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The Scarlet Letter Essay Topics

Table of Contents

The Scarlet Letter: A Romance is a novel by American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne first published in Boston in 1850. It is considered to be one of the cornerstones of American literature.

That’s the first American novel that caused wide resonance in the whole of Europe.

This peace is about the life of Puritan America in the period of incipience. The history of Hester Prynne’s life – a young woman who has not only sinned with a priest but also bore a child from him – a little girl who looks like an elf.

For her love, she became outcast and had to carry the letter “A” on her dresses – adulteress.

This is about a weak woman, who carries her “shame” with a head held high, with the endless fortitude.

The novel raises numerous moral dilemmas and ethical issues , and that is why reading it might become quite a challenge.

Still, the novel is undoubtedly worth reading, but still, it is truly complicated to realize all its depths.

The Scarlet Letter essay topics

First of all, keep in mind that you need to follow the specific requirements your teacher has set.

Get your paper organized at the very beginning, and you will surely benefit from it. This will also help you choose the best topic for the essay.

Here are some examples:

• The difference between how Hester treats herself and how society treats her. – Examine the personal self vision of Hester, and the vision of a society, what are the differences and similarities?
• The role of native Americans in the novel. – Explore how native Americans influenced the main characters and the whole plot.
• Describe and explain the meaning of the symbols the author uses. – Make a list of symbols you can find in the text, analyze their general and specific meaning in the novel. Why are they important?
• The Scarlet Letter : what can modern society take from the book? – Think about why you still have this book in the school program. How can the lessons provided by the author be helpful today? What have you carried out from the book?
• How does the meaning of the letter “A” change in the story? – Describe the meaning of the letter “A” in the story and compare it on all stages of the narrative.
• Evaluate the character of Hester. – Describe her treats of character, her feelings and thoughts, analyze everything her identity consists of and express your attitude towards her.

The Scarlet Letter essay prompts

First of all, to write a successful essay, you’d want to analyze a composition first.

Any literary work has numerous connections within the plot; characters interact, and their actions differ. Getting those tiniest connections would help you gain a better understanding of the novel.

Here are some general instructions on how to analyze a composition:

• Define the thesis and the purpose of the composition.
• Analyze the structure.
• Consult any sources to understand unfamiliar words and constructions.
• Make a short description of a book.
• Write a summary.
• Characterization: describe and analyze the characters of the story.
• Examine the main conflict.

After this, you are ready to choose any topic about the book and write your essay.

Surely the topic is not everything that you need to write a successful essay. After choosing a topic, you need to think of ideas you’ll present in your essay.

And just because The Scarlet Letter has quite a complex composition, you may be puzzled with what to write.

Below you may find some ideas and questions to elaborate on. Remember, if you disagree with some of the statements you may still use them… to create a dispute.

• Think about how events and locations are presented in the book. What is the difference between day- and nightlife?
• Scarlet letter and feminism: analyze the possible correlations.
• Discuss why Hester’s husband decided to torture her instead of just revealing the truth?
• Analyze the difference between adultery’s vision nowadays and the times of Puritan society. Which one is more correct? Why has it changed?
• Do people consider Hester’s punishment to be strict or too light? Why do they think so? What is your point of view on her punishment?
• Describe the role of background characters, like Mr. Wilson, Mistress Hibbins, Governor Bellingham, and others. Why are they in the story? What are their roles in the plot?
• Restore all connections between characters in the novel.

Controversial essay topics on The Scarlet Letter

In case you’re a fan of The Scarlet letter and want to write a specific, unique essay, there’s a need to compose a vivid topic.

Below you may find some examples of the topics which are not that easy to cover. Keep in mind that you need to be quite a bookworm to choose these topics for your essay:

• Explore the collision between human rights and the Puritan law.
• Imagine what the future of Pearl is? Which factors define it? Why?
• Choose and analyze any chapter of the book. Why is it significant?
• The long-lasting effect of sin in The Scarlet Letter.
• The role of public shame in the novel.
• Morality and moral problems highlighted in the romance.
• The problem of abusing relationships in the book.

All in all, The Scarlet letter is a multifaceted composition. It might be difficult to read and comprehend. Writing an essay on it may turn out to be a challenge.

Still, any effort you make would be worth it. The Scarlet Letter is a true masterpiece , crafted to change lives. You won’t regret.

The Scarlett Letter doesn’t seem to be your cup of tea? Well, our trained writers can handle any topic you hand them! Click the button and leave all your troubles behind.

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The Scarlet Letter

106 pages • 3 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Introduction

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-8

Chapters 9-12

Chapters 13-16

Chapters 17-20

Chapters 21-24

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

One of the defining characteristics of Romantic literature is an appreciation of nature’s beauty and an association of the natural world with inspiration, authenticity, and freedom. How does The Scarlet Letter reflect these broader Romantic trends?

Although the novel takes place prior to the Salem witch trials, Hawthorne references the trials in the Introduction with the assumption that readers are already familiar with them. How does knowledge of these trials color the novel’s meaning?

Compare and contrast the scene of Hester’s punishment on the scaffold with Dimmesdale’s confession and death. What do these similarities and differences reveal about the novel’s characters or themes?

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The Scarlet Letter

By nathaniel hawthorne, the scarlet letter essay questions.

Is Hester truly penitent for her crime?

Answer: Though Hester regrets the effect her crime has had on her child and on her position in society, she sees Chillingworth's betrayal of Dimmesdale as an even greater crime. Ultimately, Hester learns to forgive herself for her sins while Dimmesdale does not.

Why does Dimmesdale intervene on Pearl's behalf when Governor Bellingham orders her removed from Hester's care?

Answer: There are two possibilities: either he fears Hester revealing his name or he truly believes that Hester deserves to care for her daughter, since he is emotionally connected to Pearl as her father and wants Hester to raise her. Ultimately, we believe that it is guilt which motivates him most, since he comes to Hester's defense only after she looks at him with imploring eyes.

