4。2 Pearl: A Natural Person in The Scarlet Letter 15

Conclusion 18

Acknowledgements 20

References 21

1 Introduction

1。1Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter

American literature does not have a long history。 However, it has a great influence on the development of world literature and culture by absorbing and melting the characteristics of various national cultures constantly。 In the history of American literature, there are many eminent writers, such as Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Whitman and Melville among whom Nathaniel Hawthorne is an influential one。 论文网

As a famous American novelist in the 19th century, Hawthorne is an outstanding representative of American Romanticism。 His father died when he was only four years old, and he was mainly brought up by his mother。 He entered Bowdoin College in 1821 with the financial support from relatives, and graduated in 1825。 After graduation, Hawthorne tried to write novels about his experience in Bowdoin College。 In 1828, Hawthorne published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, which had less success than expected。 Later, he joined Brook Farm, a community established by transcendentalists, which had a great influence on his literary career。 After marriage, Hawthorne published his most famous collection of short stories Mosses from an Old Manse in 1846, including Young Goodman Brown。 In 1846, he worked at the Custom House in Salem, but he lost his job because of the change of administration in Washington after the presidential election of 1848。 After that, Hawthorne devoted himself to creating his most famous novel The Scarlet Letter which established his position in the literary history of the America。 Hawthorne’s works are famous for rich imagination and he is good at treating complex moral issues with psycho-analysis and romanticism。文献综述

The Scarlet Letter, published in 1850, was set in a puritan society near Boston。 A young woman, named Hester Prynne, has been released from the prison with her infant Pearl, wearing a scarlet letter “A” on her breast which serves as the punishment for her adultery。 When she is fully revealed before the crowd, she sees her missing husband in the crowd asking others what’s happening。 Actually, her husband pretends to be a doctor in the town and his new name is Roger Chillingworth。 Hester is not willing to reveal Pearl’s father, but Chillingworth claims that he will find out her secret lover who makes him shameful at any cost。 He also asks Hester to keep his secret because he will not bear the dishonor which besmirches him as the husband of a faithless woman。 Not accepted by the community, Hester lives in a small hut outside the town with her little daughter。 She supports herself and Pearl by her delicate and imaginative skill—needlework。 As Hester’s secret lover, Arthur Dimmesdale, the minister, suffers a lot from psychological ailment。 Finally, Hester and Dimmesdale decide to start a new life abroad to get rid of the torture completely, but Chillingworth knows their plan and decides to follow them。 When the new Governor is to receive his office, Dimmesdale delivers an Election Sermon, after which he extends his hand to Hester and Pearl and confesses publicly。 Although his action leaves the crowd in a tumult, he is finally released from the feelings of guilt and dies after confession。 After Dimmedale’s death, Chillingworth seems to lose all his energy and dies within the year。 Chillingworth bequeaths his property to little Pearl who leaves Boston with Hester finally。 Many years later, Hester returns to Boston alone, but she still wears the scarlet letter “A”。 She tries her best to comfort and counsel those wounded women, so she receives respects from the community again。