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"The Scarlet Letter", 2004.
An analysis of the "The Scarlet Letter", by Nathanial Hawthorne, and how the author's Puritan background is seen through the novel.
1,679 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 54.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Hawthorne was known to have researched his own Puritan ancestry, on which he based "The Scarlet Letter". It discusses how "The Scarlet Letter" takes place in 1642 in Boston. The main character is convicted of adultery and must do public service, which entails being forced to wear a large scarlet letter ?A?, which stands for "Adulteress". It looks at the way the novel provides an insight into the Puritan concept of law in 1640, which is obviously very different from today?s accepted norms.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Plot
III. Setting
IV. Theme
V. Conclusion
VI. Bibliography
From the Paper
"The Scarlet Letter takes place in 1642 Boston where at that time the community was nothing more than a tiny Puritan settlement. ?Hester Prynne enters this small Puritan town in the colony of Massachusetts alone and determined to live her life as she sees fit. She undermines many of the stifling rules that serve as moral guidelines for women. She buys a house on her own, explaining that her husband would arrive shortly. She also begins women's meetings with other ladies of the town.? (When Love Becomes Sin) The main character, Hester Prynne, has been convicted of adultery and as the punishment of the time suggests she is to do public service. This public service is nothing like our chain gangs picking up litter on our highways. In fact, a small band of onlookers was awaiting the adulteress to be publicly humiliated as only the puritans could do. Hester appears before the crowd carrying a baby and on her clothes is a badge of disgrace ? a large scarlet letter ?A? which stands for Adulteress."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2002.
A paper which introduces, analyzes and discusses Nathaniel Hawthorne's story, "The Scarlet Letter".
961 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," concerning Hester Prynne's rejection by a New England town due to adultery, is clearly a call to readers to alter their Puritan attitudes, and become freer with their thoughts and ideals. This paper discusses the themes of sin, criminal rebellion, evils of isolation and the symbolic meaning of the scarlet letter itself. It shows how Hawthorne's story clearly speaks out against the rigid mores of Puritan times, plainly illustrating why people felt they had to rebel in order to live their own lives. He also calls into question the values of a society that so rigidly adheres to its principles, at the expense of its humanity.
From the Paper
"The saddest part of Hester and Pearl's lives is their isolation caused by their total rejection by the community. Pearl grows up alone, missing the warmth of childhood friends and acquaintances. In effect, Pearl is being punished for her mother's sin, which doubles the evil of the isolation she feels, for she did nothing wrong, but must pay for it according to Puritan principles. Hawthorne is showing how ridiculous this is, and how the punishment is as morally and ethically wrong as the sin."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2005.
A review of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, "The Scarlet Letter".
1,190 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 0 sources, $ 40.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses Nathaniel Hawthorne's, "The Scarlet Letter". The paper claims that, although there are multiple themes and recurring ideas throughout the novel, Hawthorne most exquisitely presents the theme of development through anguish, with such elements as character development, symbolism and conflict. The paper focuses on the character of Hester Prynne and her development with the scarlet letter.
From the Paper
"Hester Prynne is a superb illustration of the way one progresses through misery and the alteration they endure through suffering. When Hester is first introduced in the novel, Hawthorne first describes her, after her bout in prison, emerging "as if by her own free will." This act displays Hester's superiority to the situation at hand, and defies the idea that she would emerge weak, and defeated by the judgment of the people in the town. However, as the novel progresses, Hester does begin to physically embody the typical Puritan woman. After a few years have passed, her character is described as "withered up," which left a "barren harsh outline." This indicates the metamorphosis she has undergone from being superior to her sin, to becoming overshadowed by the supremacy of its ignominy. This change also occurs with Hester's new focus in life, pertaining more so "thought", than "passion and feeling." The most vital shift in Hester's character occurs after Dimmesdale's death, which Hawthorne exhibits as not "for her own profit and enjoyment," and leads to her sought-after wisdom."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2008.
An analysis of the importance of the setting in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter".
1,096 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 0 sources, $ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how Hawthorne intertwines the values of Puritan communities and human nature with such efficiency that "The Scarlet Letter" has become an American classic criticizing our Puritan ancestors. It contends that the setting of Hawthorne's classic is important because it sets the foundation for how the Puritan people react to the main character's sin and that Hawthorne uses the setting as a way to give the reader a sense of severity in the community of "The Scarlet Letter".
