The Scarlet Letter

Hawthorne, Nathaniel

doi:10.5117/9781904633129

Cited by 69 publications

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“…Hawthorne describes Hester in the novel like this: "The young woman was tall, a figure of perfect elegance on a large scale, she had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes. She was ladylike......characterized by a certain state and dignity......" (Hawthorne, 2001, P41) From these words, readers can know that in Hawthorne's eyes Hester is as beautiful as a goddess. Hearth always gives people a feeling of warmth, so does Hester.…”

Section: A the Symbolic Meaning Of Hester Prynnementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The reason of his marrying to Hester has nothing to do with love, he just wants to "light a household fire in his lonely and chilly heart." (Hawthorne, 2001, P60) To some extent, Roger Chillingworth's ill intention in this abnormal marriage is the indirect source of Hester's tragedy. Secondly, "Roger" may remind people of the "Jolly Roger", the traditional English name for the flags flown to identify a pirate ship about to attack during the early 18 th century.…”

Section: The Symbolic Meaning Of Roger Chillingworthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When the physician finally catches sight of the scarlet letter "A" on the bosom of the minister, he is as excited as a pirate who has found the hidden treasure after countless hardships. At that moment of great happiness the physician shows "a wild look of wonder, joy and horror" (Hawthorne, 2001, P116) and he has to "throw up his arms towards the ceiling and stamp his foot upon the floor" (Hawthorne, 2001, P116) to express his ecstasy. Hawthorne then makes the following conclusion: "Had a man seen old Roger Chillingworth, at that moment of his ecstasy, he would have had no need to ask how Satan comports himself, when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won into his kingdom."…”

Section: The Symbolic Meaning Of Roger Chillingworthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hawthorne then makes the following conclusion: "Had a man seen old Roger Chillingworth, at that moment of his ecstasy, he would have had no need to ask how Satan comports himself, when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won into his kingdom." (Hawthorne, 2001, P116) By using the word "worth" in the name "Chillingworth", Hawthorne intends to imply that the physician's life is totally worthless. In order to seek revenge on the clergyman, Chillingworth gives up his identity and goes to great lengths to cause physical and mental suffering to Dimmesdale.…”

Section: The Symbolic Meaning Of Roger Chillingworthmentioning

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A Brief Study on the Symbolic Meaning of the Main Characters’ Name in The Scarlet Letter

Nan

2015

TPLS

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Abstract-As a great romantic novelist in American literature in the 19 th century and a central figure in the American Renaissance, Nathaniel Hawthorne is outstanding for his skillful employment of symbolism and powerful psychological insight. The Scarlet Letter, which is considered to be the greatest accomplishment of American short story and is often viewed as the first American symbolic and psychological novel, makes Nathaniel Hawthorne win incomparable position in American literature. With a brief introduction into The Scarlet Letter and a brief study on the two literary terms, i.e. symbol and symbolism, the paper attempts to expound Hawthorne's skillful employment of symbolism in his masterpiece through the analysis of the symbolic meaning of the main characters' name in this great novel.Index Terms-The Scarlet Letter, symbol, symbolism, character, name I. A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE SCARLET LETTERThe Scarlet Letter is the masterpiece of Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of the most significant and influential writers in American literature in the 19 th century. It is also regarded as the first symbolic novel in American literature for Hawthorne's skillful use of symbolism and allegory. In the novel, the settings (the scarlet letter A, the prison, the scaffold, the rosebush, the forest, the sunshine and the brook) and the characters' images, words and names are all endowed with profound symbolic meaning by Hawthorne. It is the superb employment of symbolism that helps readers to probe into the colorful inner world as well as the spiritual conflicts of the main characters and makes the novel more artistic and successful.The novel describes a love tragedy in the colonial times in Boston in the seventeenth century. An aging English scholar named Roger Chillingworth sends his beautiful young wife Hester Prynne to start their new life in New England. But when he arrives about two years later he is surprised to find his wife in pillory on the scaffold, holding a baby in her arms and wearing a scarlet letter on her breast. Disguising himself as a physician, Chillingworth discovers that the adulterer is Arthur Dimmesdale, the much-respected and brilliant young clergyman. Then Chillingworth begins his cruel revenge on the clergyman physically and mentally for seven years. Although Dimmesdale gets away from the punishment on the scaffold, he is condemned by his own conscience constantly and lives in utter misery. Gradually, Dimmesdale is worn out by the torture of the Puritan moral modes, his inner conflicts, his love for Hester and the ruthless revenge from Chillingworth. Different from Dimmesdale, Hester turns to be brave and positive toward the punishment and the scarlet letter A. Living in complete isolation from the community, Hester is determined to protect her lover's reputation and tries her best to reestablish her relationship with people in town on a friendly and honest basis. She works hard to support her daughter Pearl, gives her hand to people in need and finally regains respect, dignity and admiration. In the en...

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Section: A the Symbolic Meaning Of Hester Prynnementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Symbolic Meaning Of Roger Chillingworthmentioning

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Section: The Symbolic Meaning Of Roger Chillingworthmentioning

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Section: The Symbolic Meaning Of Roger Chillingworthmentioning

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A Brief Study on the Symbolic Meaning of the Main Characters’ Name in The Scarlet Letter

Nan

2015

TPLS

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“…74 In "The CustomHouse Sketch" of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne writes that "neither the front nor the back entrance of the Custom-House opens on the road to Paradise." 75 He tries to make sure that at least one side of the Pyncheon mansion does.…”

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"Within small compass": Hawthorne's Expansive Urban Garden in <i>The House of the Seven Gables</i>

Bode¹

2008

brockrev

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Nathaniel Hawthorne loved a garden. His writings consistently show his awareness of the garden's complexity. In The House of the Seven Gables, his urban garden of "small compass" effectively envisions and then makes workable a model of co-existence that is inclusive of all life forms. The garden's urban setting facilitates a diversity that resists facile oppositions between such concepts as nature and culture, the country and the city. The result is a restorative space in which Hawthorne's characters engage respectfully with non-human life, and strive to enact a non-hierarchical human community that transcends gender and class distinctions.

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Worlds of Color, Gender, Sexuality, and Labor in Early American Literary History

Stephens

2011

A Companion to American Literary Studies

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The Scarlet Letter

Cited by 69 publications

References 0 publications

A Brief Study on the Symbolic Meaning of the Main Characters’ Name in The Scarlet Letter

A Brief Study on the Symbolic Meaning of the Main Characters’ Name in The Scarlet Letter

"Within small compass": Hawthorne's Expansive Urban Garden in <i>The House of the Seven Gables</i>

Worlds of Color, Gender, Sexuality, and Labor in Early American Literary History

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