The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

American literature often focuses on the wrongs in human existence. Many of America’s greatest works of literature were written during the Romantic Period (1820 -1900).One novel that is consider a classic written during the Romantic period is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter is a great example of the asperity of sin. The novel ,The Scarlet Letter demonstrates the theme that deception and secrecy can be destructive through Hester Prynne ,Dimmesdale , and Chillingworth First, Hester’s deception and secrecy lead to a destructive mark. Hester’s involvement with a man that was not her husband made her a symbol of women’s frailty and sinful passion. Hester’s mark is “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 . (50) Her creativity of making a symbol of sin appealing was not allowed by the grim Puritans . Hester decide to stay where her sin was committed , alienating her from the Puritan society making her even more of an outsider than she already was.” Lonely as was Hester’s situation, and without a friend on earth who dared to show himself, she, however, incurred no risk of want.’’ (75) Hester was lonely with only Pearl to share her life with. Hester at once beautiful had lost her beauty in the aftermath of her sin. “Even the attractiveness of her person had undergone a similar change.” (150)Hester decision to hide the fact that Chillingworth is her husband leads him to torture Dimmesdale.“ Your clutch is on his life , and you cause him to die daily a living death; and still he knows you not.” (156) Next, Dimmesdale concealment of his guilt makes him deceive others and himsel... ... middle of paper ... ... by developing himself, for seven years, to the constant analysis of a heart full of torture, and deriving his enjoyment thence, and adding fuel to those fiery tortures which he analyzed and gloated over. ( 155-56) His strength and energy withdrawing from him after the death of Dimmesdale, Chillingworth “ positively withered up, shriveled away and almost vanished from mortal sight. (236 The theme that deception and secrecy can be destructive was demonstrated through Hester Prynne, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne ‘s secret of not telling Dimmesdale that Chillingworth was her husband made him torture Dimmesdale to his death. Dimmesdale deceives himself in not telling his sin and sacrifices his daughter, Pearl and his love for Hester. Chillingworth turns his scholarly nature into a devil. On the whole, be true to yourself.