The Scarlet Letter: A Literary Analysis
The novel The Scarlet Letter is a classic piece of American
Literature.
Hawthorne uses his novel to convey his anti-transcendental philosophy and
the influence of Puritan society on current day society. The validity of
The Scarlet Letter as a work of American literature is also
something that
must be addressed in order to have a full understanding of the novel.
In Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, he uses character
development
to convey his thematic purpose. The novel has many symbols, the most
predominate is the scarlet "A". Each character embodies a different
thematic goal, and together they all were used to express Hawthorne's
anti-transcendental philosophy. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth
exist on at least two different levels. In one they represent the original
sin. On another they each embody the Greek fatal flaw. (The Cycle of American Literature, Robert Spiller, 63-64) Dimmesdale's cowardice to
confess to his sin leads to his tragic downfall from the saint of the
town. Chillingworth's obsession with revenge creates an almost
schizophrenic personality. The physical changes that overcome him are used
to demonstrate the evilness of his new personality. The darker and more
disfigured he became the more the evil personality took over. The fact
that he makes this metamorphosis expresses Hawthorne's anti-transcendental
philosophy, for if man is good by default how can he become pure evil and
hate. Hester embodies another of Hawthorne's arguments against
transcendentalism. By being shunned and an outcast of society, Hester
doesn't exist in the oversoul. According to Thoreou, every person is part
of the oversoul, so Hester is a paradox in transcendentalism. Dimmesdale
acts as a foil for Hester, he is her opposite and creates a comparison
between the two paths. The real mystery of the novel is Pearl, she
embodies the place in which she was conceived. The wild and untamed spirit
of nature is part of her and she expresses that in several different ways.
The questions she asks of Hester and the way she poses them creates a
sense of mystery about her. The questions about a "black man" creates the
comparison between Dimmesdale and the devil, as if to suggest that
Dimmesdale was the devil for creating the situation Hester was in.
The Puritan Boston setting is used as a comparison towards
Hawthorne's present day New England society and the revival of some
Puritan beliefs. The morals and beliefs that Hawthorne presents in The
Scarlet Letter explain American society's views on topics such as sex. The
Puritan roots have persisted even to this day, they were certainly evident
in Hawthorne's time. The Scarlet Letter also acts as a criticism of
the
blind punishment and the hypocrisy of the Puritan society, by embodying
the element of hypocrisy in the "angelic" minister Hawthorne shows the
blind faith and assumptions of the society.
The novel which deals with inner conflicts, and human character
evolution created an art form because of many factors. The use of a
historical setting and "The Custom House" as an introduction creates a
very believable historical account. The background of 17th century puritan
Boston adds to the unique characterization and plot. The sparing use of
the supernatural adds to the mystery and believability of the novel. The
scarlet "A" on Dimmesdale's chest and Mistress Hibbins' image to the
townspeople are two examples that subtly add a supernatural feel to the
novel. As can be seen, The Scarlet Letter is classic American
Literature
and set the pattern for character development in novels.
As the previous examples have shown, the novel The Scarlet
Letter
is both a work of literary art, and it also provides a historical account
of Puritan Boston. Although the story is fictional it is written with
believable, dynamic characters. The themes that run throughout it convey
Hawthorne's anti-transcendental message and also the impact that Puritan
society has had upon current day America. While this book doesn't have the
strongest plot, it succeeds in the areas in which Hawthorne was
emphasizing.
Works Cited:
Robert Spiller, The Cycle of American Literature, p. 63-64