From the Paper
"It is clear that Hawthorne disapproved of the Puritan's lifestyles. "The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project..." (Hawthorne 47). This statement alone sets the book up for a grim and dismal mood. Hawthorne also adds s sense of irony by having the people who want to purify the church immediately build a prison. This goes to show that the Puritans were not actually too pure. The prison becomes a large part of the plot symbolizing sin and consequence. The rosebush in front of the prison runs parallel to The Scarlet Letter in resembling hope in a bleak place. Another mentioning in the beginning of the book is the cemetery. This introduction to a book undoubtedly shows the reader that the book will not be a happy one. "
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2007.
An analysis of Roland Joffe's movie "The Scarlet Letter".
953 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes "The Scarlet Letter" from a sociological perspective. It discusses societal labeling which is a community's need to self-consciously create deviant persons or outsiders to uphold its own sense of order. The author also uses differential association and learnt behavior, to further dissect the film. Symbolic interactionalism, society's need to create meaning through symbolic devices, is another sociological perspective emphasized.
From the Paper
"Although symbolic interactionalism may be the most persuasive theory to analyze and explain the plot of the film, it does not address the fact that Hester's behavior, however normal a transgression, and however understandable given the unhappiness of her marriage, is still a kind of 'deviance,' or an example that something is wrong, and would be regarded as such, even in contemporary America. Thus, while it may take into factors outside of the immediate confines of the film, the best explanation of all may in fact be structural strain theory, discussed at length in Chapter 6 by James M. Henslin in Essentials of Sociology. On the surface, the rural Puritan community may seem like a classically organic society, with clear rules and norms."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2004.
A critique of "The Scarlet Letter" by Hawthorne.
1,609 words (approx. 6.4 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 52.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the issue of femininity in Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter". The writer shows how, in all his works, the female character is ideally stifled and restrained, and Hawthorne is not happy about women asserting themselves in public life. The paper looks at the overall connection between the historical English culture and the early American Puritan life evident in this novel.
From the Paper
"However, taken at a deeper level we realize that it is this obsession with English values and the early influence of the English on the American value system that manifests as Puritanism in the novel. Puritanism is given too much importance in the novel where the female characters defying society is often painted in a bad light. She is criticized if she goes against the tide and her passions and feelings, which may be expressed by her, are often considered to be in bad taste. Debbie [1998] like Kesterson [1998] presents that the ?superiority? of the puritan society is also highlighted often in the book."
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Hawthorne?s ?The Scarlet Letter?, 2004.
This paper discusses the themes of retribution, justice, and the human condition in Nathaniel Hawthorne?s ?The Scarlet Letter?.
1,705 words (approx. 6.8 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 55.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, since the 1960s, there has been a significant change in the way men understand right and wrong; and, with this new understanding, readers lost the ability to understand some of the deeper ethical themes in Hawthorne?s ?Scarlet Letter?. The author points out that modern criticism of this novel revolves around its depiction of the harshness of Puritan ethics and its hypocrisy. The paper contends that, in the Puritan world, the nature of man is one who struggles with right and wrong, prospers when he does what is right, and suffers when he does what is wrong; but, when the ?wrong? man confesses his deeds to himself, his community, and his God, then he is freed.
From the Paper
"The plight of the hypocritical minister ? does Hawthorne painfully create this man in order to encourage castigation of the religious ideals for which he stood? No, Hawthorne?s feeble protagonist was not meant to be the downfall of religion, but as an example of how every man suffers with the inability to live up to noble desires. We share a common, incurable pestilence with the reluctant hero. We fail at our desires for good, and while we do, we suffer and sink away from what we could be into a silent and ineffective oblivion. The Puritan ethic of Hawthorn?s novel was part of the social order at the time of his writing. If Hawthorne has struck a rebellious attack against the church, and all its members by his tale, he would never have been accepted as the great literalist."
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'The Scarlet Letter' and 'Potrait of a Lady' - the Heroines and their Saviours, 1997.
This paper discusses the role of secondary characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter' and Henry James' 'Portait of a Lady'.
