Allusions In Hester Prynne

In the novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, D.H. Lawrence views Hester Prynne as a dishonorable character. Lawrence focuses most of his written work around Hester’s adulterous sin and accuses her to be evil. The use of the literary techniques of allusion, critical diction, and choppy syntax to prove she is not a praiseworthy character.

Lawrence uses a variety of allusions to persuade his audience that Hester Prynne is not a meritorious character. When describing Hester’s adulterous forms of seducing Dimmesdale, he references that the “Deerslayer refused to be seduced by Judith Hutter” (Lawrence 8). The novel, by James Fenimore Cooper, that Lawrence referred to relates to the plot of how the character from both novels fall in love

He uses the allusion of the deerslayer because, unlike Dimmesdale, the deerslayer does not allow for the seduction of another character to affect him. This literary device provides the readers with a clear understanding of Lawrence’s point, which explains that Hester is not the victim in the novel, but rather the culprit . He continues to convince his readers that Hester Prynne is not a praiseworthy character by describing her as a great nemesis of women while considering her sinful act of adultery. He uses a reference from Edgar Allen Poe that she is the “knowing Ligeia risen diabolic from the grave. Having her own back” (Lawrence 38). Poe’s story of a girl who came back to life from the death of another woman relates to the evil and cruel intentions Hester Prynne has become accustomed to. Hester Prynne is like this “diabolical woman” because she was the one who seduced and manipulated

The repetition of words such as pure, seduce, adultery, American, and Abell help to guide the reader’s emotions and thoughts about Hester and her sin. When Lawrence describes her, his critical diction is revealed by mocking her as an “A. Adulteressl Abell Abell Abell Admireabel” (Lawrence 22). These words emphasize the negative and evil faces of Hester Prynne and associates herself as a person not commendable. This proves to be more effective because the repetition of these words establish an emotional interaction with the readers while also sending many reminders of the words and their pessimistic connotations. Hester’s character is continuously used as a reminder that she goes without her sin. He reminds us again by commenting that it “all begins with A. Adultress. Alpha. Abel. Adam. A. America” (Lawrence 28-29). This repetition forces the readers to become more conscious of Hester Prynne's non-admirable character. Both the context and meanings of each of the words chosen by D.H. Lawrence, like seduce and adultery, are negative ways to depict Hester when describing her. By following through with this literary technique, the audience becomes more familiar with viewing Hester Prynne in the same connotations as sinner and