On Symbolism in the Scarlet Letter A论《红字》中的象征主义.docx

On Symbolism in the Scarlet Letter A论《红字》中的象征主义.docx

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OnSymbolismintheScarletLetterA论《红字》中的象征主义

OnSymbolismintheScarletLetter“A”

论《红字》中的象征主义

Abstract:

THESCARLETLETTERisregardedasthefirstAmericansymbolicnovelforthevividusingofsymbolisminthisnovel.Hawthorne'suseofsymbolisminthisnovelisoneofthemostsignificantcontributionstotheriseofAmericanLiterature.Thispaperattemptstoexpoundthefeaturesofsymbolismuseinthisnovelthroughtheanalysisofthreeaspects:

themulti-connotationalfeature,thesystematicfeatureandthemetaphoricalfeature.

Firstly,themulti-connotationalfeatureisperfectlyshownbythescarletletter“A”,whichsymbolizes“adultery”,“alone”,“angle”andsomeotherspecialcharacteristics.Meanwhile,PearlandDimmesdalearetheothersymbolofmulti-connotations.Secondly,frommatters,details,characterstobackgroundsorevenactions,theyareall,withoutanyexception,possessedofsymbolicmeanings,whichistheotherfeatureofthesymbolismuseinthisnoveli.e.thesystematicfeature.Inaddition,Hawthornebroketheruleoftraditionalsymbolismanddirectlyexpressedhisownsubjectivefeelings,whichmadethisnovelmetaphorical.

Inconclusion,thevariousfeaturesofsymbolismusinginTHESCARLETLETTERmakesthenovelaworkoftheworld.

Keywords:

THESCARLETLETTER,symbolism,multi-connotation,systematization,metaphorization

摘要:

《红字》被认为美国第一部象征性小说，霍桑在这部作品中运用象征主义手法为美国文学做出了显著的贡献，是一大进步。

本文试图阐明象征主义的用途和特点。

在这本章中通过对三个方面的分析:

多层意义的特点、系统化和隐喻的特点。

首先,多隐含义的特点由红字"A"完全显示,象征"通奸","单独","角度"和其它特征。

同时,珠儿和梅斯丁代尔牧师是多内涵的另一标志。

第二,从事态、细节、人物、背景及行动方面,他们是贯穿始终的。

拥有象征性意思,和象征主义用途另一特点在这本小说里，即系统的特点。

另外,霍桑打破了传统象征主义的特点，直接地表现出他自己的主观感觉,使这本小说带有隐喻的特点。

总而言之,作者在作品中采用的象征手法贯穿始终、无处不在。

《红字》使美国作家霍桑誉满全球。

关键词：

《红字》；象征主义；多隐含义；系统；隐喻

Contents

Abstract---------------------------------------------------------------------------i

摘要------------------------------------------------------------------------------ii

Contents---------------------------------------------------------------------------iii

Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------------1

1.TheMulti-connotationofSymbolism-----------------------------------------1

1.1Multi-connotationsoftheScarletLetter“A”--------------------------2

1.2Multi-connotationsofPearl----------------------------------------------7

1.3Multi-connotationsofArthurDimmesdale----------------------------11

2.TheSystematizationofSymbolism-------------------------------------------12

2.1CustomHouse-----------------------------------------------------------------12

2.2Prison---------------------------------------------------------------------------13

2.3AnnHutchinson&Rosebush-----------------------------------------------14

2.4Forest--------------------------------------------------------------------------15

2.5TheSmallBrook-----------------------------------------------------------18

2.6OtherCharacters------------------------------------------------------------18

3.TheMetaphorizationofSymbolism-------------------------------------20

Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------------21

Bibliography---------------------------------------------------------------------22Acknowledgements---------------------------------------------------------------23

Introduction

NathanielHawthornewasoneofthegreatestromanticismnovelistsin19thCenturyAmerica.Meanwhile,asthefounderofAmericannovel,Hawthorne,togetherwithHenryWadsworthLongfellowandWashingtonIrving,wereregardedasthethreeimmortalgreatmindsin19thCentury.However,onlyHawthornesurvivedinthestormsoftransvaluationsin20thCentury.Toagreatextent,thesurvivalofHawthorneisduetohisTHESCARLETLETTER.THESCARLETLETTERisregardedasthemostoutstandingmasterpieceofHawthorneandthemostprestigiousauthoritativeworkamongalltheAmericanromanticismnovels.TherearevariousartisticfeaturesinTHESCARLETLETTER.Thisnoveldescribedthefantasticromanticatmospheresaswellasthespecificmentalactivities,whilethemostimportantfeatureisthesymbolismusedinthisnovel.Therefore,THESCARLETLETTERisregardedasthefirstAmericansymbolicnovel.ThiskindofartisticformimposedgreatinfluenceuponthedevelopmentofAmericannovel.ThispaperattemptstoexpoundthefeaturesofsymbolismuseinTHESCARLETLETTER.

