Essay on Characterization in Rappaccini’s Daughter

Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the greatest American authors of the nineteenth century. He published his first novel Fanshawe, in 1828. However, he is widely known for his novels The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables. His novel, The Scarlet Letter, can be analyzed from historical, psychological and feminist critical perspectives by examining his life from the past, as well as his reflections while writing The Scarlet Letter. In order to understand the book properly, it’s necessary to use these three perspectives.

Supporting the Friar’s dismal assessment of Romeo is the Nurse. I will direct her to be the funny character in the scene, her face underlining how ridiculous Romeo appears, bawling like a woman on the floor. She even looks appalled as she asks Rome to stand up and be a man, instead of blubbering on the floor. Still, as the Nurse describes Juliet's misery, she would exude deep concern like a mother would. Her face depicts that if there is anyone who loves Juliet as much as Romeo, it is her for she is similar to a mother who cares only for her child's happiness and nothing

The power of imagination makes us infinite, and when it is dulled, one can feel trapped. Only after freeing ourselves, can we understand the beauty of a creative mind. Nathaniel Hawthorne explains how he also had to get back in tune with his imagination after not using it for years while working at the Custom House. Hawthorne draws a very well sketch of the boring life at the Custom House, and how after his head was “cut off” he got the mindset to be able to write the Scarlet Letter. In this long introduction to the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses rhetorical devices to describe character traits, show relationships between characters, hint at future events, and enrich the plot for the reader's enjoyment. With his effective use of imagery, symbolism and biblical allusions, Hawthorne adds depth to the novel while creating a connection to the meaning beyond the story that it tells.

In Shakespeare’s comedic play “Much Ado about Nothing” there are many unique characters but the character Beatrice sticks out for many reasons. Beatrice is not like the other characters in “Much Ado about Nothing.” She “rebels” against the idea of conformity and humility that was prevalent during that time period for women; therefore, she fit the archetype of

Comparing Hope Leslie or Early Times in Massachusetts and The Scarlett Letter is interesting because at first glance both novels don’t appear to have much in common aside from having a female protagonist and taking place within Puritan society of early America. (keep but not as first sentence). However, despite obvious differences between both novels such as the character presentation of the female protagonists in Hope Leslie who range from the free-spirited Hope Leslie, obedient Puritan Esther, and character of Magawisca as a noble but proud Native American contrasts with the Hester Prynne’s presentation as a shamed but deeply contemplative woman in The Scarlett Letter. The different purposes all these characters each serve in their respective stories begins to show commonality in that Hope Leslie’s Hope, Esther, and Magawisca and The Scarlett Letter’s Hester Prynne all have to overcome the adversity and social expectations with Puritan society so they can follow their hearts and do what they feel is right by relying on their wit, intelligence, and inner strength. By examining how both Hope Leslie and Hester Prynne overcome the challenges they face in their respective Puritain socities it will be easier to observe how these novels presentation of their female protagonist illustrates the gender politics of each text.

Hero is quite, kind, respectful and modest while Beatrice is witty, independent and fierce. Beatrice is a powerful woman and is not afraid to question the validity of a man’s honour. Beatrice has strong beliefs about what a real man is and should be. Beatrice: What should I do with him—dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him. (2.1.128–132). In these lines Beatrice explains why she must remain unmarried, according to her there is no man who would be the perfect match for her. According to Beatrice a man who has no facial hair is not manly enough and a man who has facial hair is not young enough. Beatrice is untraditional and has her own opinions. Beatrice is not an accepting character like

All of the major characters in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne are dynamic and go through some form of character development. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, who are at the forefront of the central conflict in the plot of the novel, are no exception. While their respective evolutions in character were noticeably different, each was emphasized by the three scaffold scenes. The differences of Hester and Dimmesdale’s respective character developments are highlighted and emphasized by the three scaffold scenes in the novel.

