The Use Of Tone In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Sinfulness

Throughout the years, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter has acquired criticism from several writers, including D.H. Lawrence. Lawrence’s strong interpretation of Hester Prynne is different from that of other authors. His disapproval of Hester’s “heroic” portrayal in the novel is evident throughout his critique. D.H. Lawrence uses a condemning tone, spiritual allusions, and demanding repetition to properly solidify his argument that Hester Prynne’s sinful ways should be not be praised.

The condemning tone used in Lawrence’s writing strengthens his argument. It’s obvious that Lawrence believes Hester’s sin is disgraceful, and this is shown when he says, “It is, perhaps, the most colossal satire ever penned” (Lawrence). The sarcasm expressed in this quote effectively shows that Lawrence does not approve of Hester Prynne in this novel. In a sense, Lawrence mocks Hester because she is the main character in this novel. In addition, he teases at Hester’s ability to sin by saying, “Whatever you do, don’t let her start tickling you. She knows your weak spot” (Lawrence). He uses a negative and condescending tone to

He does not agree with Hawthorne’s portrayal and believes he is biased, which is evident when Lawrence references to Magdalen from the Bible. Lawrence uses the terms, “another Magdalen” (Lawrence) to articulate how Hester’s sin can be compared to Magdalen’s in the Bible. This is just another example of how Lawrence proves the sinfulness of Hester’s character. He also makes a reference to the Bible when he mentions, “Abel” (Lawrence). Abel was a victim, and Lawrence uses this allusion to mock how Hawthorne wrote Hester’s character as the victim in the Scarlet Letter. The seriousness of these Biblical allusions validate Lawrence’s argument in a sense that Hester was not held responsible for her