Nathaniel Hawthorne's Romance The Scarlet Letter Essay
Volume 5, No. 2-3 32
Pearl in Hawthorne’s Romance The Scarlet Letter
Dan QIN
Ph.D. candidate, School of Foreign Languages in Hunan Normal University Email: qindan728@gmail.com
Abstract:
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne portrays one of the most enigmatic child figures in American literature. Although she is an illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, Pearl plays an important role more as a dynamic force of moral guardian than a static symbol of sin in the plot. The purpose of this article is to present the aspects of Pearl‘s preternatural character, the functions that she performs in the plot, and the reasons why Pearl could achieve these in Hawthorne‘s romance.
Key Words: Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, Pearl, …show more content…
She told him through her action that his acquiescence to Hester‘s will to escape was a false answer to his problem and is distasteful to her. He would be involved in a continuation of his concealment of sin. According to the author, the minister was in a ―maze‖ when he left the forest, perhaps because of the conflict between his desire to escape with Hester and his sensing the truth which the spirit child had been trying for seven years to reveal to him and which he apparently understood at least in part during this scene. This chapter develops the motivation generated in the forest scene for the minister‘s confession in the final chapter. The final scene is at the pillory on the Election Sermon Day. After he had delivered his sermon, he left with the procession for the town hall. Passing the scaffold by which Hester was standing, he turned toward the pillory and bade both Hester and Pearl to ascend it with him. Pearl ―with bird-like motion … flew to him, and clasped her arms about his knees‖ (TSL 335). The minister, ―leaning on Hester‘s shoulder‖ and clasping the hand of Pearl, ascended the scaffold. The people were ―appalled… as knowing that some deep life-matter… was full of anguish and repentance‖ (TSL 337). The minister stood on the scaffold ―to put in his plea of guilty at the bar of Eternal Justice‖ (TSL 337). Then here came his final confession and his completion of the several steps for man‘s transformation. His last spoken words about God show that the change in him was one of spiritual regeneration, not one of sinful capitulation. He said, ―God knows; and He is merciful… Praised be his name! His will be done!‖ (TSL 339) At this death scene, the minister requested Pearl to kiss him, the sign of reconciliation that she had refused him in the forest. She ―kissed his lips‖ (TSL 339), as she had kissed the lips of her mother when she had restored the scarlet letter to her bosom in the forest. As a human child her ―tears fell upon her father‘s
Pearl in Hawthorne’s Romance The Scarlet Letter
Dan QIN
Ph.D. candidate, School of Foreign Languages in Hunan Normal University Email: qindan728@gmail.com
Abstract:
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne portrays one of the most enigmatic child figures in American literature. Although she is an illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, Pearl plays an important role more as a dynamic force of moral guardian than a static symbol of sin in the plot. The purpose of this article is to present the aspects of Pearl‘s preternatural character, the functions that she performs in the plot, and the reasons why Pearl could achieve these in Hawthorne‘s romance.
Key Words: Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, Pearl, …show more content…
She told him through her action that his acquiescence to Hester‘s will to escape was a false answer to his problem and is distasteful to her. He would be involved in a continuation of his concealment of sin. According to the author, the minister was in a ―maze‖ when he left the forest, perhaps because of the conflict between his desire to escape with Hester and his sensing the truth which the spirit child had been trying for seven years to reveal to him and which he apparently understood at least in part during this scene. This chapter develops the motivation generated in the forest scene for the minister‘s confession in the final chapter. The final scene is at the pillory on the Election Sermon Day. After he had delivered his sermon, he left with the procession for the town hall. Passing the scaffold by which Hester was standing, he turned toward the pillory and bade both Hester and Pearl to ascend it with him. Pearl ―with bird-like motion … flew to him, and clasped her arms about his knees‖ (TSL 335). The minister, ―leaning on Hester‘s shoulder‖ and clasping the hand of Pearl, ascended the scaffold. The people were ―appalled… as knowing that some deep life-matter… was full of anguish and repentance‖ (TSL 337). The minister stood on the scaffold ―to put in his plea of guilty at the bar of Eternal Justice‖ (TSL 337). Then here came his final confession and his completion of the several steps for man‘s transformation. His last spoken words about God show that the change in him was one of spiritual regeneration, not one of sinful capitulation. He said, ―God knows; and He is merciful… Praised be his name! His will be done!‖ (TSL 339) At this death scene, the minister requested Pearl to kiss him, the sign of reconciliation that she had refused him in the forest. She ―kissed his lips‖ (TSL 339), as she had kissed the lips of her mother when she had restored the scarlet letter to her bosom in the forest. As a human child her ―tears fell upon her father‘s