What is the difference between how adultery is viewed now and how it was viewed by Puritan society? In other words, where does the blame lie?

Answer: In modern society, adultery is seen as a breach of contract between two people and therefore a private matter. In Puritan society, adultery was seen as a breach of contract between two people and the community in which they lived.

How is the Scarlet Letter embodied by Pearl?

Answer: Pearl, in her wild, unrepressed passion, represents the adulterous passion of her parents, as does the scarlet letter. In her society, she is completely out of place, a child of illicit passion and a constant reminder, like the scarlet letter, of that passion.

Why does Dimmesdale keep putting his hand over his heart?

Answer: Pearl asks this question repeatedly of her mother, but Hester will not answer her. Over time, we understand that Dimmesdale has literally and figuratively inscribed his own scarlet letter into the flesh above his heart so that he can commune with Hester's guilt, shame, and public excommunication.

Do people in the community believe Hester's punishment for adultery is too light or too strict?

Answer: For the most part, they believe it is too lenient, and some advocate branding her with a hot iron or death, the sentence associated with the crime of adultery both in the New England statutes of the time and in the Bible. As time progresses, however, they loosen slightly in their attitudes, though not as much as Hester would expect. Those who acknowledge their own sinfulness are somewhat less quick to judge Hester and can see the case for a less strict punishment by the community.

What are the purposes of the opening Custom-House essay?

Answer: The Custom-House introduction does more than increase the length of the novel, which Hawthorne thought was too short. It also adds a frame story and a romantic sense of truth or non-fiction to the tale. It introduces themes and imagery that will appear later in the novel. And it adds weight to the story by suggesting that the actual fabric of the scarlet letter continues to hold power.

Who is more racked by guilt, Hester or Dimmesdale?

Answer: Dimmesdale has sinned according to his own system of beliefs, since as the town minister he has violated the values he has preached against for decades. He takes his guilt to heart and suffers mightily. Hester, meanwhile, has come to terms with her sin over time.

What do Dimmesdale and Chillingworth share, other than Hester herself?

Answer: Both Dimmesdale and Chillingworth conceal their relationships to the adulterous act, leaving Hester as the only person to take public responsibility for the affair. They continue to maintain prominent roles in society. Both men are ultimately destroyed by this secrecy as they become entangled in a parasitic relationship.

Does Chillingworth ever forgive Hester?

Answer: Chillingworth seems forgiving of Hester at the outset, and he seems to transfer his rage onto Dimmesdale, whom he pursues relentlessly. Indeed, he seems to understand that he shouldn't have married a woman who would never love him, but Dimmesdale must be punished for allowing Hester to indulge her passion. His sinister acts toward the end of the novel are ameliorated somewhat by his choice to leave his estate to Pearl.

The Scarlet Letter Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Scarlet Letter is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Why does Dimmesdale decide to flee with Hester?

Dimmesdale looks beyong his place in the community and embraces his role as a father. He wants his family, so he decides to leave.

who is the elder clergyman who speaks to hester

The elder minister is John Wilson.

Who seems especially interested in the punishment that is about to take place?

That would be Roger Chillingworth.

Study Guide for The Scarlet Letter

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.

• About The Scarlet Letter
• The Scarlet Letter Summary
• The Scarlet Letter Video
• Character List

Essays for The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

• The Little Human A Incarnate
• Perception Blanketed by Passion
• Original Sin
• Hawthorne's "Witch-Baby" in The Scarlet Letter
• Hester's Role as Both the Sinner and Saint

Lesson Plan for The Scarlet Letter

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Scarlet Letter
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Scarlet Letter Bibliography

E-Text of The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter e-text contains the full text of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

• INTRODUCTORY. THE CUSTOM-HOUSE
• CHAPTER I. THE PRISON-DOOR
• CHAPTER II. THE MARKET-PLACE
• CHAPTER III. THE RECOGNITION
• CHAPTER IV. THE INTERVIEW

Wikipedia Entries for The Scarlet Letter

• Introduction
• Major theme
• Publication history
• Critical response

• Essay Topic Generator
• Summary Generator
• Thesis Maker Academic
• Sentence Rephraser
• Read My Paper
• Hypothesis Generator
• Cover Page Generator
• Text Compactor
• Essay Scrambler
• Essay Plagiarism Checker
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• AI Writing Checker
• Notes Maker
• Overnight Essay Writing
• Topic Ideas
• Writing Tips
• Essay Writing (by Genre)
• Essay Writing (by Topic)

The Scarlet Letter: Essay Questions, Topics, & Prompts

Welcome to our article about The Scarlet Letter . This novel is a masterwork of Nathaniel Hawthorne and one of the most significant works of American literature. It was also the first novel that made an impact this big in Europe.

Here you’ll find everything you need to write The Scarlet Letter essay:

• Basic info about the novel
• Essay ideas and tips
• 40 The Scarlet Letter essay questions for your assignment.

Let’s get started!

• ️🗝️ Key Facts about the Novel
• 📝 Essay Prompts & Ideas
• 💡 40 Essay Questions

🗝️ The Scarlet Letter: Key Facts

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. He was one of the first and most recognized American writers. Hawthorne made a huge impact on fiction and is also well-known for his use of allegory and symbolism.

The Scarlet Letter setting is Boston in the 1600s, which was the Puritan Bay Colony of Massachusetts . Puritan ideas supported strict religious beliefs. During that time, adultery was considered not only a sin but crime. So, those who failed at keeping up with the religious traditions were considered outcasts.

The Scarlet Letter: Short Summary

The Scarlet Letter tells a story about a woman named Hester. While her husband was away, Hester had an affair and had a baby with another man. The people from their town made her wear a scarlet letter A, which stands for Adulteress, on her clothes for the rest of her life as a punishment for her sin.

