Struggle between Good and Evil in The Scarlet Letter and Macbeth

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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.

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