Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper
Freedom within a Forest
Often in society people are placed under a microscope and criticized, punished, and despised for their individual choices and flaws. In Nathaniel Hawthorne?s, The Scarlet Letter, life is centered around a rigid Puritan society in which one is unable to divulge his or her innermost thoughts and secrets. Every human being needs the opportunity to express how he or she truly feels; otherwise the emotions are bottled up until they become so compacted they erupt. Unfortunately, Puritan society does not permit this kind of expression; thus characters must seek out alternate means to relieve their personal anguishes and desires. Luckily for Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, Pearl, and Roger Chillingworth, Hawthorne provides such a sanctuary in the form of the mysterious forest. The forest is used to provide a shelter for members of society in need of a refuge from daily life. The Scarlet Letter expresses how certain characters live and deal with choices they have made and the consequences following their actions. Of these characters, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and his accomplice in sin, Hester Prynne are doomed to wear their own marks of punishment for eternity. The Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne, ignoring their religious faith, fall blindly in to one night of temptation thus producing a daughter, and simultaneously concealing half of the child?s identity to protect her father?s respectable position and flawless reputation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Although when Roger Chillingworth appears back in Hester?s life on the day of her public humiliation punishment on the scaffold, she keeps his true identity a secret even though his ultimate goal is to destroy Dimmesdale once he finds out who he is. In the deep, dark portions of the forest, many of the pivotal characters bring forth hidden thoughts and emotions. The forest track leads away from the settlement out into the wilderness where all signs of civilization vanish. The forest is precisely the escape from strict mandates of law and religion, to where men, as well as women, can openly be themselves, acknowledge and confront issues that would not otherwise be discussed, and rationalize their deed of sin.
The forest itself is the very embodiment of freedom. No one watches in the woods to report misbehavior because it is here that people may do as they wish without answering for their actions. It is here in the forest that Hester feels most comfortable and is able to show a side of her that she keeps hidden in front of most people ever since she was excluded from their society. ?Her intellect and heart had their home, as it were, in desert places, where she roamed as freely as the wild Indian in his woods (196).? From one sinful night of passion, destiny is altered and reroute, thus complicating two lives, but at the same time intertwining them together. Obviously Hester and Dimmesdale can not be together under the circumstances of his position in the community and the sin that they committed and now are hiding. ?So speaking, she undid the clasp that fastened the scarlet letter, and, taking it from her bosom, threw it to a distance among the withered leaves (198).?
Although a simple feat, removing her clasp and letting her hair down, the real Hester whom has been hiding beneath a shield of shame emerges once more. Tearing off and throwing down the scarlet letter that jails her soul, Hester longs for the sorrowful emblem to wither and die such as the leaves that have exceeded their life and now rest in their grave underneath the feet of those who walk the forest floors. With the natural beauty that embalms her, she relives for a short time as she and Dimmesdale converse in the woods and for only a short while the two share a rare moment. Coming to life once more, Hester awakens, recalling the feelings and emotions of her past before her punishment went into effect. ?All at once, as with a sudden smile of heaven, forth burst the sunshine, pouring a very flood into the obscure forest, gladdening each green leaf, transmuting the yellow fallen ones to gold, and gleaming adown the gray trunks of the solemn trees (199).? The peaceful refuge conceals the ?star-crossed? lovers and for a time allows them to be together.
Puritan society is harsh and crippling to Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and their daughter Pearl. The forest was created to give them a place to escape this cruel community and express their true thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. It is here in the forest that Hester openly acknowledges Dimmesdale and her true love for him. ?With a sudden desperate tenderness, she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom; little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter (191).? Without being preoccupied with the constraints that Puritan society places on them, Hester is able to confess her feelings for Dimmesdale even though it is useless since nothing can come of it. The forest itself is free. To independent spirits like Hester Prynne?s, the wilderness beckons her and this is why she acts as she does in the secured woods. Truly, Hester takes advantage of her opportunity when Arthur Dimmesdale appears walking by. She openly talks with him about subjects that would never be mentioned in any place other than the forest and he responds because he realizes the power of being within the forest and knows that he can openly discuss what is on his mind with her here. ?I do forgive you, Hester,? replied the minister, at length, with a deep utterance out of an abyss of sadness, but no anger.? I freely forgive you now. May God forgive us both! (191).? The thought of Hester and Dimmesdale having an intimate conversation in the confines of the society in which they live is incomprehensible. Yet here in the forest, they can throw away all reluctance, and finally be themselves, under an umbrella of security. ?Give up this name of Arthur Dimmesdale and make thyself another, and a high one, such as thou canst wear without fear or shame (194).? In this Puritan society, self-reliance is heavily stressed among many other things. However, self-reliance is more than stressed, it is assumed. It is assumed that you need only yourself, and therefore should hold no emotional necessity for a “shoulder to cry on”. Such this may be the case, it is not the truth. Once again, for people in the stations of life which Hester and Dimmesdale hold, it is unthinkable for them to comfort each other. In the forest however, these cares are tossed away.