Here’s a summary of the main events of The Scarlet Letter :

1. Hester committed adultery with a priest Dimmesdale because her husband was away, and she thought he might have been already dead. 2. She gave birth to a child and named her Pearl. 3. Her husband Chillingworth arrived and decided to hide his identity. 4. Chillingworth was driven by revenge and tried to make Dimmesdale confess his sin by manipulating him. 5. Dimmesdale couldn’t bear his guilt and died after his confession. 6. Chillingworth died as he no longer had a reason to live. 7. Hester left Boston with Pearl and then came back again after many years. 8. Hester continued living in her old house and wearing the scarlet letter for the rest of her life.

📝 The Scarlet Letter: Essay Prompts & Ideas

If you are about to write The Scarlet Letter theme essay, here are some prompts for you!

The Scarlet Letter: Literary Analysis Essay

A literary analysis is a type of academic writing aimed at interpreting a piece of literature. An analytical essay about a literary work is also a kind of an argumentative essay. So, you should not summarize the work or conduct a rhetorical analysis.

To conduct a literary analysis, you need to:

• Study the text;
• Break down its themes;
• Figure out the reason behind the author’s choices.

To write The Scarlet Letter literary analysis essay, make sure to analyze the language used, the author’s perspective, text structure, and literary devices.

The Scarlet Letter Literary Devices

Writers use literary devices to express ideas and meanings in their works.

The Scarlet Letter literary devices include:

• Metaphors ;

You can analyze them separately but also altogether. If you are about to write about the literary devices in The Scarlet Letter essay, you can analyze how the author used them to express the religious idea in the novel.

Literary devices analysis might be too broad to analyze in an essay paragraph. However, it is a good topic for discussion in a research paper or term paper .

Irony in The Scarlet Letter

There are three kinds of irony:

• situational,

The author expresses dramatic irony in The Scarlet Letter through Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. Chillingworth is driven by his revenge and desire to find a man who had an affair with his wife. It turned out that Dimmesdale, who he lived with, was the one.

Situational irony describes unexpected events. For example, when Dimmesdale decided to go on a scaffold to confess his sin. He believed that his confession could set him free and let him be together with Hester and Pearl. However, something unexpected happened. He died after his confession.

Verbal irony is when someone’s words do not match the real meaning behind them. The example is when Dimmesdale asked Hester to reveal who is Pearl’s father in front of everyone because he didn’t have the courage to do so.

Metaphors in The Scarlet Letter

A metaphor is a figure of speech where a word or expression is used to convey some meaning by comparison to something else.

For example, the expression “a black sheep” means a person who is disgracing a family.

Nathaniel Hawthorne used metaphors in The Scarlet Letter to convey his idea about sin, guilt, and purity. For example, in chapter 16, Hawthorne used the metaphor “a Black Man” to express Hester’s sin.

Allusions in The Scarlet Letter

An allusion is a reference to a thing, event, person, etc. It can be both direct and indirect.

Nathaniel Hawthrone used Biblical and historical allusions in The Scarlet Letter . One of the historical allusions refers to Anne Hutchinson , who was mentioned in the first chapter. She was an actual historical figure -a Puritan spiritual leader born in 1591.

One of the Biblical allusions is Pearl, who Nathaniel Hawthorne named after the pearl of great price in the Bible.

The Scarlet Letter Symbolism Essay

Symbolism in literature is a figure of speech to represent an idea through different things.

If you are about to write The Scarlet Letter symbolism essay, here are some of the main symbols in the novel.

• The scarlet letter symbolism . The scarlet letter that Hester had to wear was supposed to symbolize her sin. However, the author refers to it as a “mystic symbol.”
• Red and black symbolism . Hawthorne uses color symbolism too. Red symbolizes passion, while black – sin.
• Pearl symbolism . Hester’s daughter Pearl also served as a symbol in the novel. In the 19 th chapter, the author referred to Pearl as “living hieroglyphic.”

The Scarlet Letter Theme Essay

Themes in literature can be either something that the reader thinks of while reading or the idea conveyed through the literature piece.

The Scarlet Letter has several essential themes:

• Conformity and Individuality . The town tried to make Hester conform to the religious beliefs. However, Hester remained loyal to her individuality.
• Sin . Since the story takes place in a Puritan community, it has a lot to do with the sin theme. The novel is centered around Hester’s sin and its consequences.
• Puritanism . Puritanism is shown as a very narrow-minded and unforgiving culture. Religion plays an essential role in their community, so all their actions are driven by it.

Essay on The Scarlet Letter Setting

Setting can also be The Scarlet Letter essay topic. The Scarlet Letter takes place in the Puritan community in Boston of the 1600s . This setting plays a crucial role in understanding the theme and idea in the novel.

Puritans left England and moved to Plymouth because of their different beliefs. They wanted to organize a community where they could follow their strict religious rules.

Nathaniel Hawthorne describes the setting in a detailed way to show the conflict between nature and society.

Forest as a setting can also be a discussion of The Scarlet Letter essay questions.

Essay on the Conflict in The Scarlet Letter

Conflict in literature is used as another literary device to show a conflict between two opposite believes.

The main conflict in The Scarlet Letter is between Hester and society . The townspeople accused her of her sin and made her an outsider. However, it didn’t break her. Instead, she remained strong and decided to wear the scarlet letter even after returning to the town after many years.

Another conflict is an inner conflict that Dimmesdale had. He suffered from shame, but at the same time, he was too afraid to open up about it.

💡 40 The Scarlet Letter Essay Questions

Here’s our list of 40 The Scarlet Letter Essay Topics. Find something that you would be interested in writing about. And if there is nothing suitable for you in the list, try using our topic generator for more ideas.

