The scarlet letter a critical analysis

 

Symbolism and Imagery in The Scarlet Letter

The most important symbol used in the novel is scarlet letter ‘A’ itself. It represents the various layers of meaning that Hawthorne wishes to convey through the initial predicament of Hester Prynne.

 
At the outset of the novel it can be considered as a symbol of adultery, and also a symbol of her sin. later Hester transforms herself into an independent lady having explored her own self she establishes a space of her own in the society. Thus the letter stands for ‘able’ or her ability.

 When Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold along with Hester and Pearl on the dark night of vigil and the letter strikingly flashes across the sky, people interpret the scarlet A to signify ‘Angel’ and they believe that the good governor Winthrop has become an angel after his death. The same thing happen even after the death of Hester, it symbolically signifies that she too ascended as the position of an angel.

 

The Scarlet Letter is the masterpiece of Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of the most remarkable and influential writers in  American literature of the 19th century. It is also regarded as the first symbolic novel in American literature for Hawthorne’s skillful use of symbolism and allegory.  The novel describes a tragical love story happened  in the puritan age in Boston in the seventeenth century. An aging English scholar named Roger Chillingworth sends his beautiful young wife Hester Prynne to New England.  But when he arrives about two years later he is surprised to find his wife in pillory on the scaffold, holding a baby in her  arms and wearing a scarlet letter on her breast. Disguising himself as a physician, Chillingworth discovers that the  adulterer is Arthur Dimmesdale, the much-respected and brilliant young clergyman. Then Chillingworth begins his cruel  revenge on the clergyman physically and mentally for seven years. Gradually,  Dimmesdale is worn out by the torture of the Puritan moral codes, his inner conflicts, his love for Hester and the  ruthless revenge from Chillingworth. Different from Dimmesdale, Hester turns to be brave and positive toward the  punishment and the scarlet letter A. Living in complete isolation from the community, Hester is determined to protect
her lover’s reputation and tries her best to re-establish her relationship with people in town on a friendly and honest basis. She works hard to support her daughter Pearl, gives her hand to people in need and finally regains respect, dignity and  admiration. In the end, Dimmesdale dies in Hester’s arms while confessing his sin and revealing a scarlet letter carved  into his breast at a public gathering. Hester and Pearl leave Boston, Chillingworth withers quickly and dies afterwards.  Years later, Hester comes back to Boston and is buried alongside Dimmesdale after her death.

AN ANALYSIS OF SYMBOL AND SYMBOLISM

As is mentioned above, symbolism is a striking feature of The Scarlet Letter, it runs through the whole novel and plays a very important role in it. The applying of symbolism in the novel revolves around not only the scarlet letter A, but also the natural settings as well as the main characters’ images, names and words. It is no doubt that Nathaniel  Hawthorne is the pioneer and master of symbolism, his unique gift for using this kind of writing skill taps into the roots  of human’s moral nature and gives vivid explanation of the implications in his works. As a frequently adopted writing  skill in literature, symbolism makes literary works worthy of pondering and provides association and suggestions for thinking.

 

When it comes to symbolism, we must mention another term symbol. These two terms are closely related to each other in literature, without symbol, symbolism may become meaningless and achieves nothing. “A symbol is an object that represents, stands for or suggests an idea, visual image, belief, action or material entity.  Symbols take the form of words, sounds, gestures or visual images and are used to convey ideas and beliefs.” For instance, a lion is a symbol of courage, a wolf is a symbol of greed, pigeons are the symbol  of peace, a red rose may symbolize love and passion.

THE SYMBOLIC MEANING OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS’ NAME IN THE SCARLET LETTER

Nathaniel Hawthorne is known as the first American romantic writer who starts a new tradition, namely the Symbolism Romance, in American literature. As a great master and pioneer of symbolism, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows  a strong tendency toward symbolism in his works. His ideological and artistic sense are best conveyed in his masterpiece The Scarlet Letter, which is considered to be the first American Symbolic novel. In the novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne makes full use of  symbols to express personal inner emotions, disclose the novel’s theme and reveal social reality, etc. Throughout the
whole novel, symbolism plays a decisive role and nearly everything is endowed with deep symbolic significance, such as the scarlet letter A, the natural setting and the main character’s name, etc.

 

CHARACTERS AS SYMBOLS

Science, Art, Religion and Nature

Chillingworth is a scientist. A devoted scholar all his life. He  is also described as a miner, a geometrician and an engineer. He goes deep  into Dimmesdale’s mind and heart: there he delves and probes like “a treasure seeker in a dark cavern”; he “dug into the poor clergyman’s  heart, like a miner searching for gold.” He studies Dimmesdale as a  “geometrical problem.” As an engineer, he knows “the spring that controls the engine” of the minister’s nature. Thus, the character Chillingworth stands for knowledge at the core.

Hester represents art. In the first eight chapters, she is six times spoken of  or attributed  like a statue; elsewhere she is “majestic and statue-like’’. As every work of art is still but it can immortally influence the human kind. Similarly, the existence of Hester creates a kind of immortal influence upon the people of Boston.  

 

The scarlet letter that she wears is gorgeous,  luxuriant and artistically done with an elaborate embroidery. The  clothes she makes for Pearl are of a fanciful and fantastic.

 
Dimmesdale, the clergyman, represents religion. He is a “heavy ordained  apostle,” an “angel” in speech and action, a ‘miracle of holiness” and  “of whitest sanctity (saint).”  He is constantly associated with the white colour,  embodying holiness. He is a kind of lamp like figure and the symbol of sacrifice as well.  

 

Pearl is a symbol of Nature. She grows up in the lap of Nature, away from  the community and other children. As a “natural child,” Pearl, rejecting the  companionship of human children, became intimate with growing things.  She plays in tide pools with horse-shoe crabs and seaweed. In the forest  scenes, she is garlanded with wild flowers and she moves among wild  animals without alarming them.

At the symbolic level, their interactions become highly meaningful. Thus  Hester leads Dimmesdale away from his religious duties and diverts him  from the path of Puritan righteousness, indicating that art secularized religion. 

The creative powers always dominate over the other.  Art and Science or religion and science are opposed to each other like Hester and Chillingworth or chillingworth and dimmesdale.

Id, Ego and Superego

Pearl, Hester and Dimmesdale respectively symbolize the well-known  Freudian systems of the Id, Ego and Superego. As Freud mentions in  his essay “The Structure of the Unconscious,” the Id has no organisation  and no unified will. It is the “biological” part of the personality, the seat of  the instincts and is governed by the “pleasure principle.”

In contrast, the Ego is operated by the “reality principle.” It is in touch  with the “real world” and as Freud says. “it implants between desire and action the procrastinating factor of thought.” It “stands for reason and  circumspection (caution/ discretion).” It also reconciles the demands of the id and the superego.

Hester embodies the ego. She is rational, practical and able to master  the external reality. She also serves as a bridge between Pearl, the id and  Dimmesdale, the superego.

The Superego represents the social and moral side of personality and it  is governed by the perfection or morality principle. Superego holds up certain norms of behaviour, without regard to any difficulties coming from the id and the external world. Dimmesdale, as the shepherd of the flock, as the earnest Minister of the community represents  the Superego. He has a severe conscience which constantly breeds the feeling of guilt in him for his act of moral transgression in committing  adultery with Hester.