D.H. Lawrence is an acclaimed literary critic of the early 1900’s. The reason he is a famous critic is because of how he creatively uses literary devices to make his critiques. One controversial essay he has written is The Scarlet Letter. In this essay, he chastises Hawthorne for portraying Hester as a heroine by creatively using the literary devices of choppy syntax, sarcastic tone, and biblical allusions. Lawrence uses choppy syntax to criticize Hawthorne for displaying Hester as a heroine. He quickly lists some of the flaws of Hester when he introduces her, and he says “the first thing she does is seduce him… the second thing they do is hug their sin in secret” (Lawrence). Lawrence lists her transgressions in a choppy and unconventional way because it directly states the reasons why Hester
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He refers to Hester as a female version of Adam by calling her “Adama” (Lawrence). Adam was the first to sin in the world, and this allusion to him is effective because it accentuates that Hester has also committed a prodigious sin. Lawrence is ultimately making the point that it is unfair that Hester is portrayed as a victim of society because she deserves the consequences of her immense sin. Lawrence also creatively states that when “Dimmesdale dies, [Hester] lives on and is Abel” (Lawrence). This is a sarcastic biblical allusion to the story of Cain and Abel in the Old Testament. Abel was innocent but brutally murdered by his brother Cain. Lawrence refers to Hester as Abel because he mocks Hawthorne for making her seem like a victim when she is actually the one that committed the sin. This comparison is effective because it demonstrates how claiming Hester is a heroine is the same as labeling Cain a hero for murdering his brother. Nobody would agree that murder is a benevolent act, and therefore most people would find Lawrence’s point extremely
He refers to Hester as a female version of Adam by calling her “Adama” (Lawrence). Adam was the first to sin in the world, and this allusion to him is effective because it accentuates that Hester has also committed a prodigious sin. Lawrence is ultimately making the point that it is unfair that Hester is portrayed as a victim of society because she deserves the consequences of her immense sin. Lawrence also creatively states that when “Dimmesdale dies, [Hester] lives on and is Abel” (Lawrence). This is a sarcastic biblical allusion to the story of Cain and Abel in the Old Testament. Abel was innocent but brutally murdered by his brother Cain. Lawrence refers to Hester as Abel because he mocks Hawthorne for making her seem like a victim when she is actually the one that committed the sin. This comparison is effective because it demonstrates how claiming Hester is a heroine is the same as labeling Cain a hero for murdering his brother. Nobody would agree that murder is a benevolent act, and therefore most people would find Lawrence’s point extremely