An analysis of adultery and betrayal in the scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne Booklist Nathaniel Hawthorne Message Board Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Scarlet Letter A 17th century young woman faces persecution in the puritanical Massachusetts Bay Colony for having a child with a man who is not her husband. The Scarlet Letter is Hawthorne's response to the oppressive reality to Puritan society.

The essay did not fit your needs? Among the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale.

Through the novel Pearl develops into a dynamic symbol; one that is constantly shifting. In the following essay, I'll explore Hawthorne's symbolism of Pearl from birth, ageand age. Also, I will try to disprove the notion that Pearl is branded with a metaphorical scarlet letter "A" representing amorality; instead she reflects the immorality of her mother's adultery.

In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne, for her sins, received a scarlet letter "A" which she had to wear upon the "breast of her gown" Hawthorne This was the Puritan way of treating her as a criminal for the crime of adultery.

The Puritan therapy of Hester did not stop simply with the mission of the letter. As she walked through the streets, she was looked down upon as if she were some kind of evil spirit among them, being penalized for some ghastly crime.

This gave Hester much psychological distress and grief. On the flip side, God's remedy of Hester for her sin was rather different compared to the scarlet letter.

He gave Hester the punishment of rearing a very distinctive child whom she named Pearl. Hester named her daughter Pearl because she needed to give everything up, including liberty, for her. This punishment handed down from God was a constant mental and physical reminder to Hester of what she had done wrong.

There was no escaping it. Within this aspect, Pearl represented God's method of punishing Hester to its sin of adultery. When she was a baby, "her infant's eyes had been caught by the glimmering of the gold embroidery about the letter" Hawthorne From arrival, Pearl appeared to be attracted to the scarlet letter "A" that clung to her mother's chest.

In a incident when Pearl was a baby she reached up smiling to get with the scarlet letter on Hester's apparel as she stooped over her cradle. This gesture by the infant mortified Hester due to Pearl's innocent comprehension of the underl Examples of completed orders.The Scarlet Letter: Hester Prynne The character of Hester Prynne changed significantly throughout the novel "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the Puritan ways, committing adultery. The Scarlet Letter study guide contains a biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Study Guides. The Scarlet Letter Adultery, betrayal, promiscuity, subterfuge, and intrigue, all of which would make an excellent coming attraction on the Hollywood scene and probably a pretty good book. An Analysis of Adultery and Betrayal in the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne PAGES 2.

WORDS View Full Essay. More essays like this: the scarlet. The Scarlet Letter, first published in , is Nathaniel Hawthorne‟s first “romance” and is thus far his most renowned and well-received novel.

The subject matter is equally well-. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's the Scarlet Letter, Pearl, is a symbol of sin and adultery in the sense that she leads Dimmsdale and Hest Save Paper west10s Published on 03/08/ Reads The Scarlet Letter.

Hawthorne seems to be urging his audience to avoid being put in such situations; for the end result can be deadly. Works Cited. Bercovitch, Sacvan. “The Scarlet Letter: A Twice-Told Tale.” Nathaniel Hawthorne Review.

p. Hawthorne Hotel, Salem. 29 June Speech.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Minister’s Black Veil. Fiction: A Pocket Anthology. Ed.