Good Vs Evil In The Scarlet Letter Essay
The Scarlet Letter
Before the American Revolution, most of the northern colonies were Puritan societies. Puritanism was a more strict and harsh form of Judaism. Nathaniel Hawthorne was the nephew of John Hathorne, who was a judge during the Salem Witch Trials. Hawthorne’s famous book, The Scarlet Letter, was based on a Puritan society in the 1600’s. It is about a woman named Hester Prynne who committed adultery with the town’s priest, Arthur Dimmesdale, resulting in the birth of their child, Pearl. In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the wild rose bush in front of the prison, Hester’s cabin, on the edge of town, and the sunlight shining through the forest to the overall theme of Good vs. Evil.
First, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the wild …show more content…
rose bush to contribute to the theme of Good vs. Evil. The rose bush sits in front of the prison and has possibly been there since the beginning of the Puritan society. Hawthorne explains, “The delicate gems...offer their fragrance and fragile beauty...to the condemned criminal...in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him”(Hawthorne 46). This quote shows that the wild rose bush represents that there is good and evil in all of man. As criminals are brought in or out of the prison, they can look at the bush as, possibly, the kindness that they will ever receive again. As the book continues, Hester Prynne, a married woman who committed adultery with a different man, is brought out of the prison and walks by the wild rose bush on her way to the scaffold. Hawthorne exclaims, “It had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Anne Hutchinson, as she entered the prison”(Hawthorne 46). This quote shows that good can sometimes come out of the worst people. The townspeople believed that the rose bush grew from the footsteps of Anne Hutchinson, who preached Antinomianism, which was a doctrine that claimed that man’s soul could not be saved his good deeds, but required God’s grace. The rose bush reminds the townspeople that something good can come from the evilest of man.
Second, Hawthorne uses Hester’s cabin to contribute to the theme of Good vs. Evil. Hester’s cabin is on the edge of town, but also on the edge of the dark forest. Hawthorne claims, “...There is a fatality, a feeling so irresistible and inevitable that it has the force of Doom”(Hawthorne 73). The quote shows that Hester’s cabin reminds Hester of the crime that she committed with the priest, Dimmesdale. As time went on, Hester comes to her cabin and has an epiphany. Hawthorne writes, “...Work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saint-like, because the result of martyrdom”(Hawthorne 74). This quote shows that Hester’s cabin represents that Hester wants to change how she is. Hester committed adultery with the priest, Dimmesdale, but she wants to change and become a better, more respected person in her town. Hester’s cabin represents that the personality of Hester Prynne.
Third, Hawthorne uses the sunlight shining through the dark forest to contribute to the theme of Good vs.
Evil. When Hester and her daughter, Pearl go on a walk through the forest, Pearl tells Hester that she wants to catch the sunlight before it disappears. Pearl tell her mother,”Mother, the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom…”(Hawthorne 165). This quote show that the sunlight is symbolized as God’s grace, and will only accept the good-hearted and pure people. Hester wants to catch the sunlight too, but as she reaches out for it, the sunlight disappears. As the book continues, Pearl runs off to play in the sunlight and Hester waits for Dimmesdale to walk through the forest. Hawthorne notes, “Here it was woefully visible, in the intense seclusion of the forest, which, of itself, would have been a heavy trial to the spirits”(Hawthorne 170). This quote shows that the forest is symbolized as being evil and where sinners and the impure come to sell their souls to the Black Man, who is also known as the Devil or Satan. The sunlight shining through the dark forest represents that the goodness can overcome the evilness in
people.
The symbolism of the wild rosebush represents that there is good in everyone, including the ones who sin. The symbolism of Hester’s cabin represents that anyone can change who they are to be better. The symbolism of the sunlight shining through the dark forest represents that the good in people can overcome the evil in them. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the wild rosebush, Hester’s cabin, and the sunlight that shines through the dark forest contribute to the overall theme of Good vs. Evil.
Before the American Revolution, most of the northern colonies were Puritan societies. Puritanism was a more strict and harsh form of Judaism. Nathaniel Hawthorne was the nephew of John Hathorne, who was a judge during the Salem Witch Trials. Hawthorne’s famous book, The Scarlet Letter, was based on a Puritan society in the 1600’s. It is about a woman named Hester Prynne who committed adultery with the town’s priest, Arthur Dimmesdale, resulting in the birth of their child, Pearl. In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the wild rose bush in front of the prison, Hester’s cabin, on the edge of town, and the sunlight shining through the forest to the overall theme of Good vs. Evil.
First, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the wild …show more content…
rose bush to contribute to the theme of Good vs. Evil. The rose bush sits in front of the prison and has possibly been there since the beginning of the Puritan society. Hawthorne explains, “The delicate gems...offer their fragrance and fragile beauty...to the condemned criminal...in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him”(Hawthorne 46). This quote shows that the wild rose bush represents that there is good and evil in all of man. As criminals are brought in or out of the prison, they can look at the bush as, possibly, the kindness that they will ever receive again. As the book continues, Hester Prynne, a married woman who committed adultery with a different man, is brought out of the prison and walks by the wild rose bush on her way to the scaffold. Hawthorne exclaims, “It had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Anne Hutchinson, as she entered the prison”(Hawthorne 46). This quote shows that good can sometimes come out of the worst people. The townspeople believed that the rose bush grew from the footsteps of Anne Hutchinson, who preached Antinomianism, which was a doctrine that claimed that man’s soul could not be saved his good deeds, but required God’s grace. The rose bush reminds the townspeople that something good can come from the evilest of man.
Second, Hawthorne uses Hester’s cabin to contribute to the theme of Good vs. Evil. Hester’s cabin is on the edge of town, but also on the edge of the dark forest. Hawthorne claims, “...There is a fatality, a feeling so irresistible and inevitable that it has the force of Doom”(Hawthorne 73). The quote shows that Hester’s cabin reminds Hester of the crime that she committed with the priest, Dimmesdale. As time went on, Hester comes to her cabin and has an epiphany. Hawthorne writes, “...Work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saint-like, because the result of martyrdom”(Hawthorne 74). This quote shows that Hester’s cabin represents that Hester wants to change how she is. Hester committed adultery with the priest, Dimmesdale, but she wants to change and become a better, more respected person in her town. Hester’s cabin represents that the personality of Hester Prynne.
Third, Hawthorne uses the sunlight shining through the dark forest to contribute to the theme of Good vs.
Evil. When Hester and her daughter, Pearl go on a walk through the forest, Pearl tells Hester that she wants to catch the sunlight before it disappears. Pearl tell her mother,”Mother, the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom…”(Hawthorne 165). This quote show that the sunlight is symbolized as God’s grace, and will only accept the good-hearted and pure people. Hester wants to catch the sunlight too, but as she reaches out for it, the sunlight disappears. As the book continues, Pearl runs off to play in the sunlight and Hester waits for Dimmesdale to walk through the forest. Hawthorne notes, “Here it was woefully visible, in the intense seclusion of the forest, which, of itself, would have been a heavy trial to the spirits”(Hawthorne 170). This quote shows that the forest is symbolized as being evil and where sinners and the impure come to sell their souls to the Black Man, who is also known as the Devil or Satan. The sunlight shining through the dark forest represents that the goodness can overcome the evilness in
people.
The symbolism of the wild rosebush represents that there is good in everyone, including the ones who sin. The symbolism of Hester’s cabin represents that anyone can change who they are to be better. The symbolism of the sunlight shining through the dark forest represents that the good in people can overcome the evil in them. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the wild rosebush, Hester’s cabin, and the sunlight that shines through the dark forest contribute to the overall theme of Good vs. Evil.