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ReviewoftheScarletLetterJaneClass31202050201312TheScarletLetterwrittenbyNathanielHawthorne,anAmericanwriter.Thisnovelishismasterpiece.Itissetin17th-centuryNewEnglandunderthecolonialruleinNorthAmerica.ThebookisbasedonaBostonlovetragedyduringtheyears1642to1649.Inthisnovel,itmainlytellsusthedifferentfateofthreemaincharacters,HesterPrynne,ArthurDimmesdale,andRogerChillingworth.Hesterwasforcedtowearascarletletter“A”onthebreastofhergownbecauseofadultery.However,sherefusedtorevealherlover’sidentity.Itmadeherhusband,Chillingworth,flyintoarage.Hesweartorevenge.Thenhefoundthathiswife’sloveristherespectableyoungpriest,Dimmesdale.Hegotclosetotheyoungpriestandtorturehimpsychologically.Finallythepriestcouldnotstandtheinnertorment.HeconfessedpubliclyafactthathewasHester’slover.ThenhediedinHester’sarms.Frustratedinhisrevenge,Chillingworthgotsick.Afteroneyear,hedied.Thisnovelisan1850romanticworkoffiction.However,inmyeyes,itnotonlyisastoryoflove,butalsoisastoryofsoul.Whatimpressmedeeplyisthehumannature,thecharacterization,andthepsychologicaldescription.Theimagesofthethreemaincharactersarevividandlively.HesterPrynne,abeautifulwomanwhoborninaBritishcrumblingaristocraticfamily,wasmarriedtoamonstrousoldscholar.Whenherhusbandcouldbedeadoralive,shewasfalleninlovewithapriestandgavebirthadaughter.ItbreachedthePuritandoctrine.Soshewasfoundguilty.Shemusttowearascarletletter“A”inherlifetimeforhersin.Butshewouldnotrevealherlover,andraisedthechildbyherself.Herewewillpraiseherfortheresistanceoftheunreasonablemarriagesystem,andimpressbyhergreatlove.Perhapswhenawomandeeplyloveaman,shewillsacrificeallofhersforherlove.Shecanuseherfragilebodytoprotectherloveone.Shenotonlycansacrificeeverythingbutalsocanendureeverythingforlove,andenjoyit.Inthissacrifice,shedoesnotcareaboutthesecularandthepersonalinterest.Itreflectstherealgreatnessandnobility.ShewassoamazingthatIcouldnotfindasuitablewordtopraiseher.Butactuallysheimpressedmethananyoneelseeverdone.Whenfacingthedisastrouspunishment,shejustbearitbyherself.Althoughthepunishmentiscruelforawoman,shedidnotescapefromit.Besides,shedidnotshowherweaknesstogainpeople’ssympathy.ShealsodidnotcommittedsuicideasIimagine.BecauseasforatraditionalChinesewoman,sheprobablytendtothisextremeway.Shewouldgiveupherlifebecauseofshame,andwanttouseherdeathtoendthisscandalstainlife.However,Hesterjustacceptedthepunishmentcalmlyandcontinuethepursuitoffreedomandhappiness.Shewassoinviolabilitythattolookdownupontheso-calledPuritans.Asawoman,amother,shewasgreat.Aftersacrificehereverything,theonlyfortuneHestergotwasherdaughter,Pearl.ShelovePearl.Pearlwasherpursuitofbeauty.Howeversheworriedaboutthegroundlesssinwouldcomeuponherdaughter.Sosheatonedforlove.Shedevotedherlifetoservesociety,thoughthosewhoacceptedherhelpareungratefultoher.ArthurDimmesdale,arealmartyr,wasacowardwhodaretolovebutafraidtoadmithislove.Althoughhewaswretched,heoverallwasagoodman.Hestruggledinpain,wastedhislife,playedadualrole,saintandsinner.Whenhecouldnottellwhowasgoodorbad,hesticktohisinnersecret.Hedarenottodisclosehissin.Sohesufferedfromhisinnerguilty.However,fromhisrespective,Ithinkweshouldunderstandhim.Becausehisfaithnotonlysupportedhim,butalsoimprisonedhiminacage.RogerChillingworth,acrazyavenger,wasrealevil.Oncehewasthoughtful,well-read,andcuriousoldscholar.Nowhewastowardtotheabyssofevilbecauseofhatred.Inordertorevenge,hiseruditionbecameaweapon.Andallhisgoodqualitytendtobecrazy.Tohim,Ijustfeltpity.Althoughhewasaboringpeople,hewaslearnedandcalm,wiseandrespected.However,becauseofhatred,hebecameevil,disgustingandcrazy.Itisatragedy.Thisstoryhasasadendingbutwithsenseofreality.ThedeathofthepriestandChillingworthhasitsowncause.Dimmesdaleisapurepiouspuritan.AfterhehadaffairwithHester,hebecameasinner.Thesintorturehimmentallyandphysically.Itruinhim.Chillingworthwascrazy.Hishatredafflictedhimdayandnight.Hedevotedhiswholelifetorevenge.Itdestroyedhim.ButHesterwasstrong-willed,stoicandmoretolerantandindependence.Shesufferedalot,byneverwasdefeatedbythesuffering.Shewasgoodnessandwillingtohelpothers.Finally,shechangedthemeaningofthescarletletterA,from“Adultery”to“Able”.Maybeonlythegoodpeoplecoulddeserveagoodend.