The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne “Young Goodman Brown” “The Minister’s Black Veil”

Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography and Family history Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts His great-great-grandfather, William Hathorne, ordered the whipping of five women in the streets of Salem because they were suspected of being Quakers His great-grandfather, John Hathorne, was one of the three judges of the Salem Witch Trials It is the believe of many historians that Hawthorne added the “w” to his last name to distance himself from his family’s history Many historians and literature scholars also believe that Hawthorne’s works are primarily centered around his time era due to ancestral guilt Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College in Maine His classmates include Franklin Pierce and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow After graduation, Hawthorne moved back home to Salem and married Sophia Peabody in 1842 after a five year engagement

Biography Continued… Unable to make a substantial living as an author, Hawthorne accepted a government position as surveyor of the Salem Custom House He was released from this position when the incoming political party, the Whigs, fired him to put in their own political appointees; his mother also died around the same time Suffering from these loses, Hawthorne left Salem, which he called “that abominable city”, refusing to ever return Hawthorne and his wife settled in Concord, Massachusetts, where he began his writing career Hawthorne wrote several short stories, novels and government pamphlets His most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850 President Pierce appointed Hawthorne to serve as the US Consul in Liverpool, England He returned to the US from Europe in 1860 He died in 1864 ad is buried in the Sleepy Hollow cemetery in Concord

The Romantic Hawthorne Hawthorne is considered a writer of American Romanticism (not to be confused with British Romanticism, which occurs a few decades before) Romantics concern themselves with the soul, stress emotions over reason, show an appreciation of nature, and focus on the person’s passions and inner struggle Because Hawthorne was intensely interested in Puritanism, all of his works is one form or another of characters having to deal with sin Hawthorne is haunted by what is obscure, dangerous and the confines of good and evil, by what is abnormal and social relations It is what is mysterious in the soul that attracts him All of his stories are about people’s crimes—or misunderstood virtue or misfortune—which, created by themselves, leaves them in a worse companionship than solitude The soul becomes the individual’s saving grace because that person is shunned by everyone else

Themes in The Scarlet Letter Alienation: the characters are in a state of isolation because of self-cause or societal cause Initiation: involves the attempts of an alienated character to get rid of his isolated condition Problem of Guilt: a character’s sense of guilt forced upon him by the Puritan lifestyle/heritage espoused society Pride: Hawthorne treats pride as an evil; this can be spiritual, intellectual and/or physical Allegory: each character is a metaphorical equivalent of a bigger concept Minor Themes: individual vs. self, self-fulfillment vs. accommodation/frustration, hypocrisy vs. integrity, love vs. hate, exploitation vs. hurting, fate vs. free will

Symbols in The Scarlet Letter Pearl is Hester’s daughter. Pearls are formed in oysters when a grain of sand slips inside and irritates the oyster. The oyster covers the unattractive intruder, and it eventually because an object of rare value and beauty. In the novel, Pearl is born of her mother’s shame and suffering, but has become a precious, rare and beautiful child The Letter “A” stands for adultery in the beginning of the novel. It is a representation of Hester’s punishment; however, she wears it with stoic endurance and embellishes it with gold threads until it becomes a thing of beauty. Later in the novel, the townspeople will have forgotten Hester’s sin, and the “A” comes to represent “Able”

Symbols Continued… The Prison Door is a place of despair, but the rose bush growing by the door represents the minute presence of beauty and forgiveness of nature in a harsh and rigid society The Scaffold is a place of punishment; it is where Hester is sentenced to stand for hours while facing the towns harsh rebukes. It is where the father of Hester’s child comes at night to punish himself for his sins

Custom House A custom house is a building located in major maritime cities for processing the necessary paperwork on the import and export of goods. The purpose of the custom house was to collect taxes and regulate commerce. However, due to advances in technologly (particularly in air travel) the need for custom houses has significantly declined. As of now, there are only 13 functioning custom houses left in the country. Having contributed to the Democratic Review, and once the Democrats were in power in the mid 1840s, Hawthorne was appointed surveyor of the custom house of Salem, an experience which greatly inspired the introduction of The Scarlet Letter. While working in the custom house, Hawthorne found a piece of cloth with an “A” stitched on it and used it as a major symbol about the Puritan lifestyle.

Major Characters Hester Prynne is the protagonist and the wearer of the scarlet letter, which signifies her status as an adulteress. Hester uses her gifts and talents to transform her position in society to outcast to a helper of those in need. Pearl is Hester’s illegitimate daughter; she is moody, mischievous (a “free spirit”) and is able to perceive things that the adults around her do not. Roger Chillingworth is Hester’s husband in disguise. He is much older than she is, and he had sent her to America while he settled his affairs in Europe. He lusts for revenge when he finds Hester and her illegitimate child being displayed on the scaffold. He is obsessed with discovering the identity of Pearl’s father.

Major Characters Continued… Arthur Dimmesdale is the young and handsome preacher who achieved fame in England and immigrated to America. He is an intelligent and emotional man, whose sermons are famed masterpieces of eloquence and persuasiveness. He suffers from a heart condition. Governor Bellingham is a wealthy, elderly gentleman who spends much of his time consulting with the town elders. Despite his role as governor in a Puritan society, he very much resembles a traditional English aristocrat. Mistress Hibbins is a widow and the sister of Governor Bellingham. She is publicly known to be a witch, who ventures into the forest at night to ride with the “Black Man”. Her appearances at public occasions represent the hypocrisy and hidden evil in society. Reverend John Wilson is an elderly clergyman who preaches the traditional sermons of hellfire and damnation. His sermons contrast greatly to those of Reverend Dimmesdale’s.