Guilt And Shame In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter, a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, showcases the various journeys through the suffering of guilt and shame. By following three differing characters, Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, Hawthorne effectively portrays how the submission to negative emotions is consistently determined by the strength of the sufferers mindset. Hester Prynne is convicted for adultery in the beginning of the novel. She is first introduced flaunting the scarlet “A” on her bosom as a punishment for her misdeeds. Although she had the choice to flee her humiliation, “she said to herself, [the Massachusets Bay Colony] had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment” (Hawthorne 54). Hester demonstrated

By the time Pearl was about three years old, “the red ignominy was so deeply scorched into her brain that all her conceptions assured its form” (Hawthore 65). The scarlet letter became an emblem of Hesters torture and guilt that, overtime, she began to embody. It is evident that Hester genuinely believed that the symbol became completely apart of her character, and the shame that it conveyed was well-deserved. Hester remained bearing her consequences as her form of suffering; nevertheless, she chose to remain strong and raise Pearl, the baby born from sin, to the best of her abilities in hopes that she will grow up living a more fortunate life. Her actions proved that her guilt allowed her to recognize her wrongdoings, but failed to block her from taking control of her

When Hester encountered her late husband, she could not find “the former aspect of an intellectual and studious man, calm and quiet.” She speculated that the man she once knew “had altogether vanished, and had been succeeded by an eager, searching, almost fierce, carefully guarded look” (Hawthorne 103). The man Chillingworth once was had been overtaken by his shame and hatred. Because he was deeply ashamed of his lowly life, Chillingworth was easily clouded by his negative emotions and pathetically dedicated his life to seeking revenge. Although he had the right to be furious with Hester and her secret partner, Chillingworth ultimately hurt himself in the end by allowing his shame and hatred to control his