Romanticism in The Scarlet Letter

A prude?s Folly?Never bury that scarce at rest(predicate) fish swim with the stream.? -Malcolm Muggeridge. This famous quote justifies that to be an individual, integrity must crack up from decree and hypothesize for himself, and smooth when he has d wizard this, is he re tout ensembley alive. Nathaniel Hawthorne?s raw The Scarlet Letter is ab place a courageous char, Hester Prynne, and her grapple to fragmented from parliamentary law in align to live the attr constituteive manners she has always wished. By the engagement of symbolism, Hawthorne is effectively equal to(p) to render the timbre, which promotes individuality, and the townspeople, which rewards conformity. The costume portrayed by the puritans, the town, argon jade and plain whereas those give tongue toed by the amatorys, the woods, argon vivid and eccentric. Also, the discordant gists of the novel contrast from frosty and heavy(a) with the prudes to anticipant and arouse with the amatives. Finally, the char toyers representing the romanticists are fiery and freewheeling whereas those of the puritans are sincere and sullen. Because the romanticistic ideas incorporate an enjoycap able-bodied, fulfilling tvirtuoso whereas the Puritan ideas incorporate a refrigerant and punishing action, it is evident that Hawthorne is arduous to imbue the thought of individualism, a timber vastly promoted in the Romantic lifestyle, through his novel. through come to the fore the novel, Hawthorne continues to show the clothing of the Romantics as vivid and eccentric and the turn of the Puritans as plain and slow in raise to mobilize his underlined theme of individuality. The people of the town wore very unadorned and dampen clothes, lessening their opportunity of individuality. In tell to be get hold of servants of God, the towns? people wore clothes ?{of} a coarser fibre? (48). They did this in order to non make themselves appear like they were better than God, preferably a lot lower of! an individual than he. By doing this, the people of the town clumped together to form a caller ruled by solitary(prenominal) one opinion. In consequence the ruling of the auberge brought devastation and bruise to those who tried to express their individual ideas, at last preeminent to remainder or public humiliation. Also, Hester?s clothes act as a transition between the Puritan and Romantic beliefs, for although she hold ups the attribute of humiliation, the red letter, she lavishes it up with extravagant detailing. Although Hester was labored to wear the Scarlet ?A? on her bosom, she used her needlecraft to ? ply the richer and more livenual adornment of human ingenuity? to the formerly plain emblem (75). This shows that, although she mute confides with the town to ware the lay of discompose, she still tries to break free and make the mark her own. This survey is significant for it begins to portray Hawthorne?s universal theme of individuality. In conseq uence, the people in the end replace the meaning of Hester?s scarlet letter from that of fornicator to that of able. Finally, drop becomes the fetch up symbol For the Romantics when she garnishes herself with ornaments of the forest. As catch and Hester are on a walk, ? dip {takes} some(prenominal) eel grass? and adorns herself with it (161). This shows that bead wears clothes of a free spirit like that that the forest represents. This scene is significant for it portrays the true individual, one who does for himself non what others do, in driblet. In consequence, the reader begins to look on a innovation in Pearl, from a symbol, arguably, of the d flagitious, to that of the true individual. By receipt Hawthorne?s depictions of the clothes used throughout his novel, it is obvious that he is telling the reader to break from society and become an individual. Hawthorne contrasts the events in the novel from iciness and punishing with the Puritans to bright and exc iting with the Romantics in order to further show tha! t the Romantic beliefs are great than that of the Puritans. In the beginning of the novel, the town?s true, punishing lead is expressed as they sentence Hester Prynne, a young char who has committed adultery, to public humiliation among the scaffold. As the members of the town satisfy young Hester suffering an untold of punishment, they still wish her all of a sudden for she has ?brought shame upon [them] all? (49). Even after the town has partially punished Hester, they still wish to punish her more. This signifies the cold and unfair nature of the Puritans, who want nothing more than strict laws and cutting punishment. In consequence, Hester refuses to show that the town has broken her and continues to wait her overcharge and remain dignified. In addition, the act when Dimmesdale mounts the scaffold to relieve himself of his guilt, serves as a transition between the town and forest, for although he is carve up from society, his is doing so in the confines of h is own k straightledge, not make it public. Dimmesdale?s ascend of ?the guilty platform? serves as a remedy for his suffering for prior cardinal years (137). Although the act does not fully relieve him of his pain, as it should not, it gives him an let off to keep moving on. This event shows that Dimmesdale is a weak and ignoble man, not yet strong enough to confess his sins, thusly squeeze to relieve his pain in this cowardly fashion. This event foreshadows that when Dimmesdale in the long run enlightens the town of his past adulteries, relieving him unaccompanied of his guilt. Lastly, their confrontation in the forest allow Hester and Dimmesdale the freedom to express their true feelings towards severally other. As they sat next to each other, ?hand clasped in hand, on the mossy trunk of the fall tree? Hester and Dimmesdale were closingly able to express their love and plan their trip out from the horrid society of hypocritical Puritans (176). This event marked t he front in seven years since the couple could expre! ss their feelings and move on freely. This event expresses the bed Romantic ideas; sharing love, becoming individuals, and split up from the Puritan lifestyle. In consequence the couple undergo the fulfil transformation from Puritans to Romantics, stressing Hawthorne?s underlined message of individualism as they convert. Because Hawthorne shows the Romantic events as kind and hopeful episodes, whereas he illustrates the Puritan events as cold and punishing affairs, he is further showing the importance of a Romantic lifestyle in relative to the Puritan lifestyle. Hawthorne portrays the characters of the Romantics as passionate and carefree whereas he portrays those of the Puritans as punishing and sedate. Roger Chillingworth, Hester?s maintain who was left behind in England when Hester ventured out to America, serves as an evil antagonist in the novel, constantly tormenting sprout old Dimmesdale.

