D.H. Lawrence’s paper “On the Scarlet Letter” addresses a range of criticisms and ideas regarding Hester Prynne and has been widely considered in regard to Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. He explores different aspects of her sin as well as her nature through this analytical paper. It is in these criticisms that he conveys that Hester Prynne is wrongfully admired by both fellow characters and the reader by using repetition, choppy syntax, and biblical allusions. Lawrence's use of repetition is most effectively displayed in his diction, through which he presents and emphasizes Hester's less than holy attributes. The most prominent example of which is found in the two nouns seduction and purity, as seen in such lines as “ To seduce …show more content…
His sentence structures are arranged in such a way that when reading, it devolves into a sort of chant; “A, The Scarlet Letter. Adulteress! The great Alpha. Alpha! Adulteress” “Abell Abell Abell Admirable!” (Lawrence). These short one word sentences convey the apparent anger of Lawrence, they display his disbelief that a woman so tainted could be praised. These choppy sentences are also used to emphasize more nuanced points, all of which relate back to his thesis. Phrases such as “it becomes a farce”, “all begins with A”, and “flop goes spiritual love” all contain purposes that would not have equal impact if not for their choppy arrangement (Lawrence). For example, “all begins with A”, combined with the previous chant-like sentences, as well as their diction, drive home her rise to a near-god like status (Lawrence). To Lawrence they are idolizing and worshiping her “Abell, Abell, Abell”,praising that which he called a demon. This, in the eyes of D. H. Lawrence, is the great deceiver of the reader and characters, and is one that is only further emphasized by his choppy …show more content…
He states that “ this time it is Mr. Dimmesdale who dies. She lives on and is Abel” (Lawrence). In this case the word Abell is not spelled in its usual way, but instead is a name. This name, Abel, refers to one of the sons of Adam and Eve. The story goes that Cane, another son of Adam, is jealous of his brother who has won the favor of both his father and God. Cane is so enveloped with anger and resentment that he killed his brother Abel in cold blood. By including this allusion Lawrence is depicting Hester as the victim, the one who has been wronged, or at least that's what Hawthorne and much of the audience believe her to be. However, as the quote above displays, it was Dimmesdale who dies, and yet the woman who seduced him and lead him to slaughter lives on and is the victim. She is the daughter of “the new Adam and Adama” or Eve, and as such is considered the new Abel, when in reality she is Cain, the murderer. In addition to this she wears the face of a victim, “stand[ing] meek on the scaffold and fool[s] the world”(Lawrence 2). This, in the eyes of Lawrence, is her greatest sin yet, to steal the purity of a man, to deceive the world, to play the victim, and to receive sympathy instead of punishment. Then to be praised and admired, to be revered, to be
Hester Prynne is a character who gave up everything, even love, for her child. Hester Prynne sacrificed her peace, her beauty, her entire being for her child and this shows her determination and profound understanding of the world. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s piece, “The Scarlet Letter” shows the other side of the sinner’s story and not as a villain, but a victim.
In his essay On the Scarlet Letter, D.H. Lawrence explores Nathaniel Hawthorne’s portrayal of Hester Prynne. Lawrence focuses on and condemns Hester’s sin itself rather than its consequences. Instead of supporting Hawthorne's depiction of Hester as an innocent character, Lawrence sheds light on what he believes is her true character, a deceiver. He argues that Hester Prynne has a false appearance of purity through his use of critical diction, sarcastic tone, and biblical allusions.
Hawthorne demonstrates how love is a weakness though his character, Hester Prynne. When the townspeople try to coerce Hester into giving them the name of her daughter’s father, she refuses to “give [her] child a father” (68). This act displays an intense amount of devotion to her lover, in that she willingly protects him and his reputation at the expense
Hester Prynne is seen by many as worthy of respect and admiration throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. She is ultimately seen as a hero in many areas of the novel. Literary critic Mark Van Doren argues that Hester Prynne is a heroic citizen who rises above the consequences of her sin. Van Doren argues that Hester Prynne should be seen as a noble hero through his use of repetition, praiseworthy diction, and admirable tone.
