the-symbolism-in-the-Scarlet-Letter

Abstract:AsagreatromanticnovelistinAmericainthe19thcentury,Hawthornewasoutstandinginhandlingtheapplicationofsymbolism,andastudyofhissymbolsisnecessarytounderstandinghisnovels.TheScarletLetterisHawthorne’smostimportantsymbolicnovel,whichstandsasthebestworkofHawthorneandoneoftheindubitablemasterpiecesofAmericanliterature.Thisthesisaimsattheexplorationoftheusageofthesymbolisminthenovel.ItmainlydiscussesthedeepsymbolicsignificanceoftheScarletLetterAandthemajorcharacters.TheScarletLetteristhecentralsymbolofthenovel.Itssymbolicmeaningchangesfromadulterytoangel,anditalsoexaminesthesymbolicmeaningsoflitterPearlandHesterPrynne.Keywords:symbolism;ScarletLetter.I.IntroductionNathanielHawthorneisagreatromanticnovelistinAmericainthe19thcentury,andisacentralfigureintheAmericanRenaissance.Hisnovelsarepenetratingexplorationofmoralandspiritualconflicts.Heisoutstandinginliteraryskills,especiallyinhisuseofsymbolism.IntheScarletLetter,symbolismrunsthroughthewholenovelwherethescarletletterA,thecharactersofthestoryandthesettingsareallendowedwithadeepsymbolicsignificance.Thisessayhighlightsandinterpretsthemajorsymbolismofthebookrepresentedbythecolors,thecharactersandaswell,thescarletletter.II.SymbolisminTheScarletLetter1.Thesymbolismmeaningof“thescarletletter”InTheScarletLetter,theletter“A”,thespiritofnovel,buildsuptheframeworkandlaunchesacloselinkbetweenthehumanrelationships.Thenovelbeginsandendsbothwiththeletter“A”withitsconspicuoussymbolicsignificance.Inthenovel,theletterappearsonHester’sgown,onArthur’sheart,inPearl’shandsaswellasintheeveningsky.Itssymbolicsignificancechangeswiththedevelopmentofthenovel.Astimepassestheletter’smeaningonHester’schestshiftsalso.Thischangeissignificant.Itshowsgrowthinthecharacters,andthecommunityinwhichtheylive.Inthecourseofthestory,the“A”seemstoencompasstheentirerangeofhumanbeings,fromtheearthlyandpassionate“adulteress”tothepureandspiritual“angel”.TheletterAbeginsasasymbolofsin.Itthenbecomesasymbolofaloneandalienations,andfinallyitbecomesasymbolofable,angelandadmirable.1.1AforAdulteryTheletterA,wornonHester’sbosom,isasymbolofheradulteryagainstRogerChillingworth.Asapuritanpunishmentwayoftheadultery,itisherpunishmenttoweartheletter“A”.Thepuritantreatmentcontinues,becauseasHesterwalksthroughthestreets,shewillbelookeddownuponasifsheissomesortofdemonfromhellthatcommitsaterriblecrime.Thisletterismeanttobeworninshame,andtomakeHesterfeelunwanted.“Here,shesaidtoherself,hadbeenthesceneofherguilt,andhereshouldbethesceneofherearthlypunishment…”(标注1)Hesterisashamedofhersin,butshechoosesnottoshowsit.Sheadmitsthissinintheheartofpassion,andfullyrecognizesitforthereasonthatthoughsheisashamed,shealsoreceiveshergreatesttreasure,Pearl,outofit.Sheisaverystrongandbravewoman.Facedwithsuchkindofpunishment,manywillleaveBostontoseekaplacewherenooneknowstheirgreatsinortheycanemergeintoanotherstatewhereshecouldalooffromthelawthatcondemnsthem.However,Hesterchoosestostay,whichshowsthatshehasalotofstrengthandintegrity.Withoutenoughperseveranceandfirmendurancecananyperson,letaloneawoman,gothroughthesedifficultiesinasituationwhereheislookeddownupon.1.2AforAlienationThescarletletterAalsostandsforHester’slonelylifeinNewEngland.Aftersheisreleased,Hesterlivesinacottageneartheoutskirtsofthecity.“Ithadbeenbuiltbyanearliersettler,andabandoned,becausethesoilaboutitwastoosterileforcultivation,whileitscomparativeremotenessputitoutofthesphereofthatsocialactivitywhichalreadymarkedthehabitsoftheemigrants.”Hester’ssociallifeisvirtuallyeliminatedasaresultofhershamefulhistory.Hestercomestohaveaparttoperformintheworldwithhernativeenergyofcharacterandrarecapacity.“However,therewasnothingthatmadeherfeelasifshebelongedtoit.Everygesture,everyword,andeventhesilenceofthosewithwhomshecametocontact,implied,andoftenexpressed,thatshewasbanished,andasmuchaloneasifsheinhabitedanothersphere,orcommunicatedwiththecommonnaturebyotherorgansandsensesthantherestofhumankind.Shestoodapartfrommoralinterests…seemedtobethesoleportionthatsheretainedintheuniversalheart.”Hesterhasnofriendsintheworld,andlittlePearlistheonlycompanionofherlonelylife,sothescarletletterAalsoisasymbolof“alienation”.1.3AforAble,AdmirableandAngelTheletter“A”manifestsinavarietyofformsandplaces.Later,thescarletletter“A”changesitsmeaningintobeingable,angelandadmirable.Herexcellentneedleworkfortherichallowshertomaintainafairlystablelifestyle.AfteryearsofHester’shelping,serving,andsympathizingwiththem,manyofthetownspeoplerefusetointerpretthescarletletterbyitsoriginalsignification,andnowtheybelievethatthescarletletterstandsforherabilitytoherbeautifulneedleworkandforherunselfishassistancetothepoorandsick.Atthispoint,alotoftownspeoplerealizewhatanoblecharacterHesterpossesses.“Doyouseethatwomanwiththeembroideredbadge?ItisourHester—thetown’sownHester—whoissokindtothepoor,sohelpfultothesick,socomfortingtotheafflicted!”Thetownspeoplesoonbegintobelievethatthebadgeisservedtowardoffevil,andHestergrowstobequiteadmirableamongstthepeopleofthetown.Hesterovercomestheshameofhersinthroughthepurityandgoodnessofhersoul.