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.
Human Hypocrisy : A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens, in his novel, A Tale Of Two Cities, vividly captures the lives of the people before and during French Revolution. Dickens uses this novel to illustrate the dark hypocrisies ever present in humans. The commoners, in trying to seek vengeance and justice, exhibit the same negative characteristics as the rich they damn. The mass executions of the aristocracy, the assassination of Marquis Evremonde, the justice system and Dickens’ final thoughts about the subject through the narrator, all contribute to this dark theme of escalating violence when following the path of vengeance. Dickens examines the irony and hypocrisy, in the French Revolution, through the cruel and violent mass execution of the aristocracy, carried out by the commoners, in retaliation to the cruel and violent capital punishments imposed by the aristocracy on them.
By presenting Claudius as the unfaithful serpent, it gives readers the connotation that he is evil, betraying and loathsome, correlating to the ghost’s and Hamlet’s feelings. Moreover, the serpent pattern of imagery is weaved in the ghost’s description of the poison- “swift as quicksilver it courses
However in order to evaluate whether it is an immoral story we must first consider whether it is consistent in this view that art need not have a purpose. The portrait itself acts as ‘the most magical of mirrors’, revealing to Dorian the destructive effects of immorality upon his soul. Furthermore the yellow book that Lord Henry gives to Dorian becomes a symbol of the consequences of immoral art; Dorian bases his life and actions around it and its influence leads to the corruption of his soul and ultimately his death. To critics this may well suggest the contrary of Wilde’s preface, the yellow book emphasises the powerful
During the time of Puritan society, they believed that if a person broke a law or committed something out of the aspects of Puritan life, they would be shunned from society. Today, people in America still shun others out of society just like the Puritans did. Hester Prynne, from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Robert Downey Jr., a famous actor, were publicly ridiculed for their actions, had their talents shunned, and in the end, redeemed themselves. First off, Hester and Robert were both publicly ridiculed for their actions. Because Hester committed adultery, “on the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne 35).
Source G suggests that the monasteries wrongly abused their influential power over the common folk, gaining money from the supposed religious relics they claimed to be in ownership of. Items such as ‘God’s coat, Our Lady’s smock’ and ‘part of God’s supper,’ this implies corruption because deception was being used against the ordinary worshippers. Source G also suggests that corruption was held amongst monks, telling us of their illegitimate children under their supposed life of celibacy and the holy fathers inability to life such a life ‘The Pope, considering this holy father’s weakness, has given him license to keep a whore.’ Source G is a report given by Richard Layton to Cromwell in 1535, providing Cromwell with ammunition for the Valor Ecclesiasticus. Source H is similar to Source G suggesting that there was corruption in the monasteries, stating that the monasteries live in ‘Manifest sin, vicious, carnal and abominable living.’ The source also states that such doing is on the increase ‘their vicious living shamelessly increases’ suggesting that the only way in order to stop such doings, was to dissolve the monasteries. Source H confirms the points made in Source G, suggesting corruption was at the heart of royal motives for dissolution.
Secondly, Chaucer depicts him as being a morally corrupt sexual fiend. The Summoner is lecherous as a sparrow which was associated with lecherousness at that time (Robinson 666). The Summoner's corruption is shown with the following lines: Ther nas quyk-silver, lytarge, ne brymstoon, Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon, Ne oynement, that wolde clense and byte, (631-633) Chaucer lists and describes that no medicines and not even strong acids like sulphur and borax could help his condition. Cooper explains that his resistance to these strong medicines and acids signifies corruption, that he is corrupt from within and that is why he looks that way (57). In addition, the Summoner loves "garleek, oynons, and eek lekes" (636).
A jealous motive that has turned into a strong desire to destroy Othello’s life is shown from the quote; “I hate the Moor; And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets 'Has done my office. I know not if't be true; Yet I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do as if for surety.” (1.3) This is because Iago had thought that Othello was committing adultery with his wife Emilia. I used this quote in the visual representation to show the steps of how jealousy progressed. Iago had induced his will to destroy Othello by his cunning motives. The quote was an explicit example of how jealousy drove Iago to commit his actions.
Both Iago and Bosola reject 'everything that has not a strong infusion of the most unpalatable ingredients, their minds digest only poisons'. How far do you agree with this assesment? Iago and Bosola are the malcontents of the two plays 'Othello' and 'Dutchess of Malfi', who were common among both theatre and real life in the Jacobean period. They were referred to as the angry young men dissatisfied with the world they live in, detached from an often corrupt society by their grievances. They are filled with melancholy, at the time believed to be caused by an excess of black bile in their bodies, which was one of the four humours, which were what influenced a person's temperament and health.
Lord Acton once said, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, it tells the story of noble, honorable, and ambitious man named Macbeth, who when giving power, lives out this quote. Through the greatness and power promised in the predictions of three witches, the destiny of the ambitious Macbeth turned into a nightmare. The result of the ambition leads to the deepest corruption. The expanding lust for power and the increased influence of others is all a result of ambition that leads to more corruption, as well as the guilt from the events taken place to fulfill this ambition caused him to loose his sanity, leading to greater corruption. When put into a position of such power and leadership, lust can easily consume even the wisest of men.