In this scene, the reader is able to see inside Hester's head. One is able to observe the utter contempt she holds for the Puritan ways. She exhibits he love and respect for the father of her child, when she refuses to relinquish his name to the committee. The reader can see her defiant spirit due to these actions.
Harris, Kenneth Marc. “Kenneth Marc Harris on Hester Prynne’s Sexuality.” Bloom’s Notes: Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlett Letter. Ed. Harold Bloom. Broomall: Chelsea House Publishers, 1998. 61-64. Print.
The Scarlet Letter, a classic American novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, contains a plot that follows the controversial life of Hester Prynne, the main protagonist of the story. Set in the mid 1600’s in Boston, Massachusetts, it represented the Puritan society and its ideals at that time. Its rich plot has enticed and enraptured readers for many years, while Historical elements have allowed readers to analyze and understand the content better. The Scarlet Letter is a piece of historical fiction that contains a real representation of the period in which it is set in and is mostly historically accurate, barring a few minor inaccuracies.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s well known novel, The Scarlet Letter, extensive diction and intense imagery are used to portray the overall tone of the characters. In particular, Hester Prynne, the wearer of the Scarlet Letter, receives plentiful positive characterization throughout the novel. Hester’s character most notably develops through the town’s peoples ever-changing views on the scarlet letter, the copious mentions of her bravery, and her ability to take care of herself, Pearl, and others, even when she reaches the point where most would give up and wallow in their suffering.
repeated Hester, more bitterly than before. ‘He betrayed me! He has done me worse wrong than I did him!’” (169). This can emphasize Hester’s transition from pity to sudden hatred towards this man whom she once had happy, positive times with.
Hester’s principal qualities of strength and honesty are revealed throughout the novel. Her strength is seen in her actions after her sin is revealed. Foremost, she thinks of her adultery as an act committed out of passion and denies the belief that man’s nature is corrupt
In Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the reader meets the character Hester Prynne who, as the novel progresses, notices the changes in her character are very dramatic. The changes are both physical and in her mannerism’s. There are many significant events which took place before the start of the novel and during the novel. Some of the events that lead to this dramatic change include the affect of wearing the scarlet letter, the secrets she keeps, and her daughter Pearl’s evil characteristics.
Friar Lawrence’s, first entrance is alone, in act two, scene three. This is when we, as an audience get our initial impression of him; here he is introduced as a man who see’s good in all. “Virtue itself turns vice being misapplied and vice sometimes by action dignified “.
Throughout all the sinful things Hester Prynne has done, she still managed to obtain good qualities. Hester was an adulterer from the book The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester was looked down upon by the citizens of Boston because of the sin she and another person committed, but no one knew who her partner in crime was because she refused to release his name. Towards the very end of the story Hester’s accomplice confessed and left Hester and Pearl feeling joyous, because now they didn’t have to keep in a secret. Hester is a trustworthy, helpful, and brave woman throughout The Scarlet Letter.
One of the main symbols in Lawrence’s short story is Hester. She is the mother of Paul and both are main characters. Hester is a good representation of greed, selfishness and being materialistic. She values money more than her children “She had bonny children, yet she felt they had been thrust upon her, and she could not love them” (Lawrence, 295). Hester is not capable of creating...
The Scarlet Letter is a fictional novel that begins with an introductory passage titled ‘The Custom-House’. This passage gives a historical background of the novel and conveys the narrator’s purpose for writing about the legend of Hester Prynne even though the narrator envisions his ancestors criticizing him and calling him a “degenerate” because his career was not “glorifying God”, which is very typical of the strict, moralistic Puritans. Also, although Hawthorne is a Romantic writer, he incorporates properties of Realism into his novel by not idealizing the characters and by representing them in a more authentic manner. He does this by using very formal dialogue common to the harsh Puritan society of the seventeenth century and reflecting their ideals through this dialogue. The Puritans held somewhat similar views as the Transcendentalists in that they believed in the unity of God and the world and saw signs and symbols in human events, such as when the citizens related the meteo...