The scarlet letter was the greatest writing of American Literature of his time and even to this day. His beliefs in this book are based on the ideas of the Romantics. The story of Hester Prynne and her journey, talks about her going against the nature of society and clearly stating that emotion is superior to reason. It is apparent in the novel Hawthorne believed emotion was superior to law, and humans are intrinsically good. The following quotes pulled out of the book, as well as the literary criticisms, all give examples as to why Hawthorne was believed to be a Romantic. [He] experienced a sensation not altogether physical, yet almost so, as of burning heat; and as if the letter was not of red cloth, but of red-hot iron. ” Such a description suggests a branding iron, a clear symbol of ownership and power. That literary criticism represents Hester wearing the scarlet colored A on her breast for everyone in town to see. Even with the whole town against her thinking she had done wrong, she knows in her heart what she did was for a good reason and she had a right to do it.
The red A showed so much passion to Hester as well as Hawthorne that he didn’t believe it was just cloth on her chest but it was more than cloth, it was a way of living now. Throughout the criticism and ridicule dealt with she kept her head held high and not letting the society corrupt her mind and go with her heart instead. Hawthorne believed the A didn’t mean sin like the fellow townspeople thought; he interpreted it as a sign of passion with her heart to be doing what she was doing. Hester showed passion in her soul by not letting the other people get to her emotionally.
The Term Paper on The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne Hester Dimmesdale
Zapata 1 History and Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne envisioned The Scarlet Letter as a short story to be published in a collection, but it outgrew that purpose. Most critics accept Hawthorne's definition of it as a romance rather than as a novel. It usually appears with an introductory autobiographical essay, "The Custom House", in which Hawthorne describes working in his ...
It was physically and emotionally difficult to deal with over the years, but by her taking orders by the people and not giving in showed she still had compassion for others. “So, to their own unutterable torment, they go about among their fellow-creatures looking pure as new-fallen snow’ while their hearts are all speckled and spotted with iniquity of which they cannot rid themselves” (Hawthorne 118).
Although Chillingworth and Dimmesdale walked around as if nothing had happened, everyone had a secret to hide.
Hester pleaded Dimmesdale to tell the truth about their affair to the town but he always refused to at that moment. She didn’t have to confess about her affair because she had Pearl, so Arthur Chillingworth already knew what had happened but not by who. That was a secret everyone didn’t know. Overall, Hester seemed perfect with her A but on the inside she was broken down and torn on what to do. “But, through the remainder of Hester’s life, there were indications that the recluse of the scarlet letter was the object of love and interest with some inhabitant of another land” (Hawthorne 238).
Through different events that have happened in her past, she believes the scarlet letter represents passion of love, to get the courage to accept what she did proves that she did what she felt was the right thing to do. Romantics do believe to listen to your heart over your mind; this is exactly what Hawthorne was trying to get across to his readers. Just because the whole town believed what she had done was wrong, she thought the opposite being a romantic herself, living in a town full of puritans made her not want to conform to their beliefs. A man ate of the tree of knowledge, and became ashamed of himself. ”
This is the opposite of what Hester believed. She believed that she as well as Dimmesdale dipped into something they probably shouldn’t have such as getting tied up in an affair. Even though she had no feelings toward her husband Chillingworth, everyone still believed it was a wrong doing on her part. She had a child in return of her feelings now cause of this mistake Dimmesdale tried to keep things a secret, but technically he didn’t say he was ashamed of what had happened, just of the after affects. His reputation and position at stake, he must once again turn his rhetorical skills to account, and for him the only plea he must now make is equally as momentous and dangerous as that he had made earlier on the scaffold. ” Freedom is superior to law; in this case Dimmesdale’s reputation was on the line if he let the truth out about him and Hester. Since everyone found out the truth eventually what he should have done is let the truth out earlier so no one would have gotten as hurt as they all did.
The Term Paper on Dimmesdale neve Loved Hester
One-Sided Story By David G Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, is a brilliant story about truth and love. He wrote The Scarlet Letter during a time in the 19th century when romantic literature was popular in America. His tale dwells on the sin of adultery in a Puritan village. The first character that Hawthorne puts to life is Hester Prynne, a young bride awaiting her husband. Next, Hawthorne ...
Dimmesdale knew there was going to be a consequence down the road for his actions but what he did, was through his heart. His mind and reason wasn’t telling him to stay with the norm but to actually find love and carry it out with true happiness. Between the town, saving himself and saving his loved ones he kept everything a secret for too long he hurt the people who meant the most to him. That usually happens with most people, we hurt others who mean the most to them, its human nature weather we realize it or not. Let men tremble to win the hand of woman, unless they win along with it the utmost passion of her heart! ’ (Hawthorne 159).
Letting men struggle for a woman’s hand isn’t a bad thing. Hester Prynne is very angry with Roger Chillingworth with him putting her in this situation. Two years she was left alone cold needing some company and what happens? She falls in love with the town’s minister, and he falls in love with her. It certainly wasn’t intentional for her to have an affair but love makes people do some crazy things, and is very unpredictable.
It is naturally good for people to work for what they want such as a relationship, but it is always helpful if you captured their heart, trust, and emotions along with their love. Hester’s journey for years dealt with passion for what she wanted in her life. Its believed that she should have been buried with Dimmesdale because they fell in love and were meant to be together even after their life ended. What Hester did was not a sin, because Hawthorne believed that emotion is superior to law meaning to go with the heart over the mine.
The Essay on People Like That Are the Only People Here: Canonical Babblings in Peed Onk
Although everyone has different experiences and no one life is the same, we all live with a certain unspoken right to have a full and normal life. We see harmful and hurtful and even unimaginable things happening around us and we feel bad, but in the back of our minds we know that our own life doesn’t have a place or allow for these experiences to happen to us personally. If by chance something of ...