• How is the conflict of man vs. society depicted in The Scarlet Letter?
• What are the literary devices used in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does the author use irony in the Scarlet Letter?
• How does the introduction of The Scarlet Letter help us understand the historical background?
• What are the metaphors in The Scarlet Letter?
• What are the allusions in The Scarlet Letter?
• What do colors symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
• What does scarlet letter symbolize?
• What role does religion play in The Scarlet Letter?
• What are the themes in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does setting impact the themes in The Scarlet Letter?
• What are the main conflicts in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does the author use dramatic irony in The Scarlet Letter?
• What is situational irony in The Scarlet Letter?
• What is the metaphorical meaning behind “a Black Man” in The Scarlet Letter?
• How is the verbal irony depicted in The Scarlet Letter?
• In what ways does Hester confront society?
• What is the Biblical allusion in The Scarlet Letter?
• What are the historical allusions in The Scarlet Letter?
• How is conformity depicted in The Scarlet Letter?
• What does Pearl symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
• What role does personality play in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does the author represent the sin theme in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does the author portray the Puritanism theme in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does the author depict Dimmesdale’s inner conflict?
• Why does the author is so detailed about the settings in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does the author show the conflict between a man and nature in The Scarlet Letter?
• What is the role of Native Americans in The Scarlet Letter?
• What is the difference between Hester’s attitude towards society and society’s attitude towards her?
• What are the symbols that the author uses in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does Dimmesdale punish himself?
• What are the similarities between Dimmesdale and Chillingworth?
• Why did Chillingworth forgive Hester in The Scarlet Letter?
• How does the author portray Chillingworth’s obsession with revenge?
• In what ways is The Scarlet Letter a feminist novel?
• Why did Chillingworth decide to hide his identity?
• Why did the author incorporate a hundred-year-old manuscript in The Scarlet Letter?
• How is American History connected to The Scarlet Letter?
• Why is Pearl both a blessing and a curse to Hester?
• What is the difference in punishments for men and women in the Puritan community?
• What are Chillingworth’s ideas of revenge?

Do you have any other ideas for The Scarlet Letter essay title? What questions and answers would you discuss in your thesis? Let us know what you think about our The Scarlet Letter essay prompts in the comments below!

❓ The Scarlet Letter Essay: FAQ

Where does the scarlet letter take place.

The Scarlet Letter takes place in the Puritan Bay Colony of Massachusetts in Boston of the 1600s. Puritans supported extreme religious beliefs and social morals. It led to many punishments for the ones who failed to follow the Puritan ideas.

How many chapters are in The Scarlet Letter?

The Scarlet Letter has 24 chapters.

What does The Scarlet Letter symbolize?

The Scarlet Letter symbolizes a stigma that lets everyone know Hester’s sin. Although it was supposed to be a sign of shame, it became an identification of Hester’s power instead. She was not ashamed of it and even proceeded to wear the scarlet letter after coming back to the town after many years.

When was The Scarlet Letter published?

The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

🔗 References

• The Scarlet Letter – Project Gutenberg
• The Scarlet Letter: Study Guide | SparkNotes
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne – Goodreads
• The Scarlet Letter | Summary, Analysis, Characters, & Facts
• ‘The Scarlet Letter’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Reviewed
• Nathaniel Hawthorne – Books, Quotes & Scarlet Letter

99 Scarlet Letter Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best scarlet letter topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 most interesting scarlet letter topics to write about, 👍 good research topics about scarlet letter, ❓ scarlet letter essay questions.