1.TheMulti-connotationofSymbolism

Symbolsareobjects,characters,figures,orcolorsusedtorepresentabstractideasorconcepts.Nomatterwhatcharactersorplaces,actionsorobjectstheyare,theyareallendowedwiththemeaningswhichmaybebeyondtheirownsoastoobtainconcreteormaterialformsofthosethoughtsoremotionsofcharactersandthoseabstractconcepts.“Hawthornewantedto‘spiritualize'theissueandhavehistalessaythatmatterdoesn'tmatter,spiritisall,thebodyismereclay,andpassionispoison.Hesaidthatallthingshavespirits,justliketherelationbetweensoulandbody.ThispointofviewdecidedthatHawthornelayemphasisonusingsymbolstodisclosetheobscuremeaningsbehindobjectivemattersratherthanreliedontheactualdescriptionsofobjectivematterswhencreatinghisworks.”TherearemanysymbolsusedinTHESCARLETLETTER,someofwhichareobviouswhilesomeothersareobscure.Hawthorneendowedalmosteverycharacter,circumstance,actioninTHESCARLETLETTERwithcertainsymbolicmeanings.Thusthefirstfeatureisobvious,thatisthemulti-connotationofsymbolism.Therearethreesymbolsthroughoutthenovel.Thescarletletter“A”isatypicalsymbol,andPearlandDimmesdalearetheothermulti-工业connotationals.

1.1Multi-connotationsoftheScarletLetter“A”

Inthisnovel,themeaningsofthescarletletter“A”shiftsastimepasses.Itshowsgrowthinthecharacters,andthecommunityinwhichtheylive.

Thescarletletter“A”inthisnovelbeginsasasymbolofpunishment.HawthornewroteinhisAmericannotebooksin1845“lifeofawoman,who,bytheoldcolonylaw,wascondemnedalwaystoweartheletterA,sewedonhergarment,intokenofherhavingcommittedadultery.”（Gerber,1968:

17）Hestercommittedthecrimeofadultery,soshewaspunishedbytheCalvinisminawayofwearingthescarlet“A”（thefirstletteroftheword“Adultery”）.Hesternaturallyfeltashamedofthesymbolbecause“oftentimes,shecouldscarcelyrefrain,yetalwaysdidrefrainfromcoveringthesymbolwithherhand.”（Hawthorne,2003:

79）SherefrainedherselfbecausePearlwasbornoutofthesinanditwasPearl,thelittlelife,whorevivedhermeaningofliving.ItwasbecauseofPearlthatHesterchosetobetoughandtostayattheplacewhereshehadcommittedhersin.Thereisanunforgettablesceneinthisnovel:

whenHesterandPearlsawthearmorinthegovernor'shall,“Hesterlooked,bywayofhumoringthechild,andshesawthat,owingtothepeculiareffectofthisconvexmirror,thescarletletterwasrepresentedinexaggeratedfeatureofherappearance.”（Hawthorne,2003:

97）ThePuritansocietyutmostlyoverstatedindividualsinanditsponderancesothatone'ssoulandcharacterwaskilled.Onthislevel,thescarletletter“A”isasymbolofpunishment.Whileontheotheraspect,itisawayofpunishmentimplementedbythereligio-politicalauthorities.

Thescarletletter“A”isalsoasymbolofHester'slifeinNewEngland,whichwasaloneandalienative.Aftershewasreleasedfromtheprison,shelivedinasmallthatchedcottage“ontheoutskirtsofthetown,withinthevergeofthepeninsula,butnotinclosevicinitytoanyotherhabitation”（Hawthorne,2003:

74）and“itscomparativeremotenessputitoutofthesphereofthatsocialactivitywhichalreadymarkedthehabitsoftheemigrants.”（Hawthorne,2003:

75）ItwasintherethatHesterwithherlittleinfantlivedalifebyherdelicateneedleworkanditwasintherethatPearlgrewup.

Thescarletletter“A”standsforamour,shameandso-calledpeople'soriginalsin.Hesterputitonbravely,whichmeantthatshehadcommittedherguilt.Meanwhile,inthedeepestplaceofthosesanctimoniousones'heartshidemuchmoreirremissiblecrimes.Hesterhadenduredallkindsofpressuresandinsults.Sheperfectedandsublimedherselffromaplainwomantoanewladywhowasabletothink,toobserveandtoresistwhenfightingwiththepersecutionofPuritanism.InthissevenyearseversincePearlwasborn,Hesterlivedapurelife.Thetownspeoplewhooncecondemnedherbegantobelievethescarletlettertostandforherabilitytoherbeautifulneedleworkandforherunselfishassistancetothepoorandsick.“Theletterwasthesymbolofhercalling.Suchhelpfulnessisfoundinhersomuchpowertodoandpowertosympathize-thatmanypeoplerefusestointerpretthescarletletter‘A'byitsoriginalsignification.”（Hawthorne,2003:

146）Atthispoint,alotofthetownspeoplerealizedwhatanoblecharacterHesterpossessed.“Doyouseethatwomanwiththeembroideredbadge?

ItisourHester-thetown'sownHester-whoissokindtothepoor,sohelpfultothesick,socomfortingtotheafflicted!

”（Hawthorne,2003:

147）Thetownspeoplesoonbegantobelievethatthebadgeservedtowardoffevil,andHestergrewtobequiteadmirableamongstthepeopleofthetown.Hesterovercametheshameofhersinthroughthepurityandgoodnessofhersoul.Unselfishlyofferinghertimeandlovetothosewhoneededhermostprovedthatshewasnotworthyofthefatewhichhadbeendealttoher.Thescarletletter“A”becameasymbolof“able”,“admirable”,“affection”and“angel”.

Thescarletletter“A”canalsobetakenasamemorialofDimmesdale'ssin.Dimmesdalewasacombinationofcontradictoryelements.Onthesurface,hewasregardedasthesaintbyhisfollowers.However,itwas