The Scarlet Letter

meaningful quotations

"Wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and, with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbours. On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A."

genre

19th century novel

characters and a brief description of each

Hester Prynne- Adulteress forced to wear the scarlet letter A. Hester stays in town because her lover, Arthur Dimmesdale, is a minister there. Her long lost husband, Roger Chillingworth, comes to her town to root out her lover. Pearl- Hester's daughter. She is an outcast and gets called "witch-baby". Pearl's name is significant because a pearl is pure and white and not sinful at all. To Hester, it means pearl of great price, as her daughter is very valuable to her. Arthur Dimmesdale- Minister who has sex with Hester. Feels incredibly guilty for this and creates his own scarlet letter as his own way of repenting. Confesses to the city and then dies. Roger Chillingworth- Hester's husband who disguises as a physician so he can spy on Dimesdale

literary elements

Symbolism- Pearl is a huge symbol because her name is the opposite of something sinful and her name is a valuable object. The scarlet letter is another symbol as it is both a physical and emotional representation of not only Hester's guilt but of Dimmesdale's guilt as well.

Title of work, author, and brief summary of the work

The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne This novel is set in Massachusetts during the Salem Witch Trials. Hester Prynne is an adulteress who was put in jail and forced to wear a scarlet letter A, for adulteress. She has a daughter named Pearl, her result of adultery, and her husband has been away for two years. Her husband shows up and tries to seek out her lover, Arthur Dimmesdale, who is feeling pretty guilty. The minister creates his own red mark on his chest, which was the sign of emotional and physical pain.

conflicts

The scarlet letter is a conflict- it represents an internal and external conflict. Hester is forced to wear a physical representation of her internal guilt because of this sin she committed. Her public shame is an emotional conflict and so is her protection of Dimmesdale, as this leads to the theme of isolation.

plot points

The story begins in 17th century Boston in a Puritan settlement. Hester has a daughter named pearl in her arms and a red letter A on her chest to punish her for adultery. Roger Chillingworth, Hester's long lost husband, sees Hester being punished for this sin but does not tell anyone who he is except for Hester. Dimmesdale is suffering heart trouble and Chillingworth moves in with him to confirm his suspicions that Dimmesdale is Hester's adultery partner. Dimmesdale decides to publicly reveal his shame and exposes a scarlet A that he has created in his skin. He dies on the scaffold. Chillingworth dies a year later and Hester and Pearl leave Boston. Hester comes back later still wearing the A and is buried next to Dimmesdale.

major themes

theme of isolation- Hester is isolated because she is a sinner, but she is not alone in isolation. Dimmesdale is also isolated in his guilt. theme of feminism and women- the woman who committed adultery is the only person publicly shamed, even though it takes two to tango. This affects Arthur Dimmesdale because he cannot publicly repent for his shame but instead has to bottle up all his emotions and his guilt.