In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the letter “A” as a powerful symbol to identify the central character, Hester Prynne. It is also the title of the novel. Hester is obligated to wear the letter as a symbol of her adulterous affair with Dimmesdale, a minister of the church. They both reside in the puritan community and are compelled to practice the Puritan moral code which torments them daily.
Hester walks out of the prison door carrying baby Pearl towards the scaffold and “on the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” ( Hawthorne 1334). The letter regularly reminds Hester of her shameful act with Dimessdale. Hester is asked to expose the “scarlet letter in the market place” and she is humiliated by the crowd (Hawthorne 1335). Hester gains the sympathy of the reader. Hawthorne brands the letter A with adultery. In the Puritan society the penalty for breaking the law or adultery is “the punishment of death” (Hawthrone1332). The Puritans did not take their laws lightly.
Later in the novel, instead of the letter functioning as a stigma for Hester “it meant Able” …show more content…
Dimmesdale sees the meteors in the sky which “beheld of an immense letter, - the letter A, - marked out in lines of dull red” the author shows Dimmesdale “guilty imagination” (1390). Hawthorne is presenting Dimmesdale psychological state and hypocrisy. He needs to confess his sins and wear the same mark of shame as Hester. The reader can see the contrast in meaning of the letter in the sky because the puritan community saw “the letter A- which we interpret stands for Angel” but Dimmesdale disagree with their conclusion. The puritans believe that symbols confirm divine sentiments. For example they believe that if one dies it meant they will enter into
Hester walks out of the prison door carrying baby Pearl towards the scaffold and “on the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” ( Hawthorne 1334). The letter regularly reminds Hester of her shameful act with Dimessdale. Hester is asked to expose the “scarlet letter in the market place” and she is humiliated by the crowd (Hawthorne 1335). Hester gains the sympathy of the reader. Hawthorne brands the letter A with adultery. In the Puritan society the penalty for breaking the law or adultery is “the punishment of death” (Hawthrone1332). The Puritans did not take their laws lightly.
Later in the novel, instead of the letter functioning as a stigma for Hester “it meant Able” …show more content…
Dimmesdale sees the meteors in the sky which “beheld of an immense letter, - the letter A, - marked out in lines of dull red” the author shows Dimmesdale “guilty imagination” (1390). Hawthorne is presenting Dimmesdale psychological state and hypocrisy. He needs to confess his sins and wear the same mark of shame as Hester. The reader can see the contrast in meaning of the letter in the sky because the puritan community saw “the letter A- which we interpret stands for Angel” but Dimmesdale disagree with their conclusion. The puritans believe that symbols confirm divine sentiments. For example they believe that if one dies it meant they will enter into