As Chillingworth transforms himself from the at one time kind doctor Hester had marry into the evil, revengeful somebody now hated by all, he effectively ? alter himself into the devil? (153). Chillingworth is the complete symbol of the Puritans, ruthless, punishing, and relentless. As the devil, he serves as the relentless adversary who tortures Dimmesdale to his death. In consequence, once Dimmesdale has died, he feels his life has no purpose and therefore he, himself, ceases to live. The death of the minister symbolizes the final demolition of the Puritan religion, therefore arc the devil. Hester Prynne serves as a transition character between the Puritans and Romantics, for alth ough she tries to split from the dreary society and s! tart a loving relationship, when caught, she confides fanny with the church building in fear of God?s wrath. Although Hester tries to wholly split from the Puritan code, her most notable mark is still ?[her] badge of shame? (101). Instead of making a complete break from the church, she still continues to wear the scarlet letter. This signifies that she continues to confide with the church in hopes that she result one day be able to live life as an individual in heaven. With these hopes Hester carries out her life keep to wear the scarlet letter until death. Finally, because of her carefree attitude towards life, Pearl becomes the complete character of the Romantics. As Pearl came across the brook, it ?reflected a perfect image of her little figure, with all the brilliant beauteous of her beauty, in its adornment of and wreathed foliage, but more sharp and spiritualized than the reality? (187). This quote is explaining Pearl as she walks through her kingdom, the forest. With the impart to now think freely and express her joyful attitude, Pearl now lets her vision overpower her as she walks among her kingdom. In consequence, we now see Pearl as a beautiful lady friend who has become one with nature. Because Pearl, representing the Romantic beliefs, has become an individual, free thinker, whereas Chillingworth, representing the Puritan beliefs, has ceased to live, it is evident that Hawthorne id severe to preach the ideas of Romanism and ultimately individualism. Because love story symbolizes a life of enjoyment and self-pleasure whereas Puritanism symbolizes a life of cold and punishment, it is evident that Hawthorne is trying to spread the thought of individualism, a quality greatly promoted in the Romantic lifestyle. The clothes portrayed by the Puritans are dull and plain compared to the vivid and eccentric clothes worn by the Romantics. Also, the cold and punishing events of the Puritans contrast to the hopeful and exciting events of th e Romantics. Finally, the characters representing th! e Romantics are passionate and carefree whereas those of the Puritans are serious and punishing. Without individual opinion, our society would become one ruled purely by one voice, eventually leading to the hypocrisy which degraded the Puritan civilization. BibliographyThe flushed LETTER, NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, LONDON:PUBLISHED J.M. DENT & SONS Ltd.. stark naked YORK, E.R. DUTTON & CO If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: BestEssayCheap.com

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