Hawthorne and Romanticism I. Hawthorne the writer: One of the world’s greatest writers
Symbolism – most significant technique Used symbols more than others writers of the time period.
Used symbols purposefully.
His writings examine ethical problems – not necessarily religious ones.
His writings were strongly influenced by Puritan thought.
Writing is not systematic
Philosophical writer Hawthorne obsessed with the nature of good and evil
goodness and sin
right and wrong
Hawthorne asked these basic questions of life: What the true sources of sin?
Is sin inborn?
Is a person who never had a chance to sin innocent?
Can a sinner truly repent?
What is the real fortress of evil? (the human heart)
Hawthorne is a pessimist He ridiculed the Transcendentalist philosophers.
He had no faith in nature’s goodness.
He sees the heart of man wicked.
He believed no mistake is ever set right.
He believed there is no reward for good behavior.
Hawthorne’s writing and inconclusive, ambiguous. The reader has to make his choices after seeing both sides
by intuition, not logic
Hawthorne’s techniques Symbolism – used frequently
Characterization – characters are flat; often are used as symbols (allegory)
Dialogue – weak; all characters talk the same
Plot – secondary to importance of theme
Theme – meaning most important; philosophical concepts
II. The Scarlet Letter Names of some characters are suggestive Chillingworth – suggests a cold-hearted man
Dimmesdale – literally a “dim valley”
Pearl – grew from an imperfection; mother paid a great price for her
Arthur Dimmesdale not strong; highly mystical
paradoxical life; his sin made him a better minister, but not a better man
Differences between Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale Hester commits and admits her sin; her life is healthy.
Dimmesdale commits sin but doesn’t tell; this kills him.
Dimmesdale’s character helps examine the effects of sin
the nature of good and evil
Chillingworth’s character Originally a kind and gentle man; older than Hester.
His personal revenge makes him selfish and cruel; referred to as the devil.
The book is called a romance, yet there are no passionate love scenes. due to the time period; society censored
Hawthorne wants reader to focus on the effects of sin, not sin itself
Evidence of Hester’s strength survived in a tough colonial community (physically and emotionally)
fought for custody of Pearl
carried Dimmesdale up the scaffold in final scene
refused to implicate Dimmesdale
would not remove the Scarlet A
Pearl’s personality beautiful result of a sin
different from other children
intuitive, teasing, and free
The scaffold scene story begins with Hester on the scaffold
Chapter 11, Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale on scaffold (seven years later – night)
Final scene with all three present on scaffold (day)
Symbols Scaffold – sin; punishment
forest – moral wilderness; savagery, unpleasantness, danger
City – society
Rosebush – sweet moral blossom
Sunshine – happiness
Brook – Pearl’s life
III. Elements of Romanticism love of nature as a revelation of truth
sympathetic interest in past
interest in the psychology of emotions
criticism of the norm
mysticism and supernatural
individual as the center of literature