essential in the novel because they develop the plot that leads up to the climax and resolution of the narration. Starting with The Interview in Chapter Four, where the sinner Hester Prynne confirms that the stranger, Roger Chillingworth that she had seen in the crowd before was actually her former husband and that he is in Boston for a macabre reason. The next significant scene is the first real encounter between Hester and Arthur Dimmesdale in the forest in The Pastor and His Parishioner in Chapter 17, where the two characters confront each other and make a decision to escape to Europe together to start a new life and leave everything behind. Furthermore, the final and most influential scene is The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter on Chapter 23,…
Somebody once told me bad decisions make good stories. There are many things we can learn from making good or bad choices.The Scarlet Letter is a brilliant novel that masterfully shows how choices lead to consequences and learning opportunities. One example of a choice that leads to consequences is Pearl Prynne, this making her the most important character. Pearl represents the letter, reminds others of her sins, and is the peacemaker in the…
In this passage, that narrator considers Hester and women in general as items to men, only…
Hawthorne’s imposition of self-torment and interior suffering unveil the guilt and sorrow that result from an attempted secrecy of hidden truths. Distressed by his agony, he “typified the constant introspection wherewith he tortured, but he could not purify, himself” (Hawthorne 132). Although declaring Hester’s prowess, the punishment seeks to further uncover Dimmesdale’s own concealed attributes. When compared to the external inflictions upon Hester, which declared her prowess, his self-discipline only results in the further corruption of his character. His sin becomes more apparent when the scourging, fasts, and extended vigils begin deteriorating his physical condition. The soul-searching cannot purify him because they only further reveal his wrongdoing to the public. He cannot“wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true” (Hawthorne 194). Since Dimmesdale serves as a minister for his community, his congregation praises his sermons and desire to preach against sin. Although outwardly a noble, religious leader, he conceals “the face” of his internal suffering from the cruelty of sin. Depicting the minister’s own hypocrisy, Hawthorne challenges whether both sides of his character can remain true. As much as Dimmesdale strives to hide his veracious interior, no longer can he present himself as the respectable, Puritan man in the community. In reality, he only exemplifies a sinner who weakened under…
It’s easy to think she does because she became an adulteress and faced a novel’s worth of guilt and shame for him. She never seems to resent him for making her face ignominy by herself. In fact, she is deeply concerned for his health and even offers to run away with him: “Thou shalt not go alone!”(136). Though all these actions seem like proof of love, I think Hester does these things for other reasons.…
Conflict is first observed through Hester’s ongoing difficulties with her fellow townspeople. Hester receives ridicule from on looking townspeople, as a gossiping woman states, ‘ “At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne’s forehead” ’ (Hawthorne 45). This statement reveals that the women believe Hester’s punishment is too simple and she should suffer more severe consequences. The women do not see the moral action behind Hester’s sin, which initiates the conflict between the townspeople and Hester. The conflict continues when Governor Bellingham confronts Hester about being an unfit parent as he states, ‘ “Were it not, thinkest thou, for thy little one’s temporal and eternal welfare, that she be taken out of thy charge, and clad soberly . . .” ’ (98). The Governor’s main concern is about what will benefit himself. This quality is observed in his unjust treatment of Hester. He takes advantage of her seamstress skills, yet is judgmental about her parenting. This creates conflict for Hester as the Governor is unfair to her. The issues that arise between Hester and the townspeople are simply the beginning of Hester’s struggle with conflict.…
against her. This fact took a hard toll on Hester. Hawthorne’s description of Hester’s isolation is…
The Puritan society was known for it’s strict morals and religious piety. But despite these supposedly virtuous qualities, in the Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, we are shown how twisted this model of society is. The people torment Hester, but refuse to see that their beloved minister carries the same sin in his heart; in fact, they revere him all the more for it. In his chapters, “Hester at Her Needle,” and “The Interior of a Heart,” Hawthorne creates an ironic contrast between Hester’s public torment and Dimmesdale’s inner agony. While there are many parallels between the two chapters, the contrasts in the character’s ways of dealing with their crime reveal how sinfulness leads to a development of oneself, as well as development of a sense of empathy for others. Paradoxically, these traits are shown to be incompatible with living the true Puritan lifestyle. This is why what goes on outside Hester and Dimmesdale is so vital to their inner narrative, Hester’s public torment eventually sets her free, while Dimmesdale’s public reverence slowly kills him.…
Society generally is ruled by many sets of cultural, religious, and philosophical concepts and beliefs by which human actions are determined whether if they are right or wrong. The system of principles and judgements is called morality. It’s often generalized by a culture or group, and so it serves to regulate the behavior of its members. The word conformity means to act in a behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards. Conformity to such “codification” is needed because it gives balance to society. Generally speaking, people conform in ways that keep things running in a smooth manner and keep them from a harsh crash of scrutiny that nonconformists suffer, especially when their nonconformity causes them to question…
Nathaniel Hawthorne used a lot of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter. Symbolism is the use of objects or people to represent ideas or qualities. Three of the pieces of symbolism the Hawthorne used in this novel was the sunshine and light to represent truth, Mistress Hibbins to represent temptation, and the brook to represent sorrow. Throughout the novel, these symbols reappear over and over, which creates emphasis on the characters and the conflict of the storyline.…
Moral values are the fundamental core of the human being, affecting nearly every aspect of life. Too often, parents of students attempt to shelter their children from being exposed to morals that contradict those of their family. Although the content of the book raised questions and concerns regarding ethical principles, The Scarlet Letter should not be banned from high school curricula as it promotes critical thinking and thoughtful classroom discussion on current societal views of moral values. The book was banned for several reasons, including conflicts with religious and community values, sexual content, and emphasis on sin. However, the novel has reappeared in many high schools, backed with the argument of supplementing education.…