There are many dichotomies that are found throughout the novel‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Many of the characters in the story present strong dichotomies like Pearl‚ Roger‚ and Hester who show two totally different perspectives of themselves. A dichotomy is the division of something or someone into two parts; it can be good and be bad at the same time. For example spiders‚ no one likes spiders around their house‚ but they can be a use for trapping and killing unwanted flies around
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Scarlett Letter Criticism Nathanial Hawthorne envisioned The Scarlet Letter as a short story published in a collection‚ but it outgrew that purpose. Most critics accept Hawthorne’s definition of it as a “romance” rather than a novel. The novel begins with an introductory autobiographical essay‚ “The Custom House” where Hawthorne describes working as a custom officer in Salem‚ Massachusetts. He describes coming across documents that provide him with the basis for The Scarlett Letter. The introductory
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Massachusetts in 1804. The novelist ’s book‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ is supposedly his best work‚ and universally considered a literary classic. Concerned with sin and consequences of dealing with it‚ Hawthorne ’s work relates to his own personal sense of shame about his ancestor ’s persecuting roles in the 17th century Salem Witch Trials. By indirectly dealing with his sense of guilt through fictional circumstances‚ he shows his viewpoint as being highly critical of the Puritans while teaching a strong moral
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Hester’s Strengths as a Feminist Protagonist in The Scarlet Letter Feminism is the philosophy advocating equal political‚ economic‚ and social rights for women. The idea of feminism was not at all prevalent during the 1850s when Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter was published. In spite of this‚ Hawthorne wrote one of the most influential feminist novels of his time: The Scarlet Letter. This novel was hailed as an important feminist novel because of the main character: Hester Prynne. Hester
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Authors place great importance in the characters present in their novels‚ considering they are a critical element in literary works. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ Pearl plays a significant role in the novel. Pearl initially is not presented as a main character‚ but throughout the story she gains importance. Pearl serves to represent the letter “A” given to her mother to symbolize adultery. Frequently‚ she is displayed to symbolize familiar elements as nature‚ which is commonly praised
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Symbols of Guilt Within The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter‚ a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the 1800’s‚ transports readers to a Puritan town in the 1600’s. Hawthorne‚ nephew of the Puritan Judge John Hathorne‚ was very fixated on puritanism and theocracy. Throughout his novel Hawthorne repeatedly emphasizes the importance of the Christian religion in the theocratic town. Along with stressing the topic of religion Hawthorne also accentuates the theme of guilt within his novel and uses
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Hollywood scene and probably a rather erotic book. Add Puritan ideals and writing styles‚ making it long‚ drawn out‚ sleep inducing‚ tedious‚ dim-witted‚ and the end result is The Scarlet Letter. Despite all these unfavorable factors it is considered a classic and was a statement of the era (Letter 1).<br><br>The Scarlet Letter is pervaded with profound symbolism and revolves around the idea that hidden guilt causes more suffering than open guilt. This theme along with its symbolism is demonstrated through
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everywhere in everyday life. Beginning before even before 1640‚ people in the newly established colonies were forced to wear letters on their chests for all of the public to see. People who refused were actually whipped and beaten to coerce them into wearing their letters. One particular letter was the scarlet letter “A” which represented adultery. In the novel The Scarlet Letter‚ the leading woman‚ Hester Prynne‚ is forced to wear an “A” for her sin. Hawthorne uses Hester as an example to the rest of
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Hester’s Scarlet Letter In the novel‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ the protagonist‚ Hester Prynne‚ is forced to publically wear her sin on her sleeve. She committed adultery‚ which was a sin that was highly chastised by the Puritan society. The Scarlet Letter that Hester wore first symbolized the burden and humiliation that accompanied the sin. Throughout the novel however‚ the meaning of the letter changed to parallel Hester’s own development into a strong‚ independent woman. The letter starts out
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The effect of the symbol--or‚ rather‚ of the position in respect of society that was indicated by it-- on the mind of Hester Prynne herself‚ was powerful and peculiar. All the light and graceful foliage of her character had been withered up by this red-hot brand‚ and had long ago fallen away‚ leaving a bare and harsh outline‚ which might have been repulsive‚ had she possessed friends or companions to be repelled
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