英语专业毕业论文《红字》赏析全英文.docx

英语专业毕业论文《红字》赏析全英文.docx

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英语专业毕业论文《红字》赏析全英文

摘要

《红字》是一部关于爱情，清教，复仇的美国经典浪漫主义文学作品，无疑是文学史上的一大巨作。

小说的主题是“罪恶”。

它向我们展示了主人公“净化”心灵的历程。

通过自己的善行和努力，主人公改变了自己在人们心中的形象，甚至将原来表示“通奸”的标志“A”字，变成了德行的象征，赢得人们的尊敬。

该作品大量引用象征主义创作手法，并且引起读者的关注和共鸣。

也正是由于象征手法的运用，《红字》成为美国文学史上最早的也是最重要的浪漫主义文学作品之一。

《红字》为美国文学的发展和繁荣立下了不朽的功勋。

本文从红字的多重象征意义，主要人物的人名寓意以及景物等方面入手，研究《红字》的象征主义手法。

关键词:

霍桑;《红字》;象征

Abstract

TheScarletLetter,thepowerfultaleofpassion,Puritanism，andrevengeisoneoftheforemostclassicsofAmericanliterature.Itsmainthemeissinandguiltandthenovelexhibitsustheprocessoftheheroine’sheart-purification.Throughherkindnessandgreateffort,shechangedherimageandevenchangedthesymboloftheletterAfrom“Adultery”anddisgraceintovirtueandrespect.Therearemanyusageofsymbolisminthenovel，whichinspirescontemplationandfeelingonthepartofthereaders.AnditisjustthisfeaturethatpromotesTheScarletLettertobeoneoftheearliestandthemostsignificantnovelsofromanticstyleinAmerica.TheScarletLettermadegreatcontributiontotheprogressandprosperityofAmerica.Thisthesisresearchesthesymbolisminthisnovelfromthefollowingthreeaspects:

thechangingsymbolicmeaningofthescarletletter,thenameofthemajorcharactersandmanyobjectsthataredescribedinthenoveltomakethesymbolismcleartothereaders.

Keywords:

Hawthorne;TheScarletLetter;symbolism

ChapterOneIntroductionThedefinitionofsymbolismand

thesummaryofthestory

Symbolismisatraditionalartisticformwhichusessomethingconcretetoexpressabstractconcept.Asafamouswriterofromanticism,Hawthorneisskillfulattheusingofsymbolisminhiswork.ThevarioususageofsymbolisminTheScarletLettermakesthenovelagreatworkoftheworld.TheScarletLetterwassetinPuritanBoston.ThebeautifulHesterPrynnefallsinlovewithayoungandrespectableministerDimmesdale,andgavebirthtoherdaughter,Pearl;asaresult,shecommittedadulteryandwasbanishedfromthemainstreamofthecommunity.Whilehersinnerlover,Dimmesdale,wasunpunishedandworshippedmoreandmorebythemultitudeoftenpeople.Hester’shusband,ChillingworthfoundoutabouttheguiltyministerandtookeverychancetotortureDimmesdale’ssoul.Sevenyearslater,Hesterwasacceptedagainbythemassesduetoherdevotedservicesforthecommunity,andDimmesdalewasbravetostandwithHesterandhisdaughter,openlyadmittedhissin,andthenhedied.

ChapterTwoDifferentmeaningsofthescarletletter"A"

2.1TheChangesoftheSymbolicMeaningoftheScarletLetter"A"

Inthisnovel,thereaderscanseetheglittering“A”formanytimes,andthescarletletter"A"changesitsmeaningmanydifferenttimes.Theletter"A"beginsasasymbolofsin.Itthenbecomesasymbolofbeingaloneandalienation,andfinallyitbecomesasymbolofbeingable,angelandadmirable.Thethreechangesarerathersignificant.TheyshowtheprogressivepossessionofHester’ssin,herlonelylifeandherability.Hesterisastrongadmirablewomanwhogoesthroughmoreemotionaltorturethatmostpeoplegothroughinalifetime.

2.1.1Adultery

Theletter"A",wornonHester'sbosom,isasymbolofheradulteryagainstRogerChillingworth.Thisisthepuritanwayoftreatingoneasacriminal,forthecrimeofadultery.Thepuritantreatmentcontinues,becauseasHesterwalksonthestreets,shewillbelookeddownuponasifsheissomesortofdemonfromhellthatcommitsaterriblecrime.Thisletterismeanttobeworninshame,andtomakeHesterfeelunwanted."Here,shesaidtoherself,hadbeenthesceneofherguilt,andhereshouldbethesceneofherearthlypunishment…（霍，2000：

74）"Hesterisashamedofhersin,butshechoosesnottoshowit.Shecommitsthissinintheheatofpassion,andfullyadmitsitbecause,thoughsheisashamed,shealsoreceiveshergreatesttreasure,Pearl.Sheisaverystrongwomantobeabletoholdupsowellagainstwhatshemustface.ManywillhavefledfromBoston,andseekaplacewherenooneknowsofhergreatsin.ButHesterchoosestostaythere,whichshowsalotofstrengthandintegrity.

