Valeria Molina
Mrs. Case
American Literature P.4
18 May, 2018
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne is a very famous accredited author, mostly known for his famous piece, The Scarlet Letter. He uses a variety of strategies to convey symbolism throughout a novel. Hawthorne’s style can be distinguished and is completely different from other authors of his time period. When Nathaniel Hawthorne displayed symbolism in The Scarlet Letter, he would use physical objects more than often to make his point, although they were physical objects, they had symbolically profound meanings.
Hawthorne was a famous author and got inspiration from his childhood. Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804, but was said to have a way with words at a
…show more content…
young age, “Hawthorne was drawn to writing at an early age. In his youth he published The Spectator, a newspaper which he distributed to family members from August to September of 1820. His wit was in evidence in the essays, poems, news, and advertisements in The Spectator.” (hawthorneinsalem.org) Based on this website, he spent most of his life in Salem due to the family history of his great-grandfather being a judge of the famously known witchcraft trials in the late 1600’s and used specific details in his books about it, “It was in September of 1849 that Hawthorne began the novel that was to become The Scarlet Letter. In that novel he includes an opening chapter, ‘The Custom-House,’ based on his own experience as surveyor, which aroused controversy because of its unflattering portrayal of Salem and its residents.” (hawthorneinsalem.org) According to that same source, it was around the 1850’s that the Hawthornes left Salem and never returned, but to this day is remembered as the place where Hawthorne got his inspiration from to do all of his literary works. He would use his family background to illustrate how Salem was back in the 1600’s. Hawthorne’s use of symbolism was his form of literary style choice. He is said to have used very common themes and transformed them into a different point of view based on historical context, “The critical consensus continues to be that Hawthorne was a shrewd and large-minded writer who read widely and pondered deeply about the human condition and American identity from Puritan times to his own.”(college.cengage.com) Based on this website, it gives an insight as to why he wrote about the topics he did. Hawthorne used his work to demonstrate the issues with society, “he created texts whose power, profundity, and artistry command our attention. He wrote about his own society and its antecedents, but it turns out that he also wrote about ours… His first novel, his masterpiece, is an indictment of Puritan America, but also of his own society.” (college.cengage.com) His other literary works gave the reader an idea as to what life and societal rules were like in every aspect and were at times used symbolically to provide context,“My Kinsman, Major Molineux” or “Young Goodman Brown”: both probe the individual’s complex inner life and interrelationships with society, warning against simplistic moral judgments and challenging pious assumptions about Puritanism and revolutionary America.” (college.cengage.com) Hawthorne’s style was very original during the time he wrote before he passed early on, because no one had ever questioned society besides Nathaniel Hawthorne. His famous book The Scarlet Letter was based in Boston, in where he resided for a couple of years.
The novel was based in a puritan setting and had very strict standards as to what happened to people if they sinned. In Understanding The Scarlet Letter : a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents by Claudia D. Johnson explains the historical context of many of Hawthorne’s novels. ”It is also important to emphasize the Puritans’ belief that God punished the whole community on the slightest provocation, for example, for the misbehavior of any one of its members.” (Johnson 52) The idea that most of his literary pieces were based in places he resided, means he was very aware of the history that came with, “Even the preface of The Scarlet Letter, although set in the nineteenth century, is steeped in seventeenth century Puritanism through its references to Hawthorne's Puritan ancestors, who were instrumental in torturing Quakers and hanging witches…” (Johnson 29) The Puritans were very religious and in their minds, life was to please God, ”Hawthorne used the Puritan past as a setting or subject in many other works of fiction, each of which sheds light on the complex use of Puritanism in The Scarlet Letter. (Johnson 29) Hawthorne used a lot of historical context not just in The Scarlet Letter, but in many of literary pieces. He would use this to “dramatizes the Puritan mind in his characters, however, the reader should examine the fundamentals of Puritanism from which these beliefs and leaning originate.” (Johnson 50) The historical context was a way of foreshadowing the symbolism of a physical
object. In The Scarlet Letter, the main character, Hester Prynne, is in a puritan setting and commits adultery with the town priest, Dimmesdale, she gives birth to a young girl named, Pearl, whom throughout the story is used as symbolism to represent the sin. The book Hester Prynne by Harold Bloom reveals the literary analysis on Hester Prynne, “It is not for the intrinsic flagrance of the sin she has committed, but for the waywardness and the irregularity of all wrongdoing, that she is punished; and the penalty is made to suit the offense, since Hester Prynne can never regain her innocent and normal status among men.” (Bloom 12) In the story, Prynne is created to be a symbol of woman empowerment and how the puritans undermined the strength of a woman, “She is a passionate woman whom Hawthorne does not need to call passionate, for he has the evidence: her state of excitement, bordering on frenzy, in the prison after her first exposure to the crowd-- her “moral agony,” reflected in the convulsions that have seized the child; her pride, her daring, in after days when she makes more show than she needs to make of