OntheSymbolismintheScarletLetter.docx
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OntheSymbolismintheScarletLetter
OntheSymbolismintheScarletLetter
Writtenby:
LiYanwei
Supervisedby:
ZhengGaohong
EnglishDepartment
CollegeofAdultEducation
AnhuiNormalUniversity
October2010
Acknowledgement
Iwouldliketoexpressmyappreciationformyclassmates,myteacherandmyLecturerZheng.Withtheirhelp,Iachievedthisessay.Thankstomyclassmateswhogiveencouragementandreferencebooksforme.IalsoacknowledgemycomprehensiveEnglishteacherwhogivesmeavailableinformationandadvices.AndIwantgivemyspecialgratefulnesstoMr.Zheng,heprovidesalotofeffectivesuggestionsformythesis,andsuggestsmehowtoperfectmyessay.Finally,Igenuinelyoffermyacknowledgementtothem.
Abstract
Asafamouswriterofromanticism,NathanielHawthorneisskillfulattheusingofsymbolisminhisworks.
ThevarioususageofsymbolisminTheScarletLettermakesthenovelasaworkoftheworld.Thenovelrevolvesaroundonemajorsymbol:
theScarletLetter.Besides,thefourmajorcharacters:
HesterPrynne,ArthurDimmesdale,RogerChillingworthandPearlhavetheirsymbolicmeanings,Moreover,someotherobjectsthataredescribedinthenovelalsohavetheirsymbolicmeanings.Inaword,TheScarletLetterisanovelofmuchsymbolism.
Keywords:
theScarletLetter,symbolic,scaffold
摘要
作为一名浪漫主义作家,纳撒尼尔·霍桑在他的作品中很巧妙的运用了象征主义。
在《红字》这部小说中他广泛地运用象征主义,从而使这部小说成为了世界名著。
《红字》中围绕着一个主要象征:
红字。
另外,还有四个主要人物:
海斯特、丁梅斯代尔、齐灵渥斯以及珍珠都有他们各自的象征意义。
而且,在文中描写的一些景物景色也有其深刻的象征意义。
总之,《红字》是一部充满象征主义的小说。
关键词:
红字、象征主义、刑台
OntheSymbolismintheScarletLetter
Chapter1Introduction
1.1Literaturereview
NathanielHawthornewasbornonJuly4,1804inSalem,Massachusetts,thedescendentofalonglineofPuritanancestors,includingJohnHawthorne,apresidingmagistrateintheSalemwitchtrials.Afterhisfatherlostatseawhenhewasonlyfouryearsold,hismotherbecameoverlyprotectiveandpushedhimtowardmoreisolatedpursuits.Hawthorne'schildhoodlefthimoverlyshyandbookish,andmoldedhislifeasawriter.TheScarletLetterwhichmakeshimknownallaroundtheworldisoneofhismostfamousworks.Thenovelpublishedin1850s,whichisnotableforitsallegoryandsymbolismandisregardedasthefirstsymbolicnovelinAmericanliterature.TheScarletLetterrecountsthestoryofHesterPrynnewhoisayoung,recentlymarriedwoman.SheissenttostartanewlifeinAmericawhileherhusbandremainsinEngland.InAmericashefallsintolovewithanothermanandgivesbirthtoababy.Thisbehaviorisagainstforthepuritanlaw,soshehasbeencaughtandaskedtotellthetruth.However,shedoesnotrevealthenameofherloverafterapublictrial,andsheisforcedtowearascarletletter"A"whichismarkingherasanadulteress.Unknowntoherorherlover,herhusbandstandsamongthecrowdwhocondemnsher.Hester’shusbandacold-heartedmanwhodecidestofindthefatherofthebaby,andtakesactionsofhisplantorevenge.Whenfindingthetruth,hebeginstotormentDimmesdale.Inthissituation,hehastoagreewithHester'sescapeplan.Butitfails.Finally,Dimmesdale,withHesterandPearl,gotothescaffold.HeadmitsthatheisthefatherofthePearlanddies.Later,Chinngworthalsopassesaway.WhileHesterisacknowledgedthroughherintergrityandatticfaithofthelife.
1.2Thesignificance
AsagreatromanticnovelistinAmericain19thcentury,Hawthorneisoutstandinginhandlingtheapplicationofsymbolism.TheScarletLetterisHawthorne'sthemostimportantsymbolicnovel,whichstandsasthebestworkofHawthorneandoneoftheindubitablemasterpiecesofAmericanliterature.Thisessayaimsattheexplorationoftheusageofthesymbolisminthenovel.Itmainlydiscussesthedeepsymbolicsignificanceofthescarletletter"A",thefourmajorcharacters,andtheobjects.Thescarletletteristhecentralsymbolofthenovel.Itissymbolicmeaningchangesfrom"adultery"to"able",even"angel"inthenovel.ItalsoexaminesthesymbolicmeaningsoflittlePearlandsometypicalnaturalsurroundingssuchasthejail,theforest,thescaffoldandsoon.Thisnovelhasaveryimportantsymbolicsignificance.
Meanwhile,theScarletLetterdepictsthreekindsofcriminalsinthepuritansociety;theyareHesterwhomakesasinofadultery,Dimmesdalewhomakesasinofcheating,andChillingworthwhomakesasinofvengeance.Itprobesdeeplyintotheessenceofthepuritancommunity,revealsthecrueltyoflawintheCapitalistsociety,thereligiouscheatingandhypocriticalmorality.
