Everybody knows that Hester Prynne has committed adultery
because the bright red A she is sentenced to wear everyday announces it to the
world. The result of the act, her daughter Pearl, is the living example of a
fit of passion. Alternately referred to as an elfin child, spirit child, or
fairy, Pearl bounces her way through life displaying none of the usual manners
of children her age and disregarding all social norms. Meanwhile, the mystery
of the father remains a secret – at least to the town. As the reader, we know
that the minister Mr. Dimmesdale has been screaming his guilt in silence,
faithfully performing his personal penance away from the eyes of the public
because his position in the community does not allow him to make it known. Even
when he tries to make it known, his role as a minister makes it seem as if he
is merely finding fault with himself, not admitting to a crime of passion. Further
complicating matters, the physician by the name of Roger Chillingworth
vindictively exacerbates the minister’s personal agony while publicly appearing
as his closest colleague. In a previous world that remains unknown to the town,
Roger Chillingworth was the husband of Hester Prynne, so he is a private victim
of the public scandal, but he expertly channels his anger into the demise of
the minister. In a tangled circle of love and hate, God and Satan, grudges and
forgiveness, how can the matter be settled?
The Scarlet Letter
is a study of dualities. After her public humiliation, Hester moves to the edge
of town and lives on the border between wilderness and civilization. Removed
from society, she has a new perspective from which to observe and criticize the
institution that forced her out, but she does so in the same way she bears her
public shame – silently and without show of emotion. Hester’s public
appearance, aside from the scarlet A she wears, is limited to shades of gray,
while her daughter Pearl is always decked out in the most elaborate fashions.
The minister dutifully carries out his responsibilities during the day, but
announces his guilt and punishes himself in the night. Above all, there is the
distinction between God and Satan. In the story, Roger Chillingworth takes the
part of Satan as the hateful, despicable man who seeks to destroy others in
ways so subtle that it only makes them more painful. God takes the role of God
because the minister cannot forgive himself – he is constantly seeking a Higher
expression of mercy. While this makes for excellent literary analysis, it
sometimes felt contrived and too blatant. The author goes so far as to point
out the lack of civilization in the wilds beyond town leading to questionable
activities like witchcraft and personal conversations between sinners.
I loved The Scarlet
Letter the first time I read it because there was so much to analyze – I
felt like I was finally understanding my 11th grade English class! –
but I liked it more this time for the issues that weren’t quite resolved.
Hester bears her public shame without complaint for the rest of her life – how
does the public shame contribute to and limit her future actions and choices?
Alternately, why is the minister incapable of forgiving himself? This ultimately
leads him to self-destruction (although it he is aided in the process by Roger
Chillingworth), but does he have to admit guilt publicly in order to find
peace? Could the minister eventually have forgiven himself without making a
public confession? How important is public acknowledgment of personal lives?
And how do we balance all those dualities to find a life that suits us
personally? How important is it to follow all those social expectations? The
last chapter is written in a way that tries to inspire speculation about the
veracity of the story and characters. The story mostly resolves itself, but I like
that it leaves some issues open to questions and interpretation.
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