48_Nathaniel_Hawthorne

A19thcenturyAmericannovelistandshortstorywriter,andakeyfigureinthedevelopmentofAmericanliteratureforhistalesofthenation’scolonialhistory.NathanielHawthorne(1804-1864)BiographicalIntroductionBornin1804inSalem,Massachusetts.HewasadescendantofalonglineofPuritanancestors.Hawthorne’splaceofbirthSalem,BirthplaceofNathanielHawthorneBoston,SettingofTheScarletLetterCollege1821-1825AttendedBowdoinCollegein1821;Friends:-futurepoetHenryWadsworthLongfellow-FranklinPiercewhobecamethe14thPresidentofTheUnitedStates.HejoinedthetranscendentalistutopiancommunityatBrookFarmin1841;Thisutopianexperimentaimedtopromoteeconomicself-sufficiencyandtranscendentalistprinciples.HislaterworksshowsomeTranscendentalistinfluence,includingabeliefinindividualchoiceandconsequence,andanemphasisonsymbolism.In1852,hewrotethecampaignbiographyofhisoldfriendFranklinPierce.WithPierce’selectionasPresident,Hawthornewasrewardedin1853withthepositionofUnitedStatesconsulinLiverpool.In1857,hisappointmentended;Hediedin1864,afewyearsafterreturningtoAmerica.Worksa)Twice-ToldTales1837b)MossesfromanOldManse1843c)TheSnow-Image,andOtherTwice-ToldTales1852Collectionsofshortstories《故事重述》《雪人和其他重讲一遍的故事》Hisfourmajorromancesornovelswrittenbetween1850and1860TheScarletLetter《红字》(1850)TheHouseoftheSevenGables《七个尖角阁的房子》(1851)TheBlithedaleRomance《福谷传奇》(1852)TheMarbleFaun《玉石雕像》(1860)TheBirth-Mark《胎记》(1843)Rappaccini’sDaughter《拉帕奇尼的女儿》(1844)MyKinsman,MajorMolineux《我的亲戚莫里诺少校》(1832)TheMinister’sBlackVeil《教长的黑面纱》(1836)YoungGoodmanBrown《好小伙子布朗》(1835)MuchofHawthorne’sworkissetincolonialNewEngland,andmanyofhisshortstorieshavebeenreadasmoralallegoriesinfluencedbyhisPuritanbackground.MajorThemesofHisWorksSinandEvilHistoryandAntiquityAlienation-acharacterisinastateofisolationbecauseofself-cause,orsocietalcause,oracombinationofboth.Otherthemesincludeindividualvs.society,self-fulfillmentvs.frustration,hypocrisyvs.integrity,lovevs.hate,andfatevs.freewill,etc.style–typicalromanticwriteramanofliterarycraftsmanship，extraordinaryintheuseofsymbolThesymbolservesasaweapontoattackreality.Itcanbefoundeverywhereinhiswritingtheuseofambiguityrevelationofcharacters’psychologytokeepthereaderintheworldofuncertainty–multiplepointofviewtheuseofsupernaturalTheScarletLetterPlotSummarySettingtime:Middleofthe17thcenturyplace:Boston,MassachusettsProtagonist:HesterPrynneMajorcharactersinTheScarletLetterHesterPrynneArthurDimmesdaleRogerChillingworthdaughterloverhusbandheroinePearlSetting:TheScarletLetterPlace:PuritanBostonTime:themid-17thcenturyThecentralscaffoldscenesaresetinthemarketplace.LikeotherPuritansettlementsinNewEngland,thelocalandcolonialgovernmentsweretheocracies.Atheocracy（神权国家）isagovernmentwherethecivillawsarebased(inwholeorinpart)onreligiouslaws;civilleadersintheocraciesareprobablyalsoimportantreligiousleadersFirstScaffoldsceneHesterPrynne’shusband,ascholarsentheraheadtoAmerica,butheneverarrivedinBoston.Whilewaitingforherhusband,Hesterhasapparentlyhadanaffair,asshehasgivenbirthtoachild,Pearl.Shewillnotrevealherlover’sidentity.Asaresult,shehastowearthescarletletterA,whichstandsforadultery,asherpunishmentforhersinandhersecrecy.OnthisdayHesterisledtothetownscaffoldandharanguedbythetownfathers,includingtherespectedministerArthurDimmesdale,butsheagainrefusestoidentifyherchild’sfather.FirstScaffoldsceneHesterstandsonascaffoldbeforetheentiretown.Hester’smissinghusband,whoisnowpracticingmedicineandcallinghimselfRogerChillingworth,arrivesandseeseverything.HesettlesinBoston,intentonrevenge.HerevealshistrueidentitytonoonebutHester,whomhehassworntosecrecy.SecondscaffoldsceneSeveralyearspass.Hestersupportsherselfbyworkingasaseamstress.Shunnedbythecommunity,shelivesinasmallcottageontheoutskirtsofBostonwithPearl.Hesterworkshardtohelpotherpeopletoreleasehercrime.SecondscaffoldsceneHester’scharitabledeedsandquiethumilityhaveearnedherareprievefromthescornofthecommunity.Peoplewouldliketoconsiderherasawarmheartedandkindlywoman.ThesymbolicmeaningoftheAhastransferredfromthemeaningofadulterytoabilitygradually.Dimmesdale,however,appearstobewastingawayandsuffersfrommysterioushearttrouble,seeminglycausedbypsychologicaldistress.SecondscaffoldsceneChillingworthmovesinwithhimsothathecanprovidehispatientwithround-the-clockcare.Chillingworthalsosuspectsthattheremaybeaconnectionbetweentheminister’stormentsandHester’ssecret,andhebeginstotestDimmesdaletoseewhathecanlearn.Oneafternoon,whiletheministersleeps,Chillingworthdiscoversamarkontheman’sbreast,whichconvinceshimthathissuspicionsarecorrect.SecondscaffoldsceneOnenight,whenPearlisaboutsevenyearsold,sheandhermotherencounterDimmesdaleatopthetownscaffold,tryingtopunishhimselfforhissins.HesterandPearljoinhim,andthethreelinkhands.DimmesdalestandsonthescaffoldwithHesterandPearl,finallyexposinghissecret,butstillinthedarknessofnight.SecondscaffoldsceneWhilestandingthere,DimmesdalenoticesalargemeteorintheskythatappearsintheshapeoftheletterA.Chillingworthseesitaswell,forhehasbeenwatchingthethreeofthemonthescaffold.Dimmesdale'ssinisasecretn