StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Thematic Analysis- The scarlet letter - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Name The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter is an intriguing story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne which is set in a Puritan societal setup in Boston. The story revolves mainly around the character of Hester Prynne who gives birth to a daughter named Pearl and is punished owing to her act of adultery…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.8% of users find it useful
Thematic Analysis- The scarlet letter
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Thematic Analysis- The scarlet letter"

Download file to see previous pages

The Scarlet Letter uses the difficult journey of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale to shed light upon the human condition and how human life is characterized by sin and suffering. An important characteristic of a human being is that he is not perfect and that from time to time he has a temptation to drift from the right path and turn towards committing a sin. This characteristic is depicted in the story by Hawthorne by the sin that Hester commits by sleeping with another man despite of being married.

Hester becomes pregnant and she is questioned several times regarding the name of her lover but she does not reveal his identity. This feature of human condition (that is sin) is further strengthened in the story when it is revealed that the man who was also involved in this act of adultery with Hester was Arthur Dimmesdale, the minister of the Church. This revelation supports the belief that a human being can never be perfect no matter what position he holds in the society and that every being can be sinful owing to the temptations of human nature.

Nathaniel Hawthorne explains the nature of evil and good in the story. Hester and Dimmesdale are the two people who commit the sin but they display their goodness by repenting for their sins. Hester is punished in public for her act but she faces her difficulties with grace and does not run away. She rather becomes stronger and dignified in her period of punishment and this earns respect from the people owing to this. On the other hand, Dimmesdale faces his suffering alone and he pierces the scarlet A on his chest.

He is not as strong as Hester to reveal his sin in public but he suffers deep down and falls ill. He finally reveals his act in public and dies. Their characters display the good side of human nature as they repent for their sinful act. Dimmesdale is a religious man who understands that their illegal unity by running away would yield them nothing in this world and the world hereafter. He explains this by saying, “I fear! I fear! It may be, that, when we forgot our God,--when we violated our reverence each for the other's soul,--it was vain to hope that we could meet hereafter, in an everlasting and pure reunion.

” These lines are a display of his regret for his sin. The evil side of human nature is seen in the character of Roger Chillingworth. He is Hester’s husband who deserted her years back and left her alone and he returns at the time when she is being punished for her act of adultery. Chillingworth may be considered responsible for the position that Hester is placed in because it is probably her loneliness that drove her towards her act of sin. Despite of the sin being committed by her, she comes out of it gracefully.

But Chillingworth works towards seeking revenge. The evilness of Chillingworth is explained by Dimmesdale when he says, “That old man's revenge has been blacker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart”. Chillingworth is an evil man who does not let Hester live in peace and spies on Dimmesdale as well and is ready to go to any depths for the attainment of his revenge. The Scarlet Letter is a perfect story written by Hawthorne which provides a depiction of the human nature.

It throws light upon the aspects of sin, evil and goodness. A human being cannot be perfect and sinful acts are a part of the existence of human life. Hester accepts her sin and

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Thematic Analysis- The scarlet letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/english/1480198-thematic-analysis-the-scarlet-letter
(Thematic Analysis- The Scarlet Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
https://studentshare.org/english/1480198-thematic-analysis-the-scarlet-letter.
“Thematic Analysis- The Scarlet Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/english/1480198-thematic-analysis-the-scarlet-letter.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Thematic Analysis- The scarlet letter

Feminism in the character of Scarlett O'Hara

This essay describes the main character of Gone with the wind novel.... Scarlett was the most feminine temperament within the noted novel Gone with the Wind.... Set within the latter half the 1800's, Scarlett was a Miss United Nations bureau was remarkably progressive for time and day.... hellip; Scarlett was an authoritative girl found juggling her affections for numerous men....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

The Scarlet letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'the scarlet letter' has several allusions to Biblical characters as well as stories, particularly the Book of Esther.... Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'the scarlet letter' has several allusions to Biblical characters as well as stories, particularly the Book of Esther.... the scarlet letter enlightens of Roger Prynne's reinvention of himself by an act of naming: when he discovers his wife Hester in ignominy in the new world he takes on the name Chillingworth....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Ba and Achebe - Comparative Analysis

Following its success she wrote the scarlet Song, her final contribution to literature.... This essay will focus on Ba's So Long a letter and Achebe's Things Fall Apart and by using these texts as a backdrop will attempt to highlight the respective thematic concerns of both writers, while attempting a comparative analysis from particular standpoints designed to enrich the reading experience by enhancing the readers' understanding and appreciation of the text. … Ba and Achebe wrote about issues close to their heart....
12 Pages (3000 words) Essay

Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter

The theme of women represents one of the most important aspects in Hawthorne's "the scarlet letter.... In "the scarlet letter" Hawthorne employs Hutchinson's historical figure in order to disclose what an artistic account of the antinomian discourse reveals about history....
7 Pages (1750 words) Book Report/Review

Poe With Irving and Hawthorne Contribution to the American Literature

The paper "Poe with Irving and Hawthorne Contribution to the American Literature" discusses that they have used different literary styles in portraying their themes that have in turn left their legacy in the American literature.... Their themes were characterized by what was happening in society....
5 Pages (1250 words) Research Paper

Hester Prynne

This paper makes a conclusion that to understand and appreciate the power of the book "the scarlet letter" and the courage and strength of the protagonist is, Hester Prynne, is quite difficult for modern man, as people are accustomed to the freedom of manners, and the birth of a child out of wedlock does not send the mother to the scaffold.... After the fall of Hester, people made her wear a red letter "A" as a symbol of her immorality....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

Sustainable Scottish Urban Property Development

The paper “Sustainable Scottish Urban Property Development” shows the ambiguity of the land reform potency because of the lack of indicators to effectively evaluate its current progress.... While community-based natural resource control and local development are believed to become main practice....
12 Pages (3000 words) Coursework

The Story of An Hour and In the Lake of the Woods

The author of this book report "The Story of An Hour and In the Lake of the Woods" compares and contrasts two books, their plots,  peculiarities of characters, main idea and the role of protest.... hellip; The importance of art in the success of certain social movements and in attaining certain social ills the attention that they deserve cannot be stressed too much....
6 Pages (1500 words) Book Report/Review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us