Forgetting their cares, Hester and Dimmesdale continue to speak freely and meet in the forest. However, the relationship that they form is questionable if seen by prying eyes of the Puritan community. ?Arthur Dimmesdale gazed into Hester?s face with a look in which hope and joy shone out, indeed, but with fear betwixt them and a kind of horror at her boldness, who had spoken what he vaguely hinted at, but dared not speak (195).? When Dimmesdale expresses to Hester that he can not flee from Chillingworth?s hand of revenge, Hester suggests that they go to Europe to get away from him and the harsh society that dictates to them, controlling every step they take. The openness and freedom that the forest represents is that over the strict, repressive element of Puritan civilization. It is here that Hester and Dimmesdale find each other once more and decide what shall become of each other. ?Never, never!? whispered she. ?What we did had a consecration of its own. We felt it so! We said so to each other! Hast thou forgotten it? (191).? In the eyes of Hester and Dimmesdale, their act was not immoral. They both agree that their act had a ?consecration of its own? and seemed to follow Nature?s law. Hester and Dimmesdale speak of this in the forest because it seems the only true place where passion and honesty reside. ?Thou shalt not go alone!? answered she, in a deep whisper. Then all was spoken (195).? It is only fitting therefor, that Hester and Arthur decide to leave this place and all the bad memories behind them by fleeing their religious persecution by going to Europe. It is only away from the colony and critical eyes that Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale may be a family and wipe away all of their hurtful memories.
With memories there comes feelings, which are triggered by emotions. There are no restraints in the natural world because it is just that, natural. No intrusion from people means no disturbance in the natural order. Hester and Dimmesdale may be of a faith that requires much out of them, but in the end they are just human. One of the greatest flaws in human beings are their emotions. Emotions allow them to feel mortal in a society where weakness is discouraged almost as much as sins themselves.
?Make way, good people, make way, in the King?s name!? cried he. ?Open a passage; and, I promise ye, Mistress Prynne shall be set where man, woman and child may have fair sight of her brave apparel, from this time till an hour past meridian. A blessing on the righteous Colony of the Massachusetts, where iniquity is dragged out into sunshine! Come along, Madam Hester, and show your scarlet letter in the market place!? (52)
Learning by example is the reoccurring theme in Hawthorne?s tale. It is the way of the land and Hester Prynne receives her lesson first hand. The order of displaying the stigma on her blouse is not the real issue at hand, for it is Pearl who is her walking, talking punishment. Hester was flawed, but with time she grew wiser and was able to take her mistakes and turn them around to use her knowledge to her advantage. ?Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers-stern and wild ones-and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss (196).? ?She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as vast, as intricate and shadowy, as the untamed forest, amid the gloom of which they were now holding a colloquy that was to decide their fate (196).? Hester is a leaf blowing in the breeze. She is an individual who thinks for herself and will not succumb to the demands of the smothering Puritan Colony. Truly a force to be reckoned with, Hester Prynne is a work of nature, not being totally traditional, but always working out in the best way. Michel Eyquem de Montaigne stated it most emphatically when he said, ?Let us permit nature to have her way: she understands her business better than we do.?
Другие работы по теме:
Scarlet Letter 2 Essay Research Paper Scarlet
Scarlet Letter 2 Essay, Research Paper Scarlet Letter – Punishment and Death Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter deals with many themes, among those including punishment and death. Utilizing the theme of punishment, the
The Scarlet Letter Review Essay Research Paper 2
The Scarlet Letter Review Essay, Research Paper Adultery, betrayal, promiscuity, subterfuge, and intrigue, all of which would make an excellent coming attraction at the box office and probably make a really good book. Add Puritan ideals and writing styles, making it long, drawn out, tedious, wearisome, sleep inducing, insipidly asinine, and the end result is The Scarlet Letter.
Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper The Letter
Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper The Letter A The novel The Scarlet Letter was set in the Massachusetts Bay colony in the 17th century. Hester Prynne, her illegitimate daughter Pearl, her ex-husband Roger, and the
The Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper
“The Scarlet Letter” was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1828. “The Scarlet Letter” portrayed the punishment suffered by two individuals who committed adultery in a Puritan society and their struggle to deal with their sins. Throughout the novel Hawthorne uses Pearl to serve as a constant reminder to Hester and Dimmesdale of their sin.
Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper I read
Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper I read The Scarlet Letter and I failed the Accelerated Reader test. It was worth __ points and the reading level was ___. In this story Hester was an adulteress and had to wear a scarlet letter because she wouldn?t admit to whom she had the affair with. Her daughter was Pearl and her father was Dimmesdale.
Scarlet Letter 2 Essay Research Paper Timelessness
Scarlet Letter 2 Essay, Research Paper Timelessness is what separates masterpieces from the rest of literature. Classics like The Scarlet Letter transcend time, and that’s why this book is as relevant in today’s society as it was in the mid-19th century. Today’s teenage parents are often faced with the same problems that plagued Hester and Dimmesdale.
Scarlet Letter Themes Essay Research Paper Nathaniel
Scarlet Letter Themes Essay, Research Paper Nathaniel Hawthorne was a truly outstanding author. His detailed descriptions and imagery will surely keep people interested in reading The Scarlet Letter for years to come. In writing this book he used themes evident throughout the entirety of the novel. These themes are illustrated in what happens to the characters and how they react.
Changing Views Of The Letter A Essay
, Research Paper The perception of Hester’s A has changed throughout the novel. In the beginning, the scarlet letter on her chest was a symbol of her sin. It was intended to be part of her punishment by providing her
Vision Of Utopia The Scarlet Letter Vs.
. Pleasentville Essay, Research Paper Visions Of Utopia: “The Scarlet Letter” vs. Pleasantville In both “The Scarlet Letter” and “Pleasantville,” there is an image of utopia, a perfect world that has been created and everyone that lives inside of it is happy with their lives and couldn’t wish for anything better.
The Scarlet Letter Colors Essay Research Paper
Essay: The Scarlet Letter-Colors Throughout the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrates the themes with various dramatic colors. Of the array are the colors green and gold, where green symbolizes different aspects of nature such as tranquility, security, and gloominess, whereas gold represents all that pertains to luxuriance, serenity and goodness.
Symbolisim The Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper
In the Scarlet Letter, the author uses many different types of symbols. The different settings of the story are ways in which he describes his environment and how it has treated him as a child. One symbol he uses a lot was the scarlet letter. The scarlet letter takes on different meanings as the course of the story progresses.
Scarlet LetterChillingworth Essay Research Paper The Scarlet
Scarlet Letter-Chillingworth Essay, Research Paper The Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne uses several dynamic characters to develop the plot of the novel. A dynamic character is a character that changes or evolves through the course of a story. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth were all dynamic characters.
The Scarlet Letter Puritans Vs Hester
Essay, Research Paper The Letter A is a mark of punishment and humiliation. However , Hester Prynne carries the symbol upon her with a very different out look than the puritans intended. Hester and the Puritans both have strong feelings for this Scarlet Letter but both will not come to terms and define a universal meaning for this strong symbol.
Tragic Hero Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper
A Tragic Hero A tragic hero displays many specific characteristics. Many of them are displayed by Arthur Dimmesdale in novel The Scarlet Letter. Arthur Dimmesdale is a tragic hero because he suffers beyond the depths of despair, and then comes to a moral resolution.
Lead By Example Essay Research Paper Lead
Lead By Example Essay, Research Paper Lead By ExampleEdmund Burke once wrote, “Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other.” This explains how The Scarlet Letter,The Scarlet Letter’s example will greatly benefit teenage parents to overcome their circumstances. Before one can learn how Hester Prynne overcame her problems in The Scarlet Letter, it is helpful to know what she went through.
Able Essay Research Paper Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet
Able Essay, Research Paper Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter is a book that I enjoyed. It taught me to fight for and accomplish what I believe in. The book is very relevant to today’s society. People tend not to do things that they want to do because of what people might say or do. This book teaches teenage parents to follow their own heart and feelings, just like Hester and Pimmisdale.
Hester Prynne In
‘the Scarlet Letter’ Essay, Research Paper In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne and her daughter Pearl are isolated from society; this is shown by where they live, the action from people toward
Scarlet Letter Who Should Punish A Sinner
? Religion, Society, Or Individuals Essay, Research Paper Scarlet Letter: Who Should Punish A Sinner? Religion, Society, or Individuals Who should punish a sinner? Should it be religion, society, or the
Th Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper The
Th Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the heroine is admired becuase of her strong will, and disregard for other’s views of her.
