Transcendentalism In The Scarlet Letter Essay

In the 1850’s, America was undergoing a massive internal changes via the industrial revolution. With this new era, American culture was drastically changed as women started to take a more prominent role in American society. In his novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne attempts to stimulate this change by illustrating the positive influence of a strong female character in a Puritanical society through his heroine, Hester Prynne, by putting her in a scandalous situation capable of drawing out the worst in people.

Born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote many novels and short stories. Hawthorne’s best novel, The Scarlet Letter, overtook the role of the first truly, American novel. His use of rhetorical devices, especially symbolism, established him as one of the most studied authors of all time. In order to convey meaning or to persuade, Hawthorne utilized numerous rhetorical devices. Rhetorical devices in The Scarlet Letter evoked emotions of the audience. In Hawthorne’s work, the devices helped the audience elaborate on the novel. Hawthorne used rhetorical devices to show his character's turmoil. He did this through the character of Hester Prynne, a social outcast bound to isolation by her sins. In novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hawthorne depicts Hester’s inner turmoil through the portrayal of the sinful nature of human beings utilizing rhetorical devices.

Nathaniel Hawthorne is the author of the classic novel the Scarlet Letter based on the Puritan Era in Massachusetts. D.H Lawrence a British writer critiques the novel and gives his opinions on the piece in a persuasive argumentative manner. He believes that the heroine of the novel is not the beloved, marvelous character we all believe she is.He uses confident literary techniques like powerful tone, abrupt syntax and classic biblical allusions to convince people that the beloved character Hester Prynne is truly a conniving adulteress who thrives off of stealing one's purity.

Anne Hutchinson, a Puritan settler, gets exiled from the Puritan Settlement because of her actions. Similarly, Hester Prynne’s sinful action results in her confinement in prison, away from the town people. In the 1850’s, Nathaniel Hawthorne publishes The Scarlet Letter. Set in a Puritanical Society, The Scarlet Letter tells the story of how one simple act of passion upsets the very basic thread of society. In the novel, Hester Prynne personally transcends the judgments of society through her discoveries in nature, while she lives a simplistic life and becomes more self-reliant.

In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays a Puritan society plagued with guilt and corruption. Throughout the novel, characters are punished for their hypocrisy and Hawthorne shows the flaws in Puritan societies. Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Robert Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter become so consumed in their ambitions that they are unable to discern the hypocrisy of their beliefs, and as a result, Hawthorne critics and punishes these members of the Puritan society.

    Nathaniel Hawthorne was inspired by John Hathorne to create the novel The Scarlet Letter.  Throughout the novel, Hawthorne displayed some of the cruel punishments people in that society faced at the time, even though the crime was neither serious nor threatening to others.  In The Scarlet Letter,  the protagonist, Hester Prynne, is accused by Puritan minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, for commiting the sin of adultery.  In a Puritan society, adultery is an unacceptable action and should receive punishment.  In chapter two of the novel, a crowd of Puritan women wait outside the prison discussing Hester Prynne’s sin and expect the punishment to be quite grand.  The punishment Hester had to suffer was to wear a scarlet letter “A” and stand on the scaffold in front of an unsympathetic crowd.   While on the

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel about guilt and innocence in Boston, Massachusetts during the 1640s. Hester Prynne, the protagonist of the novel, is a beautiful married woman who has committed adultery and had a child while her husband was lost at sea. She is now forced to bear the scarlet letter on her chest to let the public know what sin she has committed. Roger Chillingworth is Hesters lost husband who has returned back from seas to learn that his wife has been unfaithful to him. He has devoted himself to finding who Hesters lover is and seek revenge on him, even if it wreaks him. Arthur Dimmesdale is the town’s reverend and Hesters secret lover. He is in continuous conflict against himself since he is supposed to be

Transcendentalist philosopher Emerson once noted that “the universe is composed of Nature and the soul” (qtd. in Perkins 591). The vitality of nature’s power is one of the fundamental pillars of Transcendentalism. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter mirrors this concept, nature playing a vital role in the story from cover to cover. From the influence of the nature (specifically the forest, flowers, and sunlight), on the plot, there is a common theme shown throughout the novel. Hawthorne implemented these elements in The Scarlet Letter to emphasize how nature is a ways of shining light on the truth.

Nathaniel Hawthorne is greatly influenced by both transcendentalism and puritan theology. Transcendentalists believe nature to be good, while puritans believe nature to be evil. Both theologies are easily discernible in probably his most famous work The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne is influenced by both theology but a claim made that he unquestionably belongs to one side cannot be adequately supported. Here, examples from The Scarlet Letter will be presented and explained as to how they reflect either transcendentalism or puritanism theology.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an examination of how Hester Prynne uses her misfortunes to transform a Puritan society. Punishments in a Puritan society are composed of embarrassing and ostracizing the offender. Residing in a Puritan community, both Hester and her illegitimate daughter are punished for an affair between Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale. However, as a result of her punishment, Hester is able to reveal the evils of the rule behind the Puritan society.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s use of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter conveys the theme that everyone has the potential to find purpose in life regardless of their place in society. This idea strongly opposes the ideas of a puritan society which consists of people who live based on their predetermined destination. Furthermore, saints, elected by God, have the power to tell others how to live. Thus, creating a community where church and the state have much power and influence over the townspeople. In Hawthorne’s novel, Hester Prynne, the protagonist, is condemned by the church and shunned by society for committing the crime of adultery.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the scarlet “A” is a predominant symbol throughout the novel . This iconic marker becomes the center of this transcendentalism piece. Although the physical characteristics change, the underlying implication remains constant. The different forms it acquires leads to the same interpretation of this shaming insigne.

The Puritan society was originally individuals who refused to conform to the religion of England. However, this society developed into one focused on community and conformity through public humiliation and determining what they are not. The Scarlet Letter, set in the Puritan society, explores if individualism is possible and beneficial in a society that is so focused on conformity. Hawthorne presents individualism as a positive and negative existence to develop the overall meaning that connection to society and what that society values affects the outcome of individualism. Hester starts the novel as a woman distanced from society through her sin and shame, and while she seems to come to terms with who she is and society seems to come to terms

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne explores the themes of right and wrong and who determines what actions are moral and immoral. The character Hester Prynne exemplifies how Puritan society views actions as being honorable or sinful; her act of adultery is deemed to be wrong but she eventually is recognized for more than her sin and transforms into a symbol of hope. Hester is self-sufficient and compassionate, which attributes to her being viewed as able towards the end of the novel. Hester proves to be self-sufficient in many ways.

The Puritan society tries to cover up Hester’s true personality by making her conform to their norms of religion and strict governing. Hester avoids the Puritans by moving from