the letter on her bosom,...” (Bloom 17) Hawthorne used the character, Prynne, to give the physical object, “Hester’s emergence from prison into the open air “as if by her own free will” is an act of self-reliance both literally and symbolically,...” (Bloom 112) Prynne’s little girl, Pearl, can be used to define symbolism within the book by describing the rebellious traits that Prynne had before committing the sin,“ The child, Pearl, graphically illustrates the normal processes of the passage through the mirror stage, and her mother, Hester Prynne, equally well illustrates, in relation to the gaze, the dynamics of the registers of the Imaginary and the Symbolic in the adult subject.” (Bloom 166) The famous novel by Hawthorne, had plenty of critics trying to distinguish the plenty symbols within the plot. In the literary critical book, Nathaniel Hawthorne by Harold Bloom, it gives critical views on Hawthorne as an author, “In composing the Scarlet Letter Hawthorne seems purposely to gather together the themes--historical, moral, psychological--that have given his work its distinct identity; then, by integrating them and projecting them onto a larger canvas, he manages to eclipse his earlier achievements exactly by fully reading their subjects’ interest and potential.” (Bloom 153) The use of a physical object, like the actual embroidered “A” showed the strength that one could have, “The Scarlet Letter illustrates how Hawthorne does this. He converts the isolated symbol into a badge fashioned by a historical community. The A becomes the Puritans’ A, the emblem through which they impose their judgement on a violator of their communal values.” (Bloom 159) The critics often saw that the symbols introduced gave more of a societal meaning. “Thus we see the scaffold as a physical object, and also as a social creation; but our sense of its meaning is also shaped by it appearance in Hawthorne’s figurative language.” (Bloom 162) The embroidered “A” was rather beautiful for a punishment, at first many townspeople saw it as a reflection of the sin but in the end, everyone embraced Prynne’s sensuality that had been give to her from the sin in the first place. In Readings on The Scarlet Letter by Eileen Morey, she gives her personal view as to what the story represents, “The red letter “A” that the heroine is obliged to wear on her bosom represents her adultery, but the first letter of the alphabet it may also stand for the original sin of Adam, in which Puritans believed all men participated.” (Morey 48) The puritan values and christian values today explain why the critic got the idea of the original sin, she sinned and in a way God gave her this symbolically profound object that would eventually give her strength and courage. Hawthorne’s use of historical context, symbolism, and character analysis gave the scarlet letter “A”, a convoluted objective as to develop the plot. In the novel, Prynne had converted herself into an influential person in the community due to the confidence the embroidered “A” gave her. The physical objects in the novel and in many other novels, is used to describe Hawthorne’s literary style because of how potent it is regarding issues in today’s society.
Throughout his literary endeavors, Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes symbolism to present a certain theme that pertains to human nature and life. In his works, The Scarlet Letter and "The Minister's Black Veil", Hawthorne uses symbolism to present a common theme pertaining to religion; that though manifested sin will ostracize a person from society, un-confessed sin will destroy the soul.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was a truly outstanding author. His detailed descriptions and imagery will surely keep people interested in reading The Scarlet Letter for years to come. In writing this book he used themes evident throughout the entirety of the novel. These themes are illustrated in what happens to the characters and how they react. By examining how these themes affect the main characters, Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, one can obtain a better understanding of what Hawthorne was trying to impress upon his readers.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's bold novel, The Scarlet Letter, effectively employs three major symbols: light, dark, and the scarlet letter. The novel relies heavily on light and dark symbolism to represent the eternal struggle of good versus evil.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter takes place in Boston, Massachusetts, in the 17th century. The novel addresses the moral dilemmas of personal responsibility in the lives of its characters. With literary techniques Hawthorne works into his romanticized fiction a place of special meaning for nature. He uses the rhetorical skills of Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne throughout the novel to help reveal the true colors of his characters and rhetorical devices such as figurative language as in the personification of nature to give his work a strong narrative voice.
Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4, 1804 (Magill 1; Campbell 1; “Nathaniel Hawthorne”; Eldred 1). He was born into the sixth generation of his Salem family, and was a descendant of a long line of New England Puritans, which contributed in his interest in the Puritan way of life. The family was originally known as the “Hathornes”, but Nathaniel added the “w” to his name so it would become “Hawthorne”. The Hawthornes had been involved in religious persecution with their first American ancestor, William. Another ancestor, John Hathorne, was one of the three judges at the seventeenth-century Salem witchcraft trials. Hawthorne’s father was a sea captain, and when he was four years old (1808), his father died on a voyage in Surinam, Dutch Guinea (Campbell 1). Hawthorne was left alone with his mother and two sisters. He spent his early years in Salem and in Maine, during which he showed an interest in his father’s nautical adventures and read his logbooks often, even after his death (Magill 1). His maternal relatives recognized his literary talent at such a you...