3,630 words (approx. 14.5 pages), 0 sources, MLA, $ 101.95
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Abstract
This paper is an analysis of two novels -'The Scarlet Letter' and 'Portait of a Lady'. Each heroine in both of the books is explored in depth and the secondary characters are analyzed.These books deal with people whom live in very relgious communities and have sinned. They are both condemned for their sins and are forced to live with them for the rest of their lives. This paper concludes that a new phase of life is best for both characters.
From the Paper
"The Scarlet Letter is unquestionably the story of Hester Prynne, a woman who violated the seventh commandment by committing adultery. She is punished by the the Puritan society and forced to wear the letter A. Hester is a victim of society, of her own actions, and of fate. Indeed, she is the victim of the letter she carries on her chest. The story is also that of Arthur Dimmesdale, an ordained minister, a devoted servant of God. He is doomed to be a hypocrite and secretly carry the burden of his sin. His punishment is to be tormented for seven long years. Concealing this sin breaks his heart and leads to a prolonged death because he had neither the courage nor the strength to face society and stand by Hester. Hester and Arthur are both punished for their sin and must face the consequences of their actions, either privately or publicly."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2001.
This essay describes how the character Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Scarlet Letter" displays grace and dignity amidst imprisonment and sin.
1,655 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper is a literary analysis of Nathanial Hawthorne's tale about love, sin and redemption, "The Scarlet Letter". The author looks at the various themes in the novel, examines the symbolism and discusses the role of Puritan women in their society.
From the Paper
"While others mock her, gossip about her and whisper her name, Hester stands, a strong woman, unintimidated by their threats. Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his book The Scarlet Letter presents the reader with a number of contrasting images to reinforce the themes in the book. Three themes he presents are: The nature of women, the problem of guilt, and the contrast between sin and grace. John Calwell Stubbs discusses some of these themes and images in his critical essay, ?The Scarlet Letter: A Tale of Fraternity and Sorrow.?
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The Scarlet Letter, 2004.
This paper analyzes Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter."
3,150 words (approx. 12.6 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 111.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes Hawthorne's characterization of Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth in the novel "The Scarlet Letter." The paper examines the concept of sin, judgement and punishment as illustrated in Hawthorne's characterization of these characters. The paper argues that while all three are guilty of sin, only the evil deeds of Chillingworth are without redemption or salvation.
From the Paper
"The Scarlet Letter. Introduction. The Puritan era during which the action of Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" takes place embodied a society in which the individual and his or her actions were often pitted against a social order determined to stamp out behaviors it considered immoral. Hester Prynne is pilloried by the town fathers for having committed adultery."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2001.
A look at the function of symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, "The Scarlet Letter".
1,830 words (approx. 7.3 pages), 0 sources, MLA, $ 58.95
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Abstract
This paper highlights and interprets the major symbols in the book such as the characters' names, the characters' functions, the setting, the rosebush, the scaffold, color and the scarlet letter. The paper also discusses the dichotomy of the town/forest and day/night in the novel and connects the different symbols to major aspects of the story, such as plot, character and theme.
From the Paper
"In the novel, characters? names are very significant because they are meaningful and give the reader an idea of the characters? personalities. One important character is Reverend Dimmesdale, whose name suggests that he is a dim man. This is true of him. He does not see things clearly and does not understand things the way he should. Throughout the book he is said to be in a ?maze? (167), which shows that he is always in a state of confusion. The community, also, sees him dimly. They do not see him for who he really is. Dimmesdale told them he was the sinner but the community ?heard it all, and did but reverence him the more? (119). Instead of starting up a riot as Dimmesdale expected, they looked up to him as a hero."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2005.
This paper discusses Nathaniel Hawthorne's treatment of sin and guilt in "The Scarlet Letter".
1,445 words (approx. 5.8 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the lasting greatness of "The Scarlet Letter" relates to the remarkable way Hawthorne manages to evoke emotional sympathy for the heroine even when he is condemning her actions. The author analyzes the sins committed by the novel's two major characters and the novel's treatment of each of them: The minister Arthur Dimmesdale and the mother of Dimmesdale's child, Hester Prynne. The paper stresses that the greatest pain, which Hester Prynne suffers as a result of her previous sin and guilt, is neither her own ostracism from the community nor the cruel scorn of its judgmental and unforgiving members but rather the repeated reminders she must face of how her innocent daughter Pearl is hurt because of the past sins of her mother and father.
