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Home Middelbare School EN Uittreksels Uittreksel Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Scarlet Letter

Uittreksel Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Scarlet Letter

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Extracts English Literature
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Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Scarlet Letter

James T. Fields, (1850)

Title:

The main character, Hester Prynne, commits adultery so she is forced to wear a scarlet letter 'A' upon the bodice of all her dresses. The colour scarlet itself provides a contrast to the simple Puritan life which was led by most people in the village where Hester lived. The title suggests scandal even before the story unfolds.

Author:

Nathaniel Hawthorne, a modest and self-doubting man, lived in the nineteenth century. The Scarlet Letter was the first novel Hawthorne wrote under his real name. He had previously written a book which was published under a pseudonym, but this was unsuccessful. He felt burdened by the oppression that his Puritan ancestors forced upon those who thought any differently than themselves. The Scarlet Letter was his greatest success, and proved to be a great piece of valuable literature during that period and is still valid today.

Other works by the author:

Twice-told tales

The literary period:

This story was written in the Victorian Age, the time when writers like Hawthorne wrote about social elements, and not about the present so much as the past, wanting to escape the harsh realities of the developing world they were living in.

The genre:

This is a novel with aspects of the pastoral romance and the social novel.

Summary:

The book begins with an introduction in which Hawthorne gives a fictionalised account of his three years as Surveyor of Customs at Salem. In a deserted upstairs room of the Custom House, which is now staffed by elderly workers, Hawthorne finds a gold-embroidered scarlet cloth in the shape of a letter A. He also finds a letter recounting the life of Hester Prynne. When Hawthorne loses his job, he takes the initiative to start writing a romance about Prynne's life.

Hester Prynne is convicted of adultery by her fellow citizens in a small New England town. Because of the stern Puritan laws she is made to wear a scarlet letter A on the bodices of all her dresses to remind everyone of her "crime." Standing in front of the crowd, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale tells her that she should reveal the name of her lover, but she refuses. Her husband is also in the crowd, a reserved man who has just returned from years of living with a band of Indians. She recognises him, but says nothing. Later, he calls himself Roger Chillingworth and visits Hester in prison. He wants to know the name of the man that she slept with, but she will not tell him. He promises to find out for himself, and makes her swear that she will not reveal his true identity.

After her release, Hester and her daughter take a cottage on the outskirts of town and she becomes a needle-worker whose work is soon widely in demand. She dresses her daughter, Pearl, in elaborate clothing, unlike her own drab colours. Pearl is a strange elf-like child with limitless energy. Sometimes Hester wonders if an evil spirit possesses her. The townspeople also think this may be so, and there is a motion to have Pearl removed from the care of her mother. But Dimmesdale is present at the time of the hearing, and the child is kept with Hester.

Dimmesdale seems to be going insane, and is very nervous all the time, always keeping his hand over his heart. Chillingworth, who has become somewhat of a man of science, takes an interest in Dimmesdale and goes to live with him to see if he can discover the reason for his nervousness.

Hester has, over time, won the respect of the community. She is very charitable, and people say that the A on her dress stands for 'Able.' One day Hester meets Chillingworth in the forest and tells him to stop questioning and torturing Dimmesdale. In another meeting in the forest with Dimmesdale, she warns him against Chillingworth. This is the first time that it is openly stated in the book that Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl. They remember the love they shared and plan to go away with each other. Hester even rids herself of the letter A, but Pearl insists that she put it back on. Dimmesdale returns to the town and plans to make his speech the following day the occasion of his departure.

The next day, Dimmesdale preaches an especially eloquent sermon. He is wounded by the people and is at the verge of death. Despite Chillingworth's efforts to intervene, he tells the town about Hester and Pearl. As he dies in Hester's arms, he bares his chest to the crowd, revealing the letter A that he carved into his chest, and proving that he is the father of the child. In this way, he has shared in Hester's punishment and suffering.

Chillingworth dies a year later and leaves his fortune to Pearl. She goes abroad and marries a European aristocrat. Hester returns to her town and spends the rest of her life doing charitable work. When she dies, the letter A is used as a heraldic device on her tombstone.

Time:

The story takes place in the 17th century at the time when Puritans settled in New England. It is written in chronological order and the story spans many years.

Setting:

The story takes place in Salem, Boston, New England.

Characters and relationships:

Hester Prynne:

Married to Roger Chillingworth, she has an affair with the local clergyman, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, who is the man that she truly loves and has a daughter named Pearl. Hester is an impulsive and passionate character who shows her strength and courage as she endures the punishments that the judges of the town impose upon her for her adultery. After being forgiven by the townspeople, Hester spends her last years in the town doing charitable work. When she dies, the letter 'A' is used as a heraldic device on her tombstone.

Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale:

The reverend of Salem, who has an affair with Hester Prynne, whom he loves dearly, along with their child, Pearl. He is too weak to admit to the town that he is the man with whom Hester has had a child out of wedlock, so that he can share in her punishment. He is driven to his wits's end with guilt because of this. He thinks of going away with Hester, but in the end dies in her arms at the public pillory.

Roger Chillingworth:

Hester's husband who has spent time with an Indian tribe and who comes back to Salem under the alias of Chillingworth instead of his real name. He is a cunning character who spends much time trying to find out who has fathered Hester's child. He even lives with Dimmesdale for a time, pretending to be his medical adviser and trying to find out the reason behind his slow insanity. In the end, he tried to help Dimmesdale. When he dies, he leaves all his fortune to Hester's daughter, Pearl.

Pearle Prynne:

Hester's daughter.

Credibility:

….

Theme:

People should not be judged simply

Motto:

None.

Linguistic usage:

The language of the book is very poetic, and sometimes very suggestive. The language used is that of the middle nineteenth century.

Dedication:

None.

Perspective:

The story is told by an omniscient narrator.

Construction:

There is an introduction called 'The Custom House.' There are twenty-four chapters in total, and the highlights of the story are scenes from the marketplace, and they are situated at the beginning, middle and end of the novel.

Own opinion on the book:

Your opinion!

by the way they look or because of the opinions of others. Hester Prynne was looked down upon by all the townspeople because a few of them thought that she was a vile sinner, when in fact she was an honourable and good woman. The themes of secretiveness and guilt also appear in the story.
(1837), Mosses from an old manse (1846), The house of the seven gables (1851), The snow-image and other twice-told tales (1851), The Blithedale romance (1852), A wonder-book for boys and girls (1852), Tanglewood tales (1853), The marble faun (1860), Our old home (1863).

 

Be the change that you want to see in the world.

Wees de verandering die je wenst te zien in de wereld.

Mohandas Gandhi