Struggle between Good and Evil in The Scarlet Letter and Macbeth
It is said that “all conflict in literature is, in its simplest form, a struggle
between good and evil.” Indeed, the fundamental conflict of human nature is that of
darkness and light; and as a mirror to life, the conflicts in literature is not different
from those in human nature. The struggle of good and evil is shown in Nathaniel
Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, which portrays the spiritual battle between and evil
man and a sinned minister, as well as the minister’s internal turmoil. William
Shakespeare’s Macbeth, similarly describes a man’s moral decay and the vengeance of
the wronged good people. Both authors use various literary elements and techniques
such as symbolism, metaphor, theme, and characterization to illustrate the struggle
between good and evil in their works.
The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a story of damnation
and redemption. Roger Chillingsworth, finding out his wife’s adultery with Arthur
Dimmesdale upon his returning from Indian captivity vows to take revenge on the
minister. In the process, however, he transforms himself into the minion of devil on
earth. Through the mouth of Pearl (the fruit if the illegitimate union), the author
metaphorically calls Chillingsworth “the Black Man.” Comparing Chillingsworth to
the Devil, Pearl warns Dimmesdale “the Black man wants thy soul.” Indeed,
Chillingsworth sets out to poison his rival – both physically and mentally.
Dimmesdale, on the other hand, is waging a war within himself. His good nature
craves to confess his secret affair with Hester Prynne, yet his darker side – cowardice
perhaps- stubbornly refuses. In ...
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...ts stem from this
eternal struggle. Nathaniel Hawthorne writes The Scarlet Letter to question sin, and
Shakespeare’s Macbeth gives an alarming example of moral decay. The moods of both
masterpieces are gloomy, dissecting and examining the powerful darkness of human
psyche. In the end, however, goodness endures and shines through the dark clouds,
offering hope and testimonies for the complexity and ambivalence of humankind.
Works Cited and Consulted:
Brooks, Cleanth. Blame in Macbeth. London: Reynal & Hitchcock, 1987.
Chase, Richard (1996). "The Lessons of the Scarlet Letter." Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne (pp. 145-152). San Diego: Greenhaven.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: St. Martins, 1991.
Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.
The world of English Literature captures the minds of millions of people worldwide. The stories that are read are new and old and continue to capture the attention of people even to this day. Each piece of literature can go in-depth into settings, themes, characterizations, have great styles and the thing most people enjoy... conflict. Most people don't understand or see the messages these pieces may have in them. Hidden sometimes within complex statements or meanings that the everyday person might not recollect. These "treasures" are waiting to be found and are gold waiting to be found.
Trail of Tears was the description of the journey Indians had to endure. The Indians were forced to leave their homes and families and move to the west, which is now known as Oklahoma. The Trial was not one specific road, trail, route or river traveled, the Indians traveled different routes to get to Oklahoma. Some of the Indians traveled upriver with steamboats (Sloan). Some of the Indians formed large Caravans that carried wagons full of their belongings and animals (Sloan). A lot of the Indians traveled through Arkansas to get to Oklahoma (Sloan). Tribes and other people would leave food, supplies and firewood along the way to help the Indians out (Sloan). Weather was often cold in the winter and very dry during the summer (Sloan). A lot of the Indians did not make it to Oklahoma due to them catching Diseases such as Cholera, dysentery, measles and smallpox (Sloan). They do not know exactly where “Trail of Tears” originated from some say, it started with the Choctaw since they were the first ...
McCarthy, J. (1950, February 09). Speech at wheeling, west virginia. Retrieved December 02, 2013 from http://teachamericanhistory.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/mccarthy_wheeling_speech.pdf
Brill, Marlene Targ. The Trail of Tears: The Cherokee Journey From Home. Brookfield, CN: Millbrook Press, 1995.
Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.
To many the trail of tears has no meaning or relevance in their life, but for some the Trail of Tears has great meaning since many of the native ancestors endured the hardships of this time. In the 1830s, Native Americans occupied many acres of land in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Florida. The main reason for the Trail of Tears was because the Americans wanted the Indians’ land for themselves so they could raise their cattle, and because of the good soil so they could grow and harvest crops. Their ancestors had lived on and cultivated this land for generations, and by the end of that generation very few Native Americans remained anywhere in the Southeastern United States. Many think that The Trail of Tears was just the “Five Civilized Tribes”, but there were many other smaller tribes involved too. Some tribes agreed to sign, and others were forced into it, but either way it went they all had to leave. Many Native Americans suffered from exposure, disease, and starvation on their way to their destinations, making The Trail of Tears one of the greatest hardships in Native American history.
Experience is the hidden inspiration in all of literature. Every letter, word, and sentence formed, every plot imagined, and every conflict conceived has a trace amount of its creator’s past ingrained within it. But most of all, authors reflect themselves in the characters they create. The protagonist of any story embodies certain traits and qualities of his or her creator; the virtues and vices, ambitions and failures, strengths and weaknesses of an author are integral parts of their characters lives. When authors’ experiences differ, so do their characters, as seen with Welty and King. Both authors had distinct upbringings, each with their own forms of hardship. The contrasting nature of these authors’ struggles is why their characters are the antithetical. As a result of these
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square, 1992. Print. The New Folger Library Shakespeare.
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Like many Native American Tribes, the Cherokee were systematically suppressed, robbed, dispossessed, and forced out of their ancestral homelands by Americans. This topic has become really difficult and uncomfortable to talk about for no reason other than embarrassment. We, as Americans, are mortified that our own country would partake in the act of forcibly removing a culture from it’s home. We are mortified that we let this become a socially acceptable way to treat Native Americans; but mostly, we are mortified that we conned the Cherokee Natives into signing an unlawful treaty that forced them to leave their Georgia homeland and move west via the Trail of Tears. The novel, The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears, written by Theda Perdue
Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.
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Shakespeare, William. “Macbeth.” The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Ed. David Bevington. New York: Longman, 1997