The Scarlet Letter

In Nathaniel Hawthorne 's acclaimed novel The Scarlet Letter, one of the most fought over quotes in the novel is, “The scarlet letter had not done its office” (150). Although this may appear that quote is decisive in its meaning, it is intrinsic to Hawthorne 's style to provide evidence for and against any literary argument. In light of this, I believe Hawthorne is telling the truth in this statement. The office, or purpose of the scarlet letter is to punish Hester for being an adulteress by…

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne proves human isolation from society creates a sense of hopelessness but also allows for self-realization. Hester Prynne's isolation from society is forced upon her because she committed adultery, an act the society around her perceives as sinful due to their Puritan nature. The community branded Hester with a scarlet letter which is meant to act as a“badge of shame,” setting her apart from the rest of the people in the society (89). The scarlet letter…

That is what happened to Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. She committed adultery, a major sin amongst her community, and was punished for it. However, Hester’s sin of adultery is dealt with abnormally in terms of today’s society with the harsh punishment, the way society rejects her, and how her sin is reflected upon not only herself but her family. As punishment Hester was forced to wear a scarlet “A” on her chest, that stood for adultery, for the rest of her life.…

Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Reverend Dimmesdale is a living example of just that. Throughout Ernest W. Baughman’s article, Public Confession and The Scarlet Letter, his audience receives another view of the characters and the novel itself. Analyzing Baughman’s article forces readers to question the climax of the novel, revisit the characterization of Reverend Wilson, and judge the actions of Reverend Dimmesdale, therefore, creating a deeper interpretation of The Scarlet Letter. There is…

Throughout the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne explores themes of conformity through Hester Prynne´s various relationships. Hawthorne illustrates three relationships in which Hester can frequently be seen both conforming to and rejecting societal expectations regarding how a woman should act, and for different purposes. As is demonstrated throughout the novel, Hester will -by nature- resist norms and expectations, but can be seen conforming when doing so will ultimately benefit her. Hester…

The Scarlet Letter, a book written by the nephew of Hathorne, who goes by the name of Hawthorne is about a woman who committed adultery, but also has a main point of good vs.evil. Written in the 1800’s by a puritan author and taking place in the New World during the 1600’s. The Scarlet Letter is mainly about a town that revolves around punishment and a woman that who sinned. But it all symbolizes good and evil. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the Wild…

Pearl, in the literal meaning, often represents pure and flawless. Created as a character in the book Scarlet letter by Hawthorne, as a Romantic, he sees the darkness side of the Puritans. Pearl’s interactions with different elements in the book resembles deep meanings. In the Scarlet letter, Hawthorne uses Pearl as a symbol to demonstrate the corruptness of Puritan beliefs and to express the Romantic’s perspective through her actions and verbal. Pearl’s relationship is built on Hester’s rough…

been no shortage of hypocrisy throughout history; and all the same for literature. The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is rich with characters harboring this undesirable trait. Characters such as Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale are motivated to act hypocritically by vengeance, fear, penitence, and even hypocrisy itself. Hester Prynne’s estranged husband, known in The Scarlet Letter as Roger Chillingworth, acts hypocritically on behalf of vengeance. After arriving in…

The Scarlet Letter introduces perplexing characters who continuously keep the reader guessing, usually about their next move. These characters include Pearl, Hester’s daughter, Mistress Hibbins and Hester Prynne. During the book, these main characters bring their own recurring sequence to the novel. The characters and their actions creates a symbolic link to the main plot of the novel. Pearl is the second main character to our story. She is the “mistake” that Hester must have for the…

The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel detailing the events of Hester Prynne. Hester distributes qualities among that of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, when they ate the forbidden fruit. Hester was shunned from a Puritan town in Boston. Adultery was her cause of being shunned. The town punished her by causing her to have a red A on her breast, to show she was not faithful. She was punished, just as Adam and Eve were.…