Analysis Of ' The Scarlet Letter '

By revealing this small, hidden regret, he exposes Hester’s tortured state of mind. Unable to reach salvation in the town she desired to live in, she regretfully decided to leave and abandon her sorrows. The burden society placed on her with the scarlet letter was too demanding for her to handle any longer. Similarly, Arthur Dimmesdale was distressed from his ignominy. Afraid of societal repercussions, Dimmesdale had been “overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast” (102). Society’s extensive honor toward him exacerbated his pain, thus causing society to trap Dimmesdale; this prevented him from revealing his dark secret and reaching salvation. Additionally, he began to picture his surroundings as an obstacle designed to hinder his path to redemption. His shortcoming to reach salvation agonized Dimmesdale to the point where he was incapable of recalling “[any] text of Scripture, nor aught else, except a brief, pithy, and, as it then appeared to him, unanswerable argument against the immorality of

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is a study of the effects of sin on the hearts and minds of the main characters, Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. Sin strengthens Hester, humanizes Dimmesdale, and turns Chillingworth into a demon.

In his book, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne tells of a story where a young woman has had an adulterous relationship with a respected priest in a Puritan community. Typical of Hawthorne's writings is the use of imagery and symbolism. In Chapter 12, The Minister's Vigil, there are several uses of imagery when Dimmesdale, the priest, is battling with confessing his sin, which has plagued him for seven years. Three evident techniques used to personify symbolism in this chapter are the use of darkness versus light, the use of inner guilt versus confession, and lastly the use of colors (black versus white).

Rahul A. Paul Mrs. Williams AP English III 19 September 2015 Rhetorical Analysis of The Scarlet Letter In chapter three (“The Recognition”) of The Scarlet Letter, Hester is punished publicly for committing adultery. Dimmesdale, a revered minister, tried to convince Hester to reveal who has committed the crime with her through the use of rhetorical strategies such as ethos, logos, pathos, and concessions. In the story, Dimmesdale’s claim was that Hester should disclose the name of her fellow- sinner so that she will have less spiritual burden.

Mr. Dimmesdale is an almost perfect example of the contrast between public and private truth in The Scarlet Letter. The young clergyman is often seen as saint by the public. Many of his sermons throughout the book bring dozens to Christ in the small town. The people of the town even began to say,“The saint on earth! Alas, if he discern such sinfulness in his own white soul, what horrid spectacle would he behold in thine or mine!”(Hawthorne 246). In private though, Mr. Dimmesdale is actually being eaten alive by the guilt that his sin with Hester gave him. Mr. Dimmesdale’s adulterous act caused

In The Scarlet Letter there are differences between how certain people in the Puritan community handled sin. Some of the Puritan’s weren’t thought of as well because of their sin, and some didn’t even want to admit their sin. In the book there are two characters that particularly struggled with sin, Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale. The way these two characters handled their sin is different from each other. Hester Prynne is one of the characters that are seen in the book that has struggled with sin.

Another aspect of the quotes is that Hester is facing her punishment as she stands before the society and is forced to be condemned the rest of her life while Dimmesdale is viewed positively by the society. The view society had on Hester and Dimmesdale shaped the outcome of their consequences and how they dealt with it. However, society view at some point were rather positive. When Hester decides to help the same society that condamns her, the people starts to realize there is more to Hester. It is stated that they “...had quite forgiven Hester Prynne for her frailty; nay, more, they had began to look upon the scarlet letter as the token, not of that once sin, for which she had borne so long and dreary a penance, but of many good deeds since”(159).

As the story continues, Hester Prynne continues to be plagued by guilt and embarrassment. Every look from a fellow citizen seems to make the scarlet letter burn on her chest. Throughout all this though, Hester Prynne remains true to herself and becomes stronger because of all her trials. Reverend Dimmesdale on the other hand, becomes weaker and weaker

The setting of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet letter” is crucial to the understanding of the event that takes place in the story. The setting of the story is in Salem, Massachusetts during the Puritan era. During the Puritan era, adultery was taken as a very serious sin, and this is what Hester and Dimmesdale committ with each other. Because of the sin, their lives change, Hester has to walk around in public with a Scarlet Letter “A” which stands for adultery, and she is constantly being tortured and is thought of as less than a person. Dimmesdale walks around with his sin kept as secret, because he never admits his sin, his mental state is changing, and the sin degrades his well-being. Chillingworth

Hester’s scarlet letter is a piece of clothing, the “SCARLET LETTER, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom” (Hawthorn 51). Her interpretation of the extremity of her sins is one of self composure and calm. She views her sins solely as a "violation in the natural order" of the environment and therefore cannot even perceive her sin as being evil except through outside influence. Dimmesdale on the other hand, has a scarlet letter carved in his chest. This is revealed when Dimmesdale was giving his revelation, in which “he tore away the ministerial band from before his breast. It was revealed!” (Hawthorn 232). Dimmesdale 's personal interpretation as to the extremity of his own sins is a "violation of God 's law," which is the law that he is totally dedicated to and supported by. Dimmesdale 's interpretation of his sin is much more severe than Hester 's, it is a violation and direct contradiction of his own self consciousness and physical existence. Therefore the appearance of his A, even though it is never directly described in the novel, must be powerful, broken, and brutally dishonest (...a ghastly rapture; Hawthorne pg.95). Since the Scarlet Letter on Hester is visible to the public, she was criticized and looked down on. “This women has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die” (Hawthorn 49) is said by a female in the marketplace talking about Hester. She becomes a stronger person through living this hard life.

The difference between Hester and Dimmesdale’s personal views on sin, and how they deal with their guilt are key themes within The Scarlet Letter.

This passage fits into the novel by addressing the theme of sin and covering what the scarlet letter really meant. At the time of Hester and Dimmesdale running away together to Europe, still the minster still shocked from the previous events, Hester trying to adjust. A result of her sin is distancing form society. She is currently being forced a new role as philosopher. A reflection of the narrator is provided, much of his tone highlights the good bravery that she has donned upon her. Irony can be found within the scene due to her punishment, and her being freer than ever. Thinking the punishment would make a bad model for her, but it did the opposite in fact.

“Human nature will not flourish, any more than a potato, if it be planted and replanted for too long a series of generations in the same worn-out soil. My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth.” (23)-Nameless narrator’s narration

In terms of the book, The Scarlet Letter, the theme of morality plays a large role in the sequence of events. The question is, who has stronger morals, Hester or Dimmesdale? Hester was the one to reveal the sin, even though it was not her choice. This means that she has stronger morals because she admits to her sin and deals with the outcome of it. In Dimmesdale’s case, he does not reveal his sin, so his morals are weaker than Hester’s. In her article, “A Critique of Puritan Society”, Alison Easton shares that “These people’s response is both involuntary and at one level based on a misapprehension of the true state of affairs” (119). The only reason that Dimmesdale was seen as morally stronger was because of his position as a priest. They were manipulated to believe that he was not a sinner at all. At the end of the book, Dimmesdale’s morality increased because of his guilty heart, and because of this, he admits to his sin and dies on the scaffold.

“Women belong in the kitchen.” “All women should be barefoot and pregnant.” “Women are strictly homemakers.” These are a few of the commonly used phrases regarding the female role in society that date back to the mid-seventeenth century. However, ardent supporters of gender equality have surfaced in almost every culture where this ideology is practiced. Nathaniel Hawthorne explores this inveterate societal conflict through his story The Scarlet Letter. The main character, Hester Prynne, is punished for committing adultery by being forced to wear a scarlet letter upon her bosom; Hawthorne created a story sympathetic to the female cause and demonstrated, through Hester, qualities of early feminism that later establish themselves during his