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ABriefAnalysisoftheImageofHesterintheScarletLetterAThesisSubmittedToForeignLanguageDepartmentOfCollegeofInformation&Business,ZhongyuanUniversityofTechnologyInPartialFulfillmentoftheRequirementsFortheDegreeofBachelorofArtsByStudentIDNumber:Supervisor：May29th,2011I论文摘要霍桑的《红字》，是美国19世纪文学史上的经典作品，这篇著作反映了清教思想对人生活思想的影响。本篇著作的背景发生在波士顿一个小镇上，介绍了这个地区的人是如何被清教所影响的，其中女主角海斯特·白兰和镇上受人尊敬的牧师丁梅斯代尔通奸并生下女儿珠儿，作为惩罚，她被戴上红字“A”——“Adultery”的象征。本文通过分析海斯特的性格，也展现了清教法规苛刻无情的刑罚，在清教社会，不管谁犯罪都要接受惩罚。本文还涉及到霍桑的清教观，他对清教价值观和思想的肯定以及对其消极方面对人民思想控制的批评，这也决定海斯特最后的命运是在经过艰苦工作、自我提升后得到救赎。霍桑通过塑造海斯特这个形象向读者展示了他的清教观，以及清教思想对他的影响。海斯特最初是勇敢坚强的，最终却在清教社会的压迫下，承认了自己的罪过并通过赎罪得到了社会的认可。通过红字“A”象征意义的变化反映了海斯特的形象变化。关键字：清教影响;海斯特性格;原罪；救赎IIAbstractTheScarletLetter,NathanielHawthorne’srepresentativework,isaclassicalnovelinAmericanliteratureinthe19thcentury.ThenoveldisplaysPuritanism’sgreatimpactonpeople’slifeandthought.ThisthesisofthePuritantownBoston,andintroducehowthecommunitiesinthetownaredeeplyinfluencedbyPuritanism.TheheroineHesterPrynneandArthurDimmesdale,thetown’sreverendpriest,engagesintheactofadulteryandproduceababygirlnamedPearl.Meanwhile,byanalyzingthemaincharacterHester,thethesisaimsatpresentingtheharshnessandthestrictpunishmentinPuritansociety.Inpuritancommunities,whoevercommitsasinwillbepunished.ThethesisalsopresentsHawthorne’sattitudetowardsPuritanism.Ononehand,heappreciatesthepuritanthoughtandvalue;ontheotherhand,hecondemnsthenegativeimpactofpuritansocietyonpeople’sspirit.AndthisthoughtinfluencesHester’sfinalfate—togetsalvationthroughself—improvementandhardworking.HawthorneexplainshispuritanthoughtsthroughcreatingHester.Hesterisbraveandstrong,asasinner,Hesterfinallygetsalvationbyworkinghard.keywords：Puritanism;Hester’scharacteristic;sin;salvationIIITableofContentsAbstract(Chinese).......................................................................................................ⅠAbstract(English)…………………………………………………………………...Ⅱ1.Introduction...............................................................................................................12.Hawthorne’sIntentionofCreatingHester............................................................12.1PuritanInfulenceonHawthorne..............................................................................12.2Hawthorne’sOwnThoughtonPuritanism..............................................................23.OriginalImageofHester:StrongandBrave........................................................43.1AGracefulandBeautifulLady................................................................................43.2EagerforTrueLove.................................................................................................53.3ProtectingDimmesdale............................................................................................54.AsaSinner,WorkingHardtoGetSalvation.........................................................54.1BeingShamedfor“Adultery”…………………………………………………..54.2WorkingHardAsaMotherandSinner……………………………………….…...74.3FinalImageofHester:Angle,BearingthePainofLosingLover………………....8Conclusion...................................................................................................................10Bibliography...............................................................................................................12Acknowledgements....................................................................................................1311.IntroductionThisnovelhappenedinBoston,whichwasacolonyofEnglandin17thcentury.Atthattimeandatthatplace,thedoctrineofPuritanswaslookedastheruleofpeople’sdailylife.Hawthornewasborninapuritanfamily,whosegrandfatherwasanauthority.ThatmadehimwasdeepinfluencedbyPuritanism.Ononehand,hereceivedthedoctrineofhardworkingandthrifty,ontheotherhand,HethoughtthatthePuritanreligionwastoostrictandharsh.Wecanseehowhedislikedthembythewaypeopleact,talk,andlive.HesterPrynneisawoman,whohasgreatcouragetodevotetorealloveandawomanwhoexperienceshardlifeandlongsforfreedom.Shelovesherlifenomatterhowdifficultitis.Shetriesherbesttostruggleagainsttheadversity.Sheisabeautiful,virtuous,braveandtoughwoman.Becauseofbeingasasinner,sheisforcedtowearan“A”onherbreasttoshameher.SheshowedextremestrengthandcouragetoresistthebiasofthePuritanismbyhergooddeedsandfinallyisreceivedandbeingrespectedbythesocietyandgetsalvationthroughhardworking.2.Hawthorne’sIntentionofCreatingHesterHawthornewasborninapuritanfamilysothathewasdeepinfluencedbyPuritanism,butthestrictpunishmentandthecontrolofpeople’sspiritalsomadehimantipathy.ThushecreatedHester,whowassinnedandpunishedbypuritanauthority,butfinallygotsalvationbyhardworking.Hawthornecreatedhersinnedbutalsopraisedherbravenessandstrength.2.1PuritanInfluenceonHawthorneThestorytellsaboutthelifeoftheresidentunderthesurroundingofpersecutionderivedfromtheineradicablereligioninMassachusettsofBostoninNewEnglandinpublic.Boston,whichwasacolonyofEnglandatthattime,thelocalBostonpeoplewastherepresentativeofpuritans.Fromthepoliticalauthoritiestothe2kidsplayingbeforethechurch,theircharacteri