Transcript Hawthorne
HAWTHORNE The Scarlet Letter BIOGRAPHY Surrounded by women most of his life (July 4, 1804-May 19, 1864) Main character, Hester Prynne, represents strong maternal figure he never had. Odd friendship with Margaret Fuller (Women’s rights activist) Hyper critical of women writers especially Misogyny and Feminist interactions in The Scarlet Letter TOPICS Vocational Limitations Is Hester a radical? Acceptance of female passion Punishment of Puritans and intellectual nature “The outspoken woman” Powerful or powerless? Individual or conformist? Art and sexuality in the marketplace • Native Americans • Disobedient Children • Antinomians- internal motivation to do right, saved by grace not by law-following • Witches Is Hester a Leader? Men as victims SCARLET LETTER FIRSTS In American Literature • Extensive use of symbolism • Fictional expose’ of Puritan life • Woman in a heroic role TRUTH Nature of sin Moral authority Consequences of wrongdoing Guilt, Shame, Morality ROMANTIC PERIOD Imagination Personal Freedom Mystery of remote times and places Glorify Nature Promote optimism and idealism PURITAN PERIOD Bible contains everything needed to run a society • Body of laws • • • • • Ethics Dress Marriage Judicial procedures Every element of life • Scripture versus Reason • Theocracy • Satan worked through those who did not believe the way they believed. THE SCARLET LET TER Hawthorne is less optimistic than his contemporary Romantics Delves deep into the human heart and soul Psychological Romance • Heart (desire) • Soul (morality) • Inspiration based on truth, Hester Prynne existed and was forced to wear an A on her chest as a punishment for adultery. (Freud) • Symbols SYMBOLISM American first Hawthorne guided the reader with clues “typify” and “symbolize” Rosebush by the prison door, Weeds covering the grave Common objects connect to a larger meaning (truth). Reflect character’s inward reality (Sun=happy) HISTORICALLY ACCURATE Historical figures existed Hester Prynne existed Members of the community existed • • • • Ideas Customs Holidays (election) “More than any other book in American Literature, The Scarlet Letter embodies Puritan ideals and way of life” (Stewart and Bethurum). HESTER PRYNNE Heroic Admirable • Intelligent, determined, survivor, loyal to child, loyal to father of the child, loyal to her husband, no self-pity, not bitter, no rancor, independent spirit Romantic Ideals • Hester was denied – Individualism, Self-Realization, Humanitarianism, Idealism, • Did she have Imagination? Optimism? HAWTHORNE’S CRAFT Vivid Pictures • Color, shades of light and dark Clear Structure • 3 scaffold scenes • Beginning, middle and end • Custom house frame, beginning essay and conclusion HAWTHORNE’S CRAFT Irony • Creates suspense and tension • Dramatic Irony • Audience knows but characters do not. • Fed by “secret sin” and Hester’s loyalty Narrator’s Voice • • • • Creates confrontations with clashing ideals Questions ideals Doubts are created in the reader Allows for multiple interpretations HAWTHORNE “Questions the human soul.” THE CUSTOMHOUSE Hawthorne worked in the custom house He found the A and the account of Hester Prynne He wrote a fictional story to explore his ancestral beliefs Bloom’s notes on “The Customhouse.”