• The Scarlet Letter Soundtrack and Songs Explained The song illustrates how unprepared she is to receive that form of treatment from her fellow people and that she is not ready to go through all that alone.”Standing out in a crowd Where the […]
• Hawthorne’s Concept of Evil in “Rappaccini’s Daughter” and “The Scarlet Letter” The way that the community dealt with this transgression of marital bonds comprises the bulk of the story, in which it is finally revealed that the highly respected Reverend Dimmesdale was the father of the […] We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Critical Approach Analysis of “The Scarlet Letter” Generally, such important themes as legalism, guilt, immorality, and sin related in the novel may be discussed through the prism of historicism, and even the very title of the novel featuring the word “scarlet” or […]
• Critical Analysis of The Scarlet Letter Hester gives birth to a child after having an affair while waiting for the arrival of the husband and conceals the identity of the child’s father.
• Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter: Resilience and Redemption The plot of the novel immerses the readers into the 17th century to demonstrate the environment of the Puritan era in America.
• The Scarlet Letter When examining the novel, it becomes clear that the writing style and the way in which the author delves into the Puritan way of life seemingly shows the double standards that existed at the time.
• Book Report on The Scarlet Letter Though the development of these themes is also a subject of other characters such as Chillingworth and Dimmesdale, Hester is outstandingly the central character since she makes the latter two behave in the manner they […]
• A Study of Guilt and Repentance in “The Scarlet Letter” by Hawthorne Thus, it is essential to determine how the author used the symbol of the scarlet letter to highlight the sinful person and identify whether it is possible to atone for the guilt or conceal it.
• ‘The Minister’s Black Veil’ and ‘The Scarlet Letter’ by Hawthrone The Scarlet Letter depicts the supposed sin committed by Hester Prynne as an act against the social and religious standards of the time.
• The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne Despite the many pieces of evidence of virtue, they look paltry compared to the description of weaknesses in the main character of the story, Dimmesdale.
• Nathaniel Hawthorne “The Scarlet Letter” These lines are from the ‘Forest Walk’ chapter of the novel where Hester scolds her daughter, Pearl for questioning the burned “A” on the minister’s chest.
• “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne This begs the question, whether a human or the whole society has a right to take the function of God and to punish the sin.
• US History in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne The book by Nathaniel Hawthorne titled The Scarlet Letter is considered the best work of his not in vain the contents and the topics touched upon in it raise much profound thinking and reveal the […]
• Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” From Several Perspectives The story was written in the nineteenth century, but there is a great deal of information provided within the text about the earlier lives of the author’s ancestors, making it a somewhat historical novel in […]
• “The Scarlet Letter”: A Darkened End For both Hester and for the townspeople, the mere presence of this letter appearing this one time on her dress is enough to mark her as something different from the rest of them and secluded.
• Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” Novel The theme of sin is depicted through emotional sufferings and experience of the main heroes of the novel: Hester Prynne, her husband Roger Chillingworth and Hester’s lover, Dimmesdale.
• The History Behind The Scarlet Letter: Way of Life of Early Colonists in Puritan-Influenced New England Once Hester’s secret was out, it was obvious to the entire village that Hester was not provided with the same degree of faith as the rest of the villagers and was therefore a greater sinner.
• Characters in “The Scarlet Letter” and “Hamlet” Film Hester returns to Boston just before her death, in order to be buried in the same grave as Dimmesdale, with ‘A’ inscribed on their tombstone. Much to her son’s anger and disgust, she marries Claudius […]
• Revenge & Shame in Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” The main goal of this paper is to analyze The Scarlet Letter to reveal the author’s idea of the frustration of revenge and victory over shame.
• Puritans in “The Scarlet Letter” by Hawthorne As I read through the introductory part of the novel, the statements made by the narrator reinforced the idea that the Puritans were bad people. I was surprised at the obsession they had when it […]
• “The Scarlet Letter” a Novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne This essay asserts that the role of the narrator in The Scarlet Letter functions more as social critic of the Puritanical values that founded the United States; the narrator of The Scarlet Letter represents Hawthorne’s […]
• “The Scarlet Letter” and “The Young Goodman” by Hawthorne The application of imagery and symbolism in this piece of work begins with symbolization of the Old general depicts the reawakening of the characters upon being motivated by the actions of the other person.
• Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” Another man had returned out of the forest; a wiser one-” Dimmesdale finds it wise and peaceful to confess his sin. After giving his sermon, Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold and he tells the congregation […]
• Nathaniel Hawthorne: Pearl and “The Scarlet Letter” The following is an analysis of the character Pearl in the story The Scarlet Letter where more focus is put on her character and what she represents/ symbolizes in the story.
• Literature Aspects in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne Second, the Bay Colony of Massachusetts is likened to an island in the midst of wilderness, indicating that the place is undeveloped First, the market place is described.
• Willingness to Judge: A Deconstructive Approach to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter The truth is founded by a reading of the root of the reality in question where in every case the ensuing fact is an occulted form of the reading.
• Throwing Stones at the Sinful Ones: The Two Stories Intertwined Though this can be explained by the cruel and uncompromising spirit of the ear, it is still hard to believe that the false morals and the environment created by the church influenced people so hard […]
• The Three Mental State of Hester Prynne in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• A History and Symbolism in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Use of Body Language and Facial Expressions in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• The Value of Pearl in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Symbols of Romanticism in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• “The Scarlet Letter” as a Commentary on the American History
• The Theme of Good Versus Evil in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Use of Motifs in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• Appearance and Reality in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• The Symbol of the Rosebush in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• A Passionate Heart in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• The Struggles of Pearl in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Symbol of Pearl for the Character Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• The Unchanged Character of Hester in Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• The Use of Irony in “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller and “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Use of Symbolism in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• A Tale of Human Frailty and Sorrow in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Functions of Physical Settings in “The Scarlet Letter”
• The Sin of Adultery Portrayed in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Transformation of the Reverend Master Dimmesdale in Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• The Sufferings of Reverend Dimmesdale in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Ways of the Puritans in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• A Criticism of the Puritan Tradition in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Arthur Dimmesdale’s Self-Inflicted Torture in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Theme of Innocence in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Comparing “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Victims of Slavery in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Use of Literary Devices, Imagery, and Symbolic Elements in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• True Love in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Alienation of Hester Prynne in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• An Analysis of Light and Darkness in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Use of Color to Express Emotion in Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• An Analysis of Chillingworth’s Ideas of Revenge in “The Scarlet Letter”
• Hypocrisy and Conformity in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Symbolic Use of Nature in Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• The Themes Punishment vs. Forgiveness Present in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• An Overview of the Concept of Sin in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Romantic Heroine in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Themes of Guilt and Adultery in “The Scarlet Letter” by Hawthorne
• An Overview of the Concept of Tragic Hero in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Role of Romanticism in the Development of Characters in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Tragedy of Dimmesdale in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• What Influenced Nathaniel Hawthorne to Write “The Scarlet Letter”?
• How Was Guilt Handled in “The Scarlet Letter,” “Red Badge of Courage,” and “The Crucible”?
• Who Was the Protagonist in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• How Has One Sin Affected the Lives of Four Individuals in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• Is “The Scarlet Letter” a Protofeminist Novel?
• How Did Hester Prynne Exhibit Feminism in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne?
• Is Hester Truly Penitent for Her Crime in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• How Does Sin Cause Characters to Act Differently in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• How Does “The Scarlet Letter” Comment on Religion in America?
• What Are the Roles of Chillingworth and Wilson Characters in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• Why Does Dimmesdale Intervene on Pearl’s Behalf When Governor Bellingham Orders Her Removed From Hester’s Care in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• How Do the Characters Live and Deal With the Effects of Sin in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• How Does Transcendentalism Affect “The Scarlet Letter”?
• What Is the Difference Between How Adultery Is Viewed Now and How It Was Viewed by Puritan Society in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• How Is “The Scarlet Letter” Relevant to Today’s Teens?
• Why Does Dimmesdale Keep Putting His Hand Over His Heart in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• How Is “The Scarlet Letter” Embodied by Pearl?
• Do People in the Community Believe Hester’s Punishment for Adultery Is Too Light or Too Strict in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• What’s the Role of the Sets in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• What Are the Motifs of Dimmesdale and Chillingworth’s Friendship in “The Scarlet Letter”??
• Does Chillingworth Ever Forgive Hester in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• What Is the Long-Term Effect of Sin in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• Should Readers Pity Hester as a Character in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• What Is the Role of Puritan Ethic in the Events of “The Scarlet Letter”?
• Who Is More Racked by Guilt in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• Should Dimmesdale Have Said Something When Governor Bellingham Took Pearl From Hester in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• What Does the Prison Door Symbolize in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• Does the Puritan Community See Hester’s Punishment as Too Strict or Too Lenient in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• Is Pearl a Curse or a Blessing in “The Scarlet Letter”?
• Does Hester’s True Identity Differ From What Society Attributes Her in “The Scarlet Letter”?
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40 Awe-Inspiring Scarlet Letter Essay Topics

