The Symbol Of Shame In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Introduction: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is set in Boston, Massachusetts during the middle of the seventeenth century. The point of view in the Scarlet Letter is third person omniscient.

Body: The title, the Scarlet Letter, relates to the book, in which the main character commits adultery and is forced to bear a scarlet “A” as a symbol of shame. The fluctuation in meaning of the “A” shows the insignificance of the policies and punishments sent forth by the community. Hester Prynne is a strong woman, able to withstand torment for several years without revealing her lover. She is also very intelligent and kindhearted. Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, has a rebellious and trouble-making spirit along with a gift of perception, which she uses to provoke the

Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband, has a self-involved nature and in his pursuit for vengeance rather than justice proves to be the evilest character in the book. External conflict is shown when Hester gives birth to Pearl and is shunned by her community. “She turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter… to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real.” (Hawthorne, 43). Dimmesdale internally battles his love for Hester and his responsibility to the church. “I should long ago have thrown off these garments of mock holiness… Happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret!” (Hawthorne, 151) Pearl’s main function is to serve as a living representation of the “A” and question its meaning, suggesting that sin is an inevitable part of life. “The sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself. . . Will it not come of its own accord, when I am a woman grown?” (Hawthorne, 180). An example of irony is how the responsibility of finding Hester’s lover was given to Dimmesdale, her lover. “…the responsibility of this woman’s soul lies greatly with you” (Hawthorne, 62).