The scarlet letter is one of the main symbols Hawthorne uses in the novel. The scarlet letter is an A, which stands for “adultery.” Hester wears this letter on her breast as a reminder of her sin. The letter is mentioned numerous times throughout the novel because it is a constant reminder to all the characters of what Hester had done. Hester feels guilty while she wears the scarlet letter because she knows she committed an immoral sin, and the townspeople scorn her for it. Reverend Dimmesdale also wears in A on his chest, since he too was a part of this sin.
Prynne commits adultery in the novel, one of the most unforgivable sins. Not only is she a walking example of human's sinful nature, but she is forced to display her wrongdoing in the form of a brilliant scarlet letter "A" embroidered to her bosom. This scarlet letter embodies another antitranscendental qualitythe use of symbolism, as the scarlet letter contrasts so brightly against the blackandwhite Puritan society just as Prynne's sin stands out significantly against the bland, regulated Puritan lifestyle in which she lives. To emphasize the symbolism of the letter Hawthorne writes, "It was so fancy, that it has all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel she wore; ...but was greatly beyond what was allowed by the sumptuary regulations of this colony," (Hawthorne, 37). Hawthorne uses Prynne's scarlet letter as a huge piece of symbolism.
Without the strong emotions all humans feel, we would not be driven to sin. The Scarlet Letter is a tale of sin, human condition, and the nature of evil. Once again, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses this story to reveal the true hypocrisy of the Puritan lifestyle. In this book, sin seems to come natural to the people in the Puritan Settlement of seventeenth century Boston. Hester Prynne, the main character of the book, was a constant example of sin and human passion.
“Wherefore not; since all the powers of nature call so earnestly for the confession of sin, that these black weeds have sprung up out of a buried heart, to make manifest an unspoken crime?” This quote from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, represents the truth upheld by a person, and how it carries with them through eternity. Hawthorne captures the truth of reality and sin in The Scarlet Letter. By using many literary devices, he reveals the truth of the Scarlet Letter and the characters in his novel. Being a novel during the romantic period, Hawthorne makes many symbolic and archetypical references to the power of nature, and the supernatural. Hawthorne uses these archetypes and symbols in addition to light motifs to demonstrate
Within the source it is stated how More was often “taunting and mocking” people. This suggests More was cruel towards others and those below him in both rank and society. However, this evidence could be seen as an attack on More by his enemies. This is because the torture acts mentioned in Source N were taken from John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. This book documented the acts of torture and violence against protestants, and would therefor be highly critical of those in high positions, such as More.
'Humiliation. In The Scarlett Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne adeptly employs rhetorical devices such as allusion, syntax, metaphor, irony and imagery. He dares to probe the deleterious nature of revenge and the duplicity of character in the Puritan society circa the late 1600’s. The Biblical allusions found in the Scarlet Letter are so great in number to the point of being obvious. First, Hester and Dimmesdale are comparative to Adam and Eve; after committing the infraction, she is cast out of the Puritan community and both are forced to live under the stress of their guilt and work to ease their consciences (Faira 1).
In Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the Puritanical code of justice circulates pain as a ‘machine of punishment, cursing those who break the law as well as those who uphold it; Hawthorne characterizes this in the conflict between the so-called law upholders and the ‘sinners’. In the book, the first to experience the pain of the code of justice is Hester; her sin against the code dooms her to be judged by her peers by her scarlet letter:” Throughout them all ,giving up her individuality ,she would become the general symbol at which the preacher and moralist might point, and in which they might vivify and embody their images of woman’s fragility and sinful passion.”(73)Hester’s sin ultimately condemns her to live a life as
The Scarlet Letter In a time where evil was believed to lurk amongst the puritan colonies, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Author of “The Scarlet Letter” discusses religious mind sets and prosecutions of the convicted sinners. The depth and complexities discussed in this historical fiction fulfills William Faulkner’s definition of a writer’s purpose. The writer has a responsibility which through Hester he shows the intensity of her experiences that she endeavored. William Faulkner delivered a classic speech upon receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature. Faulkner’s perspective on a writer’s responsibility should portray “love and honor and pity and pride and sacrifice”.
In the Crucible, Parris tells Tituba she must confess: “You will confess or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba!” (1233). Across the world people are forced to falsely confess religious beliefs or followings, otherwise they face death or brutal punishment. However, many times if they do confess, they still are punished. When Hale first arrives
Hawthorne’s Critical Assessment Nathaniel Hawthorne takes a critically offensive view against early Puritanism. In this passage from The Scarlet Letter, the narrator describes the area surrounding the prison as well as the harsh and severe society, particularly the women of the town, that gathers and await the punishment of a criminal. Utilizing selective detail and denigrative language, the narrator noticeably exemplifies his scornful and condemning tone. He further interfuses his own negative attitude toward the Puritans while describing their appearance, persona, and demeanor. To successfully present his opinion and comments into the novel, the narrator uses carefully planned diction to sway the readers’ judgment of the Puritans.