The Scarlet Letter

852 Words2 Pages

In this novel you will find that the main characters are the prime examples of Love, Hate, Sin, and Purity. Although adultery is condemned and seen as sin, adultery isn't what Hawthorne focuses on. Through my analysis of the Scarlet Letter I noticed that there were three different types of love. The act of hatred plays a vile role throughout the novel. Hawthorne uses Pearl as a blatant symbol of purity, from her birth till the end of the novel. As you will see Love, Hate, Sin, and Purity does play a vital role in this story.

Hester Prynne's love for Roger Chillingworth shall be the first that I will speak on. From the beginning Hester is placed on the scaffold with daughter Pearl. She is surrounded by the townspeople, and is being punished for bearing a child not by her husband. As a punishment of shame Hester is forced to wear a letter "A" on her chest, for committing Adultery. While standing there she realizes that for the first time in her life, it is her life which condemns her to be alone for the first time. She then notices her husband Chillingworth standing in the crowd, and her reaction is fear. He then rags on her by saying "Speak woman, speak and give your child a father ." It seemed to me that Hester had no love for Chillingworth from the get go. Hawthorne shows that because Chillingworth was an old man, and Hester so young, that she could never love an old man.The fact that Chillingworth was old and not Hester's type, was the main reason that Hester feels she is betrayed. While speaking to Hester in the prison cell, he admits to Hester that he is wrong and that he betrayed her by "budding youth into a false and unnatural relation."(Cliff Notes p.15). Hawthorne also shows how Chillingworth's sin is far...

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...ls Dimmesdale of the pact that she has with Chillingworth for fear of Chillingworth killing Dimmesdale. Her love for Dimmesdale is so pure that she kept a secret from Pearl.

Since Pearl's birth Hester's love for her was in the purest form. She keeps her from knowing that she was conceived in sin. This is one reason why they have to live in isolation. Throughout the story Hester doesn't see the faults in Pearl's personalities as do the townspeople. Hester dresses her in the finest garments, not because she wants to show her off, but because she see's her as pure, innocent, and beautiful.

Throughout the novel the themes of Love, Hate, Sin and Purity, are easily visible in the actions of the characters. Hawthorne's basis wasn't about adultery as a sin, but rather on unconditional love (Hester), and concealed sin (Dimmesdale/ Chillingworth).

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