The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter is the most outstanding masterpiece of American novelist Hawthorne and one of the most prestigious authoritative works in the whole American Romantic novel. The story of the novel takes place in Boston in the mid-seventeenth century under the rule of Calvin. Starting from the social situation at that time, the author reveals the destruction of people's spirit, soul and morality by the authorities through a tragedy of a moving love story. Hester Prynne, the heroine of The Scarlet Letter, is a stubborn woman who is determined and courageous to resist the secular world and whose destiny is in her hands. She was written as the embodiment of noble morality. She not only influenced Dimmesdale, but also the society full of evil. "A" is no longer the symbol of Adultery or Adulteress, but a brand-new connotation of Able and Admirable. From her freedom and her daughter's marriage to Boston, we can know that although she carries the scarlet letter "A", she uses her "noble morality and helping spirit" to turn the scarlet letter of disgrace into a symbol of morality and glory until she dies of old age. Although she formally accepted the punishment of wearing the red A on her chest, she "did not accept the social ethics that punished her" in thought. And the form of punishment of this crime, the symbol A, was embroidered by her, and became a passport for her to enter the field that other women dare not enter. Hawthorne inherited the anti-traditional critical spirit of the Enlightenment. Starting from everyone's human nature, Hawthorne exposed the dark side of Puritanism in abstract form and symbolism, and then explored complex social problems. Hawthorne affirmed some Puritan doctrines in The Scarlet Letter, but attacked more cruel Puritan regulations and decrees. He believes that God is fraternal and everyone has the possibility of redemption, but more is to publicize human nature and praise the strong pursuit of happiness. Therefore, as far as the whole work is concerned, Hawthorne reveals that the suppression of human nature by Puritan ethics and morality is still the main aspect. From the Scarlet Letter, we can deeply feel that Hawthorne's religious outlook is complex and contradictory, which also makes the Scarlet Letter have a strong artistic appeal.