Each man only saw what he wanted to see regarding Beatrice, and for Giovanni, it was most complex. Her father probably had good intentions when he caused his daughter to be poisonous. He did it as a means of protection, but this backfired, because the tendency of others to misunderstand Beatrice's complex makeup led them to unintentionally kill her. Each of the three men in Rappaccinni's Daughter wanted to mold Beatrice into something and each had his own idea of her identity, yet none of them looked at her subjectively. This is pointed out by Luedtke on page 188. "When he (Giovanni) was unable to bring Beatrice 'rigidly and systematically' within the realm of his own experience, and unwilling to risk a closer knowledge, Giovanni left the poison-damsel to die in her own pleasure-place." It is interesting to note Luedtke's use of the words "pleasure-place". This suggests that the poisonous garden was not the real problem or prison for Beatrice. An interesting point is revealed by Luedtke as he states, "The author makes a late attempt to intertwine her poison and her purity, but the demonic and the angelic continue to occupy their separate spheres, the former of the body, the latter of the soul. As Baglioni's antidote takes effect, eradicating the poison from Beatrice's system, her physical life is consumed. The soul might be innocent but it has no resting place."(181) If Beatrice's soul had no

Beatrice is easily one of the biggest and roundest characters in Much Ado About Nothing. Shakespeare created Beatrice’s character in order to bring to the stage opposition to the “traditional woman” of the Elizabethan time and shed light on gender inequality. Hero seems to

Certain rumors spread into town characterize her as a highly educated young woman. We find evidence in that sense from Doctor Baglioni, another character in the story: "Rappaccini is said to have instructed her deeply in his science, and that, young and beautiful as fame reports her, she is already qualified to fill a professor's chair"(Hawthorne 878). But the truth is that, as she confesses later in the story, she knows nothing about the science of botany that her father is involved in; actually, she is only familiar with the flower's "hues and perfumes"( Hawthorne 883). She practically knows as much as a child of small age would; her education also lacks any form of interaction experience with the society. Hawthorne presents her father, Doctor Rappaccini, as her only companion of life. Her reason for isolation is related to her father's overprotective attitude towards his only child. Rappaccini raises her in the neighborhood of poisonous flowers, making her immune to them, but also transforming her into a source of poison. Beatrice is aware of the poison that she exudes; thus she becomes indirectly isolated from the rest of the world by her father. The deadly attribute Beatrice possesses places a social safeguarding wall around her.

people through the relationships of the story's main characters. The lovely and yet poisonous Beatrice, the

In the short story of “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the setting is a very important aspect in providing symbolism to certain events. The setting of a dramatic work or story is defined as the overall setting of a narrative detailing the general location, historical time, and social undermining in which its action occurs. The setting of a story is just as important as the characters that are involved within the story. It is a necessary aspect that has influence on every narration. Which is a subject that has not gained much attraction and attention as other parts of the story, but is certainly a very interesting topic to discuss. This essay will give an in-depth analysis of the various techniques that Hawthorne used to convey

Nathaniel Hawthorne, an American novelist, whose works show a deep consciousness of the ethical problems of sin and punishment. In “Rappaccini’s Daughter," Hawthorne uses science and symbols to narrate the story of a student called Giovanni Guasconti, who falls in love with Beatrice. Beatrice is a beautiful and mysterious young woman whose touch and breath becomes poisonous by the experiments of her father, the scientist Giacomo Rappaccini, and is unable to be a normal young woman. Through a series of experiments, Hawthorne uses science to drive the entire story and show the boundaries of ethics and morals in science by the use of literary devices of mood and symbolism to create an association with the tale of Adam and Eve in the Garden of

For example, he swayed his hand to and fro while one lantern was centered on him, creating a shadow on the wall. When the narrator was executing his “ingenious” plan for murder, he slowly entered the room, crouching down for what seemed like an eternity, and opened the lantern to shine light on his victim, showing his vulture-eye, therefore giving the narrator the motivation to kill him and giving the audience an uneasy feeling. The narrator's body language showed tension as he was anticipating the right moment to kill the old man and as he was lightly conversing with the police officer. During the majority of the play, the narrator would laggardly ascend and descend the stairs which captured his increasing uneasiness. The actor's true skill in portraying his character was most perceptible as he carried out the murder of the old man. He kills and dismembers him happily, clearly showing the audience that the character is in an unhealthy mental state. Additionally, the narrator continually explains to the audience that he is not insane and attempts to prove it by explaining his master plan of murdering and hiding the old man. However, the more the narrator explains to us how sane he believes himself to be, the more we believe he is not. To represent a change in setting, the narrator opens an imaginary door and paces up and down the stairs. To show time progressing, the narrator

Although Puritanism, Romanticism and Transcendentalism do not coexist peacefully, these almost worldview kind of people groups are deeply embedded into three fictional characters from the book, The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This enthralling and rich classic which takes place in Boston Massachusetts during the time of Puritanism gives the reader not only a taste of the Puritans and their staunch attitude, but also of a less common way of thinking and behaving which is expressed through a certain character in the book. The three main characters in this book are all diversely different but are bound tightly together by a long kept secret and discovering their methods of thinking and acting upon