Scatlet Essay Research Paper The Scarlet Letter
Scatlet Essay, Research Paper The Scarlet Letter Argumentative Essay Nathaniel Hawthorne found a scarlet letter in an old custom house. This is where he came up with the idea for The Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter caused much greif for each of the three Characters: Hester Prynne, Author Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth.
Pearl As A Symbol Essay Research Paper
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s the Scarlet Letter, Pearl, is a symbol of sin and adultery in the sense that she leads Dimmsdale and Hester to their confession and the acceptance of their sins. A beauitful daughter of the towns adulturist has somtimes demon like traits. She is also the only living symblol of the scarlet letter “A”.
The Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper Throughout
The Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper Throughout The Scarlet Letter, the author Nathaniel Hawthorne uses many literal and figurative items to illustrate the significance of various characters or themes. Coupled with the tangible evidence given, the reader can make many miscellaneous assumptions of the importance of these items to directly and indirectly contribute to the issues of the novel.
Scarlett Letter Essay Research Paper In
Scarlett Letter Essay, Research Paper In “The Scarlet Letter” , Nathaniel Hawthorne presents this novel in a dramatic point of view, starting with the scene of the prison. Hester is displayed as an adulterous woman in a Puritan society, where sin is harshly accounted for. She is forced to wear her badge of shame throughout life along side her daughter Pearl, yet the irony of it all is that she becomes one of the most helpful, phenomenal, virtuous people in her society.
Scarletletter Symbolism Essay Research Paper The Scarlet
Scarletletter Symbolism Essay, Research Paper The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne uses many things for symbolism and in my opinion the most symbolic were the scaffold scenes. There are a total of three scaffold scenes and each has its own purpose and meaning. Without the scaffold scenes this book would basically leave you clueless to what was really going on because the scaffold scenes really tell you what is going on and why.
Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay Research
Paper The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is, on many levels, a struggle between good and evil. Each character falls on the spectrum of good and evi. Arthur Dimmesdale, an agent of God, is the town’s most respected reverend. He is a deeply moral man who regrets the sins he has committed. He practices self-mutilation to punish himself for an affair with a married woman, Hester Prynne.
Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper The Irony
Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper The Irony of the Letter ?A? In the book ?The Scarlet Letter? there is plenty of irony. Irony is real important in any book. It?s one of the main components which makes a book come to life. If there was not irony the complexity of a book would not be the same it would be very dull.
The Symbolism Of The Scarlet Letter
’s Pearl Essay, Research Paper The Scarlet Letter is a book of much symbolism. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic symbol – one that is always changing. In the following essay, I will explore some of the symbolism which Pearl came to represent throughout the novel.
Scarlet Letter 2
Scarlet Letter – Dimmesdale Analysis Essay, Research Paper The Scarlet Letter – Dimmesdale Analysis Character Analysis : Dimmesdale Dimmesdale is one of the most intriguing characters in The Scarlet Letter. I think this because he demonstrates in this story that he is a coward, and that he is strong, yet not courageous.
Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper Symbol of
Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper Symbol of Sin In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the scarlet letter symbolizes many things. The literal meaning of symbol, is something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. This paper will tell many of the ways in which this is true.
The Living Symbol Of The Scarlet Letter
Essay, Research Paper The Living Symbol of the Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter A, worn by Hester Prynne, was a punishment for the immoral sin of adultery she had committed. Hester was forced to wear the letter upon her bosom for the rest of her life. Following Hester’s act of adultery, she became pregnant with a baby girl whom she named Pearl. “Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world.
The Scarlet Letter 2 Essay Research
Paper Applying Universal Themes from the Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter involves quite a few themes that can be related to today including: playing the role of God, sin, and guilt. People continue to play the role of God throughout our society, just as thwey did in the 17th century in Bostin, Massachusetts.
Scarlet Letter Essay Research Paper Greg Cober102698English
Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper Greg Cober 10/26/98 English P. 4 Scarlet Letter In Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, life evolves around a rigid and harsh Puritan view. In this society people are not free to express themselves as well as they are today. This is very sad because it is a necessity for humans to be able to express their deepest thoughts and desires.
Comparison In Characters From
“The Crucible” And “The Scarlett Letter” Essay, Research Paper Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are many characters that are similar to the characters of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. They might not be similar physically or mentally, but they share the same attributes and feeling towards things that effect their reputations.