Chiaroscuro in the Scarlet Letter

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Chiaroscuro is a literary device that displays the juxtaposition of light and shade. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses chiaroscuro affectively in The Scarlet Letter to define which side of good and sinfulness envelops the characters of Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Pearl.

Hawthorne consistently places Hester in shade to portray her as sinful and hiding the truth. In the beginning of the novel, Hester spends days in prison with Pearl. When Hester and Pearl are finally released, Hester is described as "a black shadow emerging into the sunshine"(49). Within the sunshine is a sinless group of plebeians awaiting the emergence of Hester. In another important scene, Pearl and Hester visit Governor Bellingham's mansion. Bellingham greets Hester with four men at his side. One of the men is Hester's "partner in crime," Arthur Dimmesdale. As soon as he enters the room, a shadow from the window curtain is cast upon Hester. Both Hester and Dimmesdale are trying to conceal Dimmesdale's sin just as the shadow is concealing Hester. Even in Hester's own secluded cabin, she is not welcome into light. In chapter 13, Hester can only be contained in her "darkened house"(148). When sunshine is present, she is not and her shadow fades "across the threshold"(148). Hawthorne continues to impound the idea of Hester's concealment in a scene taken place in the forest. As Hester and Pearl walk through the forest to meet Dimmesdale, sunshine is erased with each step Hester takes. Even Pearl notices this and says, ."..The sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself..."(168). Hawthorne cannot get any more apparent with his symbolism of dark involving Hester.

Like Hester, Arthur Dimmesdale is constantly hidden by shadows. Dimmesdale lives with a huge secret never revealed just as he is never revealed in light. In the beginning of The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale is in his study accustoming his eyes to the "shaded light"(61). This indicates that he must also grow accustom to his recent sin and guilt that is to come. In the same scene where Hester is concealed by shadow in Governor Bellingham's mansion, he too is concealed by the same shadow. Not only are they concealed by the same shadow, but also they are concealing the same sin. Dimmesdale's guilt becomes apparent when he is described as being "in a false light"(134).

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