In any novel worth reading there is use of basic rhetorical devices like symbolism, allusions, etc. Nathaniel Hawthorne viewed strongly abroad as excellent author for many reasons but none as prevalent as his use of symbolism. Hawthorne uses repetition, motifs and symbolism to poetically approximate allusions almost within every word of his book “The Scarlet Letter”. Symbolism is the adhesive in “The Scarlet Letter”, other than maintaining the reader’s interest, it also makes allusions to other famous works such as the bible, and he uses it to transition the exposition throughout the book. A white man standing next to an Indian was wearing “… clad in a strange disarray of civilized and savage costume” (45) symbolizing the linimal position of the character in the story and in life. Although this symbol has one clear layer it also has a bi-layer to represent a different meaning. The matter that Hawthorne forms epic amounts of symbol s would have formed a problem if he hadn’t made it easy to depict the differences between his concrete symbols and his abstract symbols through repetit...
Hawthorne spent his college years studying at Maine’s Bowdoin College. While attending, he had class with another famous author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The two were never very
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, the descendent of a long line of Puritan ancestors, including John Hathorne, a presiding magistrate in the Salem witch trials. After his father was lost at sea when he was only four, his mother became overly protective and pushed him toward more isolated pursuits. Hawthorne's childhood left him overly shy and bookish, and molded his life as a writer. Hawthorne is one of the most modern of writers who rounds off the puritan cycle in American writing
Symbolism plays an important role in the Scarlet Letter. The scarlet "A" is used to represent sin and anguish along with happiness. The "A" has different meanings to people other than what was originally intended. The scaffold is used as a place of repentance and judgment by God. Pearl is another major symbol used as a reminder of the scarlet letter.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. After his graduation from Bowdoin College in Maine, he quickly became a well-known author of literary tales concerning early American life. Between 1825 and 1850, he developed his talent by writing short fiction, and he gained international fame for his fictional novel The Scarlet Letter in 1850 (Clendenning 118). Rufus Wilmot Griswold...
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. Descended from a staunch Puritan family, Hawthorne?s father was a presiding judge over the Salem Witch Trials. Hawthorne?s father died when he was young and he spent much time alone during his childhood. He had an introspective nature and was an avid reader. He began to write while he was in college and following graduation, returned to Salem where he entered a twelve-year literary apprenticeship. His first collection of short stories, Twice-Told tales, was published in 1837. Soon afterwards, he joined for a short period an experimental utopian community outside of Boston called Brook Farm in 1841. In 1842, Hawthorne married Sophia Peabody and they moved to Concord, Massachusetts. There Hawthorne wrote many pieces including his next collection of stores in 1846 called ?Mosses from an Old Manse.? From 1846 to 1849, Hawthorne worked in a Salem customhouse. Following his dismissal was a two-year period of intense productivity after which he wrote very little fiction, although he did keep notebooks. Hawthorne died in 1864 following several years of inability to complete any of this writings. Much of Hawthorne's work is set in colonial New England and many of his short stories have been read as moral allegories influenced by his Puritan ancestry. He believed that the misfortunes of his immediate family were the result of d...
Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of America's most renowned authors, demonstrates his extraordinary talents in two of his most famed novels, The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. To compare these two books seems bizarre, as their plots are distinctly different. Though the books are quite seemingly different, the central themes and Hawthorne's style are closely related (Carey, p. 62). American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne is most famous for his books THE SCARLET LETTER and THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES, which are closely related in theme, the use of symbolism, characterization, and style.
BIOGRAM The man Nathaniel Hawthorne, an author of the nineteenth century, was born in 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts. It was there that he lived a poverty-stricken childhood without the financial support of a father, because he had passed away in 1808. Hawthorne was raised strictly Puritan, his great-grandfather had even been one of the judges in the Puritan witchcraft trials during the 1600s. This and Hawthorne’s destitute upbringing advanced his understanding of human nature and distress felt by social, religious, and economic inequities.
Though it is shown throughout The Scarlet Letter that Nathaniel Hawthorne is completely against the Puritan faith, his views, other than those shown in the book, happen to be quite similar as well. He feels that the Puritans are but whole-hearted hypocrites in that the standards necessary to be a Puritan, are met by absolutely none of them. Part of being a Puritan is to be without sin. Being of sound mind, Hawthorne knows that everyone at some point in their life has sinned and therefore sees their hypocritical mentality. Nathaniel also feels that the Puritan faith conventions are unrealistic and are not at all what it means to be a Puritan. One of the Puritan faith conventions states that the Bible is an indispensable guide to life. Assuming that the Puritans followed their own faith conventions you would think that they read the Bible and based their life upon it. Hawthorne feels that this is not the case unless gossiping, lying, and putting yourself above others is part of the Bible. In addition he feels the Puritans are the complete opposite of what he considers as an acceptable religion and he wants nothing to do with them. The puritans gossip and exploit others sins, which just does not cut it for Hawthorne.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4th, 1804. He grew up with his