Scarlet Letter: a story of sin, shame, and eventual vindication. This narrative, taking place in a conservative and rigid Puritan Society, shows various characters handle guilt, vengeance, and alienation, with the strange and eerie image of a scarlet letter. As the novel progresses, the Scarlet letter, in all of its embodiments, becomes a burning symbol of the guilt of the protagonist. The humiliation and shame brought by it become a part of Hester Prynne’s punishment and repentance; because of the intensity and publicity of her atonement, Hester is able to live with her sin modestly and self-effacingly. It is Arthur Dimmesdale, whose guilt is unknown to the public, who truly suffers from his sin. He is idolized by the public as he silently
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His syntax is highly complicated, as seen in such instances as “It was his custom, too, as it had been that of many other pious Puritans, to fast- not however, like them in order to purify the body...but rigorously and until his knees trembled beneath him…” (217). Similarly, Hawthorne’s diction is formal and objective, such as “...the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale had achieved a brilliant popularity in sacred office… in great part, by his sorrows.” (212). However, it tends to become darker when in reference to sin and guilt, primarily that of Dimmesdale. For example, he uses phrases such as “diabolical shapes, that grinned and mocked at the pale minister…” (218) and “...as if a company of devils, detecting so much misery and terror in it, had made a plaything of [his shriek]...” (223). By using such solemn language in his word choice and sentence structure in reference to Dimmesdale and his guilt, Hawthorne’s foreboding and pessimistic tone seems to convey an air of both detachment from the actions of the narrative, yet disapproval and judgement toward …show more content…
One recurring symbol throughout the novel is the reference to concealment of sin in the heart, such as when Dimmesdale says “...though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so than to hide a guilty heart…” (102) and “Why would a wretched man...prefer to keep the dead corpse buried in his own heart, rather than...let the universe take care of it!” (198). Not only do these lines show Dimmesdale’s shame and desire to confess and alleviate himself from this internal torment, but the constant use of this particular symbol suggests that sin- and lack of repentance- causes harm beyond relief. Another symbol constantly used throughout the novel is that of the scarlet letter. While Dimmesdale does not publicly wear a scarlet letter like Hester does, there are references that he does have one his chest, as this lines suggests: “...as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast.” (223). To perhaps a more intense degree, after standing on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl in the dead of night, a meteor appears in the sky, described by Dimmesdale as “...the letter A...marked in dull red light...with no such shape as his guilty imagination gave it...” (234). Whether or not these images were truly present or merely a result of a guilty
His syntax is highly complicated, as seen in such instances as “It was his custom, too, as it had been that of many other pious Puritans, to fast- not however, like them in order to purify the body...but rigorously and until his knees trembled beneath him…” (217). Similarly, Hawthorne’s diction is formal and objective, such as “...the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale had achieved a brilliant popularity in sacred office… in great part, by his sorrows.” (212). However, it tends to become darker when in reference to sin and guilt, primarily that of Dimmesdale. For example, he uses phrases such as “diabolical shapes, that grinned and mocked at the pale minister…” (218) and “...as if a company of devils, detecting so much misery and terror in it, had made a plaything of [his shriek]...” (223). By using such solemn language in his word choice and sentence structure in reference to Dimmesdale and his guilt, Hawthorne’s foreboding and pessimistic tone seems to convey an air of both detachment from the actions of the narrative, yet disapproval and judgement toward …show more content…
One recurring symbol throughout the novel is the reference to concealment of sin in the heart, such as when Dimmesdale says “...though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so than to hide a guilty heart…” (102) and “Why would a wretched man...prefer to keep the dead corpse buried in his own heart, rather than...let the universe take care of it!” (198). Not only do these lines show Dimmesdale’s shame and desire to confess and alleviate himself from this internal torment, but the constant use of this particular symbol suggests that sin- and lack of repentance- causes harm beyond relief. Another symbol constantly used throughout the novel is that of the scarlet letter. While Dimmesdale does not publicly wear a scarlet letter like Hester does, there are references that he does have one his chest, as this lines suggests: “...as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast.” (223). To perhaps a more intense degree, after standing on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl in the dead of night, a meteor appears in the sky, described by Dimmesdale as “...the letter A...marked in dull red light...with no such shape as his guilty imagination gave it...” (234). Whether or not these images were truly present or merely a result of a guilty