Chapter2TheSymbolismoftheLetter"A"
2.1"A"for"Adultery""shame"and"humannature"
ThenovelopenswithHesterbeingledtothescaffold.Theletter"A"whichisworninHester'schestisasymbolofheradulteryagainstRogerChillingworth.Asapuritanpunishmentwayoftheadultery,itisherpunishmenttoweartheletter"A".Andsheisforcedtowearthescarletletteronherbosomallthetime.AndthepurposeofthisletterisashametowearforHester,andmakesherunset."Here,shesaidtoherself,hasbeenthesceneofherguiltthereshouldbeasceneofherearthlypunishment…….".Hesterisashamedathersin,butshechoosesnottodisplayit.Sheadmitsthiscrimeintheheartofpassionandfullyrecognizes.Thoughshefeelscompunction,shealsoacceptshermostvaluabletreasure---Pearl.Withthissituation,manypeoplewillleaveBostontofindaplacewhereisremoteandnooneknowshersin,andhidehercharacterandidentityunderanewexterior,orshecanemergeintoanotherstatewhereshecouldalooffromthelawthatcondemnsher.However,Hesterchoosestostaywhichindicatesthatshehasalotofstrengthandintegrity.What'smore,theletter"A"isnaturalratherthanbeingexoticandluridasthecommunitysees,andthosethingsassociatedwiththem---passionandsexualityinparticular---arenaturaltohumannature.ifweseetheletter"A"asasymbolofhumannature,thenHesterseestheletter"A"aspunishmentandshame,thecommunityshowsitashumannatureespeciallypassion,tobedevilish.
2.2"A"for"Able""Angel""Arthur"
Then,Theletter"A"standsforAble,Angel,andArthur.ThevillagersnowchangetheirmindstobelievethatthescarletletterstandsforHester'sabilityandherbeautifulneedlework."Theletterwasasymbolofhercalling.Suchhelpfulnessisfoundinhersomuchpowertodoandpowertosympathize---thatmanypeoplerefusedtointerpretthescarletletter"A"."(P148).SotherearemanypeoplerealizedthatHesterhasanoblecharacter.thentheletter"A"symbolizesangelratherthanadultery.Hesterprovidestimeandloveforthepersonwhoneedshermost,whichprovesthatshehasnotdefeatedwhensheencountersmanysuffers.InHester'seyes,theletter"A"alsorepresentsherlover"Arthur".SothescarletlettercanberegardedasthebadgeoftheardentlovebetweenHesterandArthur.ThisisshownbyHester'sappearanceatthescaffoldwithaproudsmileatthebeginningofthestory.Hesterdoesnotfeelshamedfortheletterbutthinksofitasasymboloftheirgreatlove.
Thesechangesinscarletletterareverysignificant.Theyshowhersin,herabilityandherbeauty.Hesterisapowerfulwomanwhoismoreadmirabletogothroughtheemotionaltorture,asmostpeoplegothroughlife.
Chapter3Theexpressionofsymbolisminthecharacter
3.1Pearl:
Alivingscarletletter
Pearlisoneofthemostcomplexandmisunderstoodsymbolsinthenovel.SheisthedaughterofHesterandArthur.Pearlwasasourceofmanydifferentkindsofsymbolism.
ThemostsignificantsymbolicmeaningofPearlinthenovelisherassociationwiththescarletletter"A".WhenHesterrealizesthisinthefirstscaffoldscene,sheresiststhetemptationtoholdPearlinfrontofthescarletletter"A","andindeed,ofthechild‘swholeappearance,thatitirresistiblyremindedthebeholderofthetokenwhichHesterPrynnewasdoomedtowearuponherbosom".(P93)Pearlreallyisthescarletletterwhichisinanotherformandendowsthescarletletterwithlife.
Asasymbol,PearlalwayskeepsHesterawareofhersin.PearlalwayskeepsHesterawarethatthereisnoescapefromherpassionatenature.Thepuritanswouldcallthatnatural"sinful",Inchapter6,Hawthorneemploysanoften-usedtechniqueforthatpassion.Hawthornehandlesmirrorimages,Hesterlooksinto"theblackmirrorofPearl’seyes"andshesees"aface,fiend-like,fullofsmilingmalice,yetbearingthesemblanceoffeaturesthatshehadknownfullwell,thoughseldomwithasmile,andneverwithmaliceinthem",Isthisherownface,neverwithmalice,butiscontortedbyevil?
Ifso,Pearlistheembodimentofthatpassion.
Moreover,PearlisthepersonwhoeventuallymakesDimmesdaleadmithiscrime,sheconstantlyaskswhytheministerkeepsputtinghishandoverhisheartandfiguresoutitisthesamereasonthathermotherwearsthescarletletter,Herroleasalivingscarletletteristoannouncetothewholeworldwhotheguiltparentsare,whenDimmesdalestandsonthescaffoldwhereHestersufferedherpublichumiliationseveralyearsbefore,hemeetsHesterandPearlwhohavebeenatGovernorWinthrop'sdeathbed,takingameasurementsforaroe.Heinvitesthemtojoinhimonthestand.Thenwhentheylatermeetintheforest,HestersaystoPearl,"Helovesthee,mylittlePearl,andlovesthymothertoo.Wiltthoulovehim?
"Pearlsays,"Dothheloveus?
"thenasks,"wilthegobackwithus,handinhand,wethreetogether,intothetown?
"Theansweris"notnow".SowhenDimmesdaleimpressesakissonherbrowbeforetheyleavetheforest,"Pearlbrokeawayfromhermother,and,