scarlet letter essay

A detailed Summary of scarlet letter essay

Through out Nathaniel Hawthone's The Scarlet Letter, the main characters suffer psychological damage as a result of different forms of alienation. The character traits they posses make them more susceptible to certain types of alienation.

Since Dimmesdale cannot reveal his secret to anyone, he can not share his pain. All the pent up guilt he has stored with in eats away at him, slowly deteriorating his body and soul. Dimmesdale's masochistic and pious attributes greatly contribute to the extent of his alienation. For the reverend it was "essential to his peace to feel the pressure of a faith about him." This need for punishment coupled with religious devotion gives reason for Dimmesdale's secrecy. Hiding his intimate self from other people bestows Dimmesdale the punishment he so desperately seeks. His mental breakdown stemming from his social alienation is most clearly shown in the chapter the "The Minister's Vigil". His self-torture leads him to walk "under the influence of a species of somnambulism", thinking irrationally in a way not like himself. His pent up agony causes Dimmesdale to act out in ways like this that could reveal his secret.

Dimmesdale's psychological agony partly st

Hester's Main form of alienation is most obvious in her scarlet letter. This token of her sin separates her from the rest of society by marking her as an outcast, forced to live in isolation in a cottage outside of town. The scarlet letter acts as a symbol of the main character trait that alienates Hester, her individualism. Her individualistic nature separates her from the restrictive and methodical community in which she lives. This alienation allows her to take an outside view on society and see it's faults. Hester reject the values and standards of puritan society and yearn to "cast away the fragments of a broken chain." Her alienation from the group is also due to her beauty. Other women are extremely jealous of her and wish the punishment of death for the sin she committed. The nature of Hester leads to her alienation such that others deem her expendable.

ems from a form of spiritual alienation. As a minister, he has a close relationship with God and has a strong sense of spirituality. Due to his sin, his relationship with God suffers in the way that his sin separates him from the teachings of Jesus. Without the virtue and purity he once held, Dimmesdale views himself unworthy in the eyes of God. While lying on the forest floor, Dimmesdale utters "The judgment of God is on me, he is too mighty for me to struggle with!" To

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hester's Main, Roger Chillingworth, Scarlet Letter, Minister's Vigil, God Dimmesdale, scarlet letter, nature separates, self-alienation damaging, reveal secret, spiritual alienation, sin separates, relationship god, puritan society,

Approximate Word count = 908
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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scarlet letter essay

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