The Scarlet Letter: Nathaniel Hawthorne’s romance is one of the most respected works in the history of literature. The setting of the novel is in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony around 1945. The author tells the story of a lady, Hester Prynne, who conceived a baby girl as a result of an affair and got despised so much by the community. She had to struggle a lot, seeking to get repentance and a new life of dignity.

So, if you are in a literature or related class, the chances are that your lecturer will, at some point, ask you to write an assignment on Scarlet Letter. But we must indicate here, when professors give scarlet letter essay prompts, many students get stuck trying to identify the right topics. To help you with this, we have selected 40 hot scarlet letter essay topics.

Interesting Scarlet Essay Letter Titles

When your essay prompts on scarlet for your assignments are released, it is very important to strictly follow the instructions from your tutor strictly. Here are some of the interesting topics to consider:

• What is the difference between how the society treats Hester and how she treats herself?
• Analyze the role of Native Americans in The Scarlet Letter: A Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
• Can you identify and explain different symbols used by the author in the novel?
• A closer look at the Scarlet Letter: What are the main lessons for modern society?
• Showcase the change in the letter “A” meaning brought out in the story.
• Analyze the Hester’s character: Describe her feelings, thoughts and evaluate the attitude towards her.
• Hester’s transformation: What role did pearl play?
• A comprehensive analysis of Chillingworth’s ideas about revenge.
• Pearl: A symbol of Hester’s conscience.
• Pearl as a curse and blessing for Hester.
• Literary devices in the Scarlet Letter.

Easy Essay Topics for Scarlet Letter

Although most students find the topics on Scarlet Letter tough, there are some that are pretty simple. Here are some of them.

• Define the purpose and thesis of the Scarlet Letter.
• Analyze the structure of the scarlet letter.
• Provide a brief description of the Scarlet Letter.
• Analyzing the purpose and effectiveness of imagery in the novel.
• Make the analysis of the characters in the Scarlet Letter.
• Show how tone and symbolism are used in character development in the Scarlet Letter.
• Describe the main characters in the Scarlet Letter.
• Select a chapter of choice in the Scarlet letter and discuss the symbols discussed in it.
• Analyze the long-term impact of sin in the novel.

Theme-based Essay Topics for Scarlet Letter

In literature studies, lecturers like asking students in college to explore the themes brought out in different plays. Here are some great theme-based topics for Scarlet Letter.

• Explore the main themes in the Scarlet Letter.
• Discuss the theme of sin in the Scarlet Letter.
• Discuss the theme of hypocrisy in the Scarlet Letter.
• What are the roles played by background characters in the novel?
• Explore the theme of feminine resilience in the Scarlet Letter.
• Explore the theme mockery in the Scarlet Letter.
• How does the author bring out the theme of guilt in the novel?
• Analyze the theme of passion and love in the Scarlet Letter.

Controversial List of Topics for an AP Essay for the Scarlet Letter

At times your lecturer might ask you to look for controversial topics when analyzing the Scarlet Letter. Here are some top suggestions.

• Differentiate between the Dimmesdale and Hester.
• The Hawthorne’s ideas about human are flawed.
• Hester: When women tear off the cultural barriers to gain personal power.
• Analyzing sin in the puritarian community: Comparing the punishment for women vs those of men.
• Contrast the behavior of kids and adults in the scarlet letter.
• Analyze the purpose of public shame in the Scarlet Letter.
• The collision between Puritan law and human rights.
• Moral issues and morality.
• What are the main problems that arise from abusing relationships?
• Imagine what the future holds for Pearl.
• Review the importance of the physical settings in the novel.
• Compare and contrast adultery vision today and during the puritarian times. What has changed?

Seek Writing Help With Essay Topics

The Scarlet Letter has an elaborated composition, which is no doubt not a simple one to read, let alone analyze. Even after selecting the scarlet essay topics, writing an excellent essay is still not a cup of tea for many students. But it is not just the complexity of the novel that makes writing a Scarlet Letter essay challenging. Even some students with some good writing skills feel inadequate to write their papers. For others, it is tight deadlines, many engagements or lack of ample materials. These are some of the reasons why you need to seek expert assistance.

The writing help is offered by experts in literature and who understand how to do even the most complex assignments. So, whether you are working on sin in the scarlet letter essay topics or analyzing the characters, nothing is too complex for these writing professionals. No matter the topic, you can never go wrong if you have experts holding your hand all the way.

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The Scarlet Letter Research Paper Topics

The variety of The Scarlet Letter research paper topics is vast and offers a wide spectrum for analysis and interpretation. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s magnum opus is not only a cornerstone of American literature but also a timeless exploration of complex human emotions, societal norms, and the intricate fabric of human nature. From the depths of sin and redemption to the complexities of legalism and hypocrisy, the novel provides a rich ground for analysis and scholarly investigation. This page aims to offer students a comprehensive list of research topics, a detailed article exploring the range of themes the novel offers, and a presentation of the top-notch writing services provided by iResearchNet.

100 The Scarlet Letter Research Paper Topics

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a significant piece of literature that has influenced American culture and academia. This 19th-century novel is a multifaceted work, dissecting various themes such as sin, guilt, punishment, revenge, and the nature of evil. The importance of researching The Scarlet Letter research paper topics stems from the novel’s complex characters, intricate symbolism, and its reflection of the societal norms of the time. This vast spectrum of topics provides students with a golden opportunity to delve deep into the human psyche and the societal constructs of the 17th century Puritan society.