2.1.2.AloneandAlienation

Thescarletletter"A"alsostandsforHester'slonelylifeinNewEngland.Theletterseparatesherfromthecommoncircleofherneighborhood,sincechildrenfinditoffensive;strangersconsideritqueerwhilecommunitypeoplefrownuponit.Aftersheisreleased,Hesterlivesinacottageneartheoutskirtsofthecity."Ithadbeenbuiltbyanearliersettler,andabandoned,becausethesoilaboutitwastoosterileforcultivation,whileitscomparativeremotenessputitoutofthesphereofthatsocialactivitywhichalreadymarkedthehabitsoftheemigrants."（霍，2000：

75）Hester'ssociallifeisvirtuallyeliminatedbecauseofhershamefulhistory.Hestercomestorealizethatsheisnolongerpartoftheworld.“However,therewasnothingthatmadeherfeelasifshebelongedtoit.Everygesture,everyword,andeventhesilenceofthosewithwhomshecametocontact,implied,andoftenexpressed,thatshewasbanished,andasmuchaloneasifsheinhabitedanothersphere,orcommunicatedwiththecommonnaturebyotherorgansandsensesthantherestofhumankind.Shestoodapartfrommoralinterests…seemedtobethesoleportionthatsheretainedintheuniversalheart."（霍，2000：

78）Hesterhasnofriendsintheworld,andlittlePearlistheonlycompanionofherlonelylife,sothescarletletter"A"alsoisasymbolofthewords"alone"and"alienate".

2.1.3.Able,AdmirableandAngel

Later,thescarletletter"A"changesitsmeaningintobeingable,angelandadmirable.Becausesheintendstodogoodforthecolonythatoncebanishesher,moreforherclearconsciencethanforthepurposetoreturntothesociety."Theletterwasthesymbolofhercalling.Suchhelpfulnessisfoundinhersomuchpowertodoandpowertosympathize-thatmanypeoplerefusestointerpretthescarletletter‘A'byitsoriginalsignification."（霍，2000：

148）Atthispoint,alotofthetownspeoplerealizewhatanoblecharacterHesterpossesses."Doyouseethatwomanwiththeembroideredbadge?

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

"（霍，2000：

149）Thetownspeoplesoonbegintobelievethatthebadgeservedtowardoffevil,InsorrowandseclusionHestergrowsstronger.Hercharitytothepoor,hercomforttothebroken-hearted,herbravepresenceintimesoftroublemostprovethatsheisnotworthyofthefatewhichhasbeendealttoher.

ChapterThreeTheSymbolicMeaningofthefour

MajorCharacters'Names

3.1HesterPrynne

HesterPrynneisoneofthemajorcharactersinTheScarletLetter.Thewritergiveshermuchsymbolicmeaningbygivingherthisname.Andhernamereflectshercharacteristic.Firstly,HestersoundslikeHestier,Zeus'sisterinGreekmythology,whoisaverybeautifulgoddess.ThisgivesusasensethatHesterisapassionatebeautifulwoman.Inthisnovel,sheisthesymbolofthetruth,thegoodnessandthebeauty.NathanielHawthornedescribesherinChapterTwolikethis:

"Theyoungwomanwastall,afigureofperfecteleganceonalargescale,shehaddarkandabundanthair,soglossythatitthrewoffthesunshinewithagleam,andafacewhich,besidesbeingbeautifulfromregularityoffeatureandrichnessofcomplexion,hadtheimpressivenessbelongingtoamarkedbrowanddeepblackeyes…"（霍，2000：

50）Duetotheadultery,HesteriscompelledtoweartheinfamousletterA,tomovetotheedgeofthecommunity,andworstofalltobealienatedfromthesociety.Buthersinleadshertoamoralgrowth.Insteadofrunningfromthehostilecolonists,Hesterwithstandstheirinsolenceandpursuesanormallife.Sheproveshervaluewithheruncommonsewingskillsandprovidescommunityservice.Atlast,thecolonistscometothinkofthescarletletteras"thecrossonanun'sbosom",whichisnotsmallaccomplishment.

Secondly,Hesteristhehomophoneofthewordhaste.Atfirst,shegetsmarriedtoRogerPrynne,anuglymanwhogiveshisbestyearstofeedthehungrydreamofknowledge.NothavinggotthenewsaboutherhusbandwhoshouldhavearrivedbyshipfromEngland,shefallsinlovewithArthurhastilyandgivesbirthtoPearl,forwhichsheisforcedtowearthedisgracefulscarletletter"A"onherdress,whichstandsforadultery.Besides,prynnealsohasitssymbolicmeaning.Prynneisthehomophoneofthewordpurifying.TheauthornotonlyexplorestherootofHester’ssin,butalsobelievesthatshecanpurifyherself.Afterreleasingfromprison,shehasthechancetomovetoanotherplace.Butshestillchoosetoliveintheplacewhereshecommittedsin.Finally,thetownpeopleeventhinkherasthesymbolofangel.

3.2.ArthurDimmesdale

ArthurDimmesdaleisawell-regardedyoungminister,whoseinitialsareAD,whichalsostandsforadultery.TheauthorobviouslytellsusAuthorDimmesdaleisthepartnerinsinofHesterPrynnebygivinghimthisname.ThewordDimmesdalealsohasmanysymbolicmeanings.Dimmeansdarkandweakanddalemeansvalley,sothedimdalehereisactuallyasymbolofthe"dim-interior"oftheclergyman.HelovesHesterdeeply,andheisthefatherofPearl,butheisacoward.DimmesdaleisnotcourageousenoughtotellthetownthathewastheonewhocommittedadulterywithHesterandtheonewhodeservedtostandinthescaffoldwithHesterandPearlwhiletheyarebeingpunishedopenlybythetown-people’sstaresandwhispers.Incontrasthetriestobeadouble-dealer,thehonorableministerinthedaylightandonlyshowhispassionforherintheforestorindarkness..ThepunishmentforhimisnotasobviousasthatofHester’s—it’stheremorserootedinhisownconsc