From the Paper
"From the opening of "The Scarlet Letter", when Hester Prynne stands alone on a scaffold, condemned for the sin of adultery, with the unidentified father of her child, by the Salem community, until the end when she stands with Arthur and Pearl on that same scaffold, Hester is a remarkably strong character. Unlike Arthur Dimmesdale, her partner in sin, who appears strong initially but is progressively weakened by his overwhelming feelings of guilt and sinfulness throughout the story, Hester grows stronger, despite her own sin and guilt, as the story progresses."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2007.
An analysis of the allegory present in "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
770 words (approx. 3.1 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 27.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how the characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" have often been described as allegorical in nature. The paper explains that they seem to represent something throughout the novel. The paper looks at the various views of critics and asserts that the novel uses allegory to highlight the lack of compassion in Puritan society. The paper contends that the whole novel is about Puritan society and the Church where they are attacked for their false teachings, wrong ideals and lack of compassion.
From the Paper
"The Scarlet Letter is one of the most widely admired works by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The characters have often been described as allegorical in nature since they seem to represent something or the other throughout the novel. Yvor Winters called the novel "pure allegory" where he felt that the characters represented various degrees of sins: "Hester represents the repentant sinner, Dimmesdale the half-repentant sinner and Chillingworth the unrepentant sinner." (p.3) Matthiessen on the other hand did not agree with this interpretation and felt that the characters represented various degrees of allegory with Pearl bearing the greatest responsibility of representation."
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2002.
This paper looks at the motivation between the actions of the three main characters in the "The Scarlet Letter" by Hawthorne.
1,660 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the motives behind the actions of the three main characters in the story, "The Scarlet Letter." Dimmesdale, Chillingworth and Hester's characters are delved into in order to give the reader a better understanding why the story unfolds as it does. Each of these characters has a hidden agenda, and in many cases this is influenced by certain character traits that they have managed to keep hidden from the public's view. Using several examples from the story, the author illustrates how despite great hardship, Hester maintains her personal dignity and honesty, while the male character's are constantly at war with their public and personal personas.
From the Paper
\\\"Fortunately for Chillingworth, Arthur?s conscience is progressively winning the battle against his front of respectability. But unfortunately for Chillingworth, Arthur may not give in the way he predicts or hopes. In fact, the moment of truth comes when Chillingworth is engrossed with some other business and he appears at the scaffold area just in time to hear the dying clergyman?s pronouncement of sin. Chillingworth receives total justice through this intense suffering in both Arthur and Hester, but nothing farther in the inner world. Arthur falls, not into his vengeful hands, but into the Creator?s alone to whom Arthur sinned. Death enables Arthur to escape Chillingworth?s revenge: ?Hadst thou sought the whole earth over ... There was no one place so secret ? no high place nor lowly place where thou couldst have escaped me ? save on this very scaffold!? (Ch 23)\\\"
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"The Scarlet Letter", 2002.
This paper looks at importance of Dimmesdale's confession in the novel "The Scarlet Letter."
2,275 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 70.95
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Abstract
This paper is an exploration of the impact of speech and silence in the novel, "The Scarlet Letter." It pays special attention to the centrality of Dimmesdales' confession. The paper discusses the issues of sin and confession in the novel, with a unique approach to the meaning of sin to Hester and Dimmesdale. According to this author, Dimmesdale, and not Hester is the key to this story, since his silence and refusal to confess control the story, its outcome and as such, the development of the other characters.
From the Paper
"Dimmesdale finds inspiration and power in the act of sin; he is most potent when he is most perverse. It is a passionate sexual transgression that produces Pearl; it is his failure to confess his adultery and the resultant hypocrisy that gives force to his sermons and gains him respect in the eyes of the community; his decision to leave with Hester and his sexual excitement ?lent him unaccustomed physical energy? (2347); his incitement to do ?some strange, wild, wicked thing? (2348) allows him to write ?with earnest haste and ecstacy? a sermon ?with such an impulsive flow of thought and emotion, that he fancied himself inspired? (2352)."
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