Scarlet Letter Essay, Research Paper

The Ambiguity Use of Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne s novel, The Scarlett Letter, uses a batch of symbolism in the narrative that represents several significances within the context of the narrative. Hawthorne uses symbolism to add greater significance to the narrative. Objects such as the prison, rosebush, scaffold, meteor, forest, creek, and small Pearl are all of import symbols in Hawthorne s novel. The most obvious and chief symbol in the novel is the vermilion missive A, which has several significances. Each symbol has a particular significance that reveals a secret, the subject of the narrative and it besides resembles the character s personality.

The writer opens his narrative with the description of the prison and the prison door. The prison is described as an ugly building and as the black flower of civilised society ( 1131 ) . The prison is a symbol of solitariness and alienation from the remainder of the universe. This foreshadows the life that Hester will take even after she is released from prison. Hester lives in a prison of disaffection. She moves off from the town, but remains close. She lives a privy life on the outskirts of the town. Hester alienates herself from the remainder of the town people and attempts to avoid any contact with them because they see her as the black flower of their society. The prison may besides stand for the result of penalty from unconfessed wickedness. Reverend Dimmesdale lives in a prison of guilt and compunction because he does non hold the bravery to squeal his wickedness to the people. This imprisonment of unconfessed wickedness deteriorates his wellness and peace with God. Chillingworth, Hester s hubby, besides imprisons himself by his retribution on small Pearl s male parent. He is enslaved to torment and torture Dimmesdale. Throughout the novel the reader can see that his purpose of retaliation alterations his visual aspect and makes him free his ground.

As stated before, Hawthorne opens the chapter by presenting the significance of the prison that opens the narrative of human infirmity and sorrow. However, he besides includes a wild rosebush that with its appeal gives a aroma and delicate beauty to the captive ( Hawthorne 1131 ) . The wild rosebush symbolizes the Sweet and moral flower of the narrative. Its beauty surpasses all that is around it and its colour gives life to the ugliness of the prison. It may stand for that despite the tragic narrative of Hester, God might hold some commiseration on her and her kid. The rosebush can besides typify the vermilion missive on Hester s bosom. Hester has to have on this missive as a mark of her wickedness. Hester transforms this field missive into an intricately gold embroidered A. The more she garnishes the missive with gold yarn, the less the people notice it. As the old ages base on balls by, the missive that one time stood for criminal conversation, seems to hold changed its significance and is no longer seen as a mark of wickedness, but as a mark of a individual in goodness and comeliness.

Another of import symbol in the narrative is the scaffold. There are three scaffold scenes that are relevant to the narrative. The Puritans used the scaffold as an object where they placed people to penalize them or train them for their wickednesss or actions. The Puritans were people amongst whom faith and jurisprudence were about indistinguishable, and in whose character both were so exhaustively interfused, that the mildest and the severest Acts of the Apostless of public subject were likewise made venerable and atrocious ( Hawthorne 1332 ) . They used the scaffold

as a symbol of God s scaffold on the great judgement twenty-four hours. It is said that meager, so, and cold, was the understanding that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders at the scaffold ( Hawthorne 1132 ) . The first scaffold scene is when Hester courageously stands before the heartless crowd with small Pearl in weaponries as a penalty for her wickedness. This scene is at the beginning of the narrative. She stands there entirely with her babe non uncovering the individuality of her spouse in wickedness. Very different from Hester, Dimmesdale finds great trouble standing before the crowd on the scaffold. He finds it hard to squeal the truth of his dark secret. The 2nd scaffold scene happens in the center of the narrative. It occurs seven old ages subsequently when Dimmesdale purposes to squeal his wickedness standing on the scaffold at midnight. At this clip the town slumbers and is non cognizant of what Dimmesdale is seeking to make. His compunction makes him shout aloud into the dark, but no one hears him. Hester and Pearl, returning from the governor s deathbed, subsequently fall in him and the three base on the scaffold keeping custodies. However, the town slumbers and cipher is cognizant of his action, except Chillingworth who is standing nearby. The 3rd scaffold scene is found in the terminal of the narrative. It is wide daytime and Dimmesdale has merely finished given one of his best discourses. He looks really weak and tired. As he attempts to walk through the crowd, he stumbles across Hester and Pearl that are standing nearby. He calls out for them and inquire them to assist him acquire up the scaffold. Dimmesdale courageously stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl and publically acknowledges that he is Pearl s male parent. He dies in that scene, but he dies in peace knowing that his clemency lies in God s custodies.

Very similar to the intent that the Puritans used the scaffold for, other ace natural happenings or objects were besides seen as spiritual events. For illustration, the meteor lighting the sky at dark organizing the missive A was symbolic to the characters in the narrative. Dimmesdale sees this mark as a mark of his ain secret wickedness. The community saw this mark as a sing that the Governor Winthrop has died and has become an angel.

Pearl is besides a really important symbol in the novel. Pearl is the symbol of Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale s out love. She is the fruit of their immoral love matter. Like the vermilion missive A, Pearl is a changeless reminder to Hester of her shame and wickedness. Pearl is the vermilion missive endowed with life! But despite of this Hester s foremost impulse to clasp the baby closely to her bosom was her reaction when she stood on the scaffold the first clip. Pearl besides represents the great monetary value that Hester will pay for her wickedness. Pearl is the lone thing of value that Hester has in her life.

The most of import symbol in this narrative is the vermilion missive A. This symbol can hold several different significances depending on the context of the narrative. This missive is given to Hester as a symbol of her criminal conversation. The intent of this missive is to publically penalize and mortify her. For Hester the missive stands for her torment and solitariness. She is an castaway of the Puritan society. For seven old ages Hester lives isolated from the town. She lives entirely with her kid in the outskirts of the town. As the old ages base on balls by and as she is more involved in assisting the sick, the people forget the existent significance of the missive. The town people now see the missive as a symbol of an able individual and non a evildoer.