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• The role of guilt and shame in The Scarlet Letter .
• The concept of sin and redemption in The Scarlet Letter .
• The struggle between good and evil in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of revenge in shaping the narrative of The Scarlet Letter .
• The concept of individualism versus collectivism in The Scarlet Letter .
• The theme of isolation and alienation in The Scarlet Letter .
• The portrayal of gender roles in The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of legalism and religious hypocrisy in The Scarlet Letter .
• The theme of love and passion in The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of secrets and hidden truths in The Scarlet Letter .

Character Analysis:

• The transformation of Hester Prynne throughout The Scarlet Letter .
• The character development of Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of Roger Chillingworth as the antagonist in The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of Pearl as a symbol and a character in The Scarlet Letter .
• The portrayal of the Puritan society through the minor characters in The Scarlet Letter .
• The influence of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s personal life on the characters of The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of the narrator in shaping the characters of The Scarlet Letter .
• A comparison of the characters in The Scarlet Letter with those in other works by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
• The psychological analysis of the characters in The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of the characters’ decisions on the plot and themes of The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of the scarlet letter ‘A’ in the novel.
• The role of the scaffold scenes in The Scarlet Letter .
• The symbolism of the forest in The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of the rosebush in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of light and darkness in The Scarlet Letter .
• The symbolism of the meteor in The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of the prison in The Scarlet Letter .
• The symbolism of the characters in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of colors in The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of names in The Scarlet Letter .

Societal Context:

• The reflection of 17th century Puritan society in The Scarlet Letter .
• The critique of Puritan society in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of women in the Puritan society as depicted in The Scarlet Letter .
• The depiction of the legal system in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of religion in the Puritan society as depicted in The Scarlet Letter .
• The comparison of Puritan society in The Scarlet Letter with other contemporary works.
• The impact of The Scarlet Letter on the American society of the 19th century.
• The role of The Scarlet Letter in shaping the American Romantic movement.
• The influence of The Scarlet Letter on modern American literature.
• The comparison of The Scarlet Letter with other works on Puritan society.

Author’s Biography:

• The influence of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s personal life on The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ancestors on The Scarlet Letter .
• The comparison of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter with his other works.
• The analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s style of writing in The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s friendship with other authors on The Scarlet Letter .
• The influence of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s religious beliefs on The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s political beliefs in The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s education on The Scarlet Letter .
• The analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s career and its influence on The Scarlet Letter .
• The comparison of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter with the works of his contemporaries.

Literary Devices:

• The use of irony in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of imagery in The Scarlet Letter .
• The use of foreshadowing in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of allusions in The Scarlet Letter .
• The use of metaphors in The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of the narrative structure in The Scarlet Letter .
• The use of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of motifs in The Scarlet Letter .
• The use of paradoxes in The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of the point of view in The Scarlet Letter .

Adaptations:

• The comparison of The Scarlet Letter novel with its film adaptations.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter adaptations in other forms of art.
• The role of The Scarlet Letter in popular culture.
• The comparison of The Scarlet Letter with other works inspired by it.
• The impact of The Scarlet Letter on modern films and TV series.
• The analysis of the character changes in the adaptations of The Scarlet Letter .
• The comparison of the themes in The Scarlet Letter with its adaptations.
• The analysis of the plot changes in the adaptations of The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of The Scarlet Letter in shaping the American literature adaptations.
• The impact of The Scarlet Letter adaptations on its perception by the audience.

Psychological Analysis:

• The psychological analysis of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter .
• The psychological analysis of Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter .
• The psychological analysis of Roger Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter .
• The psychological analysis of Pearl in The Scarlet Letter .
• The psychological analysis of the Puritan society in The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of guilt and shame on the characters’ psychology in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of revenge in shaping the characters’ psychology in The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of isolation and alienation on the characters’ psychology in The Scarlet Letter .
• The influence of societal norms on the characters’ psychology in The Scarlet Letter .
• The role of love and passion in shaping the characters’ psychology in The Scarlet Letter .

Philosophical Interpretations:

• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a feminist perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a psychoanalytical perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a Marxist perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a postcolonial perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a deconstructivist perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a structuralist perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a postmodernist perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a new historicist perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a queer theory perspective.
• The analysis of The Scarlet Letter from a reader-response perspective.
• The role of nature in The Scarlet Letter .
• The significance of the setting in The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of The Scarlet Letter on American Romantic literature.
• The role of The Scarlet Letter in the development of the American novel.
• The comparison of The Scarlet Letter with other American Romantic novels.
• The analysis of the language used in The Scarlet Letter .
• The impact of The Scarlet Letter on the 19th-century American society.
• The role of The Scarlet Letter in shaping the modern American identity.
• The analysis of the narrative style used in The Scarlet Letter .
• The comparison of The Scarlet Letter with other works of American literature.

Exploring The Scarlet Letter research paper topics will help you better understand the intricacies of the novel, its characters, and the Puritan society it depicts. It will also allow you to analyze the impact of this novel on American literature and society, which is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of this masterpiece. Delve into these topics, and you will not only deepen your knowledge of The Scarlet Letter but also sharpen your analytical and critical thinking skills.

The Scarlet Letter

And the range of research paper topics it offers.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a seminal work in American literature. Written in 1850, the novel is set in the 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts, a society known for its strict and unrelenting moral code. The narrative revolves around Hester Prynne, a young woman who bears an illegitimate child and is publicly shamed and ostracized by her community. Her struggle for redemption and acceptance forms the crux of the novel. This powerful narrative provides a wide array of The Scarlet Letter research paper topics, ranging from character analysis and the symbolism used in the novel to its impact on literature and society.

Themes in The Scarlet Letter

One of the major The Scarlet Letter research paper topics relates to the different themes explored in the novel. Hawthorne delves deep into the human psyche, examining the intricate interplay between guilt, sin, and redemption. Hester’s public humiliation and subsequent isolation lead her on a path of self-reflection and ultimately, self-acceptance. This journey mirrors the struggles faced by many individuals who grapple with the consequences of their actions and the judgment of society. Hawthorne also examines the theme of revenge through the character of Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s estranged husband, whose descent into madness is a stark reminder of the corrosive effects of vengeance. The novel also highlights the hypocrisy of a society that professes moral superiority while harboring dark secrets.

Character Analysis

Another popular category among The Scarlet Letter research paper topics involves a deep dive into the characters that populate the novel. Hester Prynne, the protagonist, is a complex character whose strength and resilience are tested throughout the narrative. Her transformation from a shamed outcast to a pillar of the community is a study in resilience and determination. Arthur Dimmesdale, the town minister and the father of Hester’s child, is another character that offers a wealth of material for analysis. His internal struggle with guilt and the fear of exposure make him a tragic figure, representative of the internal conflicts that many face. Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s estranged husband, is the embodiment of revenge, and his descent into madness highlights the destructive nature of vengeance. Lastly, Pearl, the child born out of wedlock, is a symbol of both sin and redemption, serving as a constant reminder to her mother of her past transgressions and her path to redemption.

Author’s Intentions

Understanding the author’s intentions is also crucial for The Scarlet Letter research paper topics. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s own ancestry includes judges who presided over the Salem witch trials, and this connection to a dark period in American history influenced his writing. Hawthorne critiques the Puritan society, highlighting its hypocrisy and the destructive impact of its rigid moral code. He uses the character of Hester Prynne to challenge the societal norms of the time, painting her as a strong, independent woman who defies the conventions of her society. Through her character, Hawthorne questions the traditional roles assigned to women and highlights the strength and resilience that lies within.

In conclusion, The Scarlet Letter is a rich tapestry of themes, characters, and societal critiques. The novel’s exploration of guilt, redemption, and the human capacity for resilience provides a wealth of material for research papers. Whether you choose to delve into the themes explored in the novel, analyze its characters, or examine the author’s intentions, The Scarlet Letter research paper topics provide an opportunity to deepen your understanding of this literary classic. Understanding the nuances of this novel will not only enhance your appreciation for Hawthorne’s craftsmanship but will also provide valuable insights into the complexities of human nature and society.

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The Scarlet Letter

Introduction the scarlet letter.

This historical novel of American Romanticism was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and published in 1850. It created a lot of controversy in literary circles. It showed the settings of the Puritan region of Massachusetts Colony of the 1650s, narrating a storyline of a woman, Hester Prynne, who suffers after having an affair with a church minister. However, she alone has to suffer for that affair with her daughter for having none of her crime. Her struggle to go through this repentance won her readers’ hearts. Despite comprising strong strictures against the hypocrisy of the religious bureaucracy, this novel is still considered Hawthorne’s tour de force.

Summary The Scarlet Letter

The story begins with a crowd preparing to punish a woman, Hester Prynne, for giving birth to a baby girl without revealing the husband’s identity. The crowd punishes her by making her wear a scarlet letter “A” on her dress to show the public that she is ashamed of her action. She is also forced to stand three hours on the scaffold to demonstrate that she feels ashamed at her sin. Women, mostly jealous of her beauty and dignified manner, taunt her and ask her the name of her husband, receiving only her refusal in response.

During the shaming ceremony, the woman happens to see her lost husband as a misshapen unknown person peering at her from the crowd. He gestures to her to remain quiet to protect his own identity. Choosing the name of Roger Chillingworth, he soon discovers the truth about her from his inquiry from different people. Then, he angrily raises the voice for the punishment of the father of the child, too, but without becoming prominent in the crowd.

Meanwhile, the local church ministers, Arthur Dimmesdale and John Wilson ask her about the likely father of the child, but they also face her staunch refusal. When she reaches the prison cell, she meets her husband, Roger Chillingworth, in the guise of a physician. As a physician he suggests her some herbs and plants, though, both of them talk about their marriage and their mistakes. However, Hester faces his probe about the identity of the father of the girl to which she again refuses to share with him. He does not force her, however, but claims to know it one day and asks her not to reveal his identity.  Hester willingly agrees to his proposal.

After she wins her release, she tries to settle in the town, but ultimately leaves for the outskirts facing staunch public resentment. She takes shelter in a hut on the outskirts of town and earns her bread through her needlework skills. Living a quiet and simple life, she starts playing with her daughter to whom she names, Pearl. However, strangely, Pearl takes her “A” locket to her heart, always playing with it. Finding no other playmates, Pearl soon develops into an impulsive girl about whom the order of the church authorities soon arrives about separating her from her imperfect mother.

Adamant as she is in her refusal about uncovering the identity of her husband, she is adamant in handing over her girl. Therefore, she meets Bellingham, the Governor of the city, who is present with the church authorities, Dimmesdale as well as Wilson. Hester, immediately, sensing the upper-hand of the religious authority, pleas to Dimmesdale who asks Governor to stop this mother-daughter cruel segregation to which he agrees.

It soon transpires in the town that Dimmesdale is witnessing a sharp decline in his health at which Chillingworth arrives at his lodging to treat him. He, however, senses that this decline is due to some psychological guilt and not due to some physical ailment. Soon he sees a symbol of shame on his chest. The more the minister hides his guilt, the more tormenting it becomes for him. At last, he visits the site where Hester got punishment and confesses his guilt in isolation, for having no courage to do it publicly. On the other hand, his deteriorating health also shocks Hester, who decides to break her silence .

Later, Hester meets the minister and narrates her ordeal, telling him about her revengeful husband, Chillingworth. She begs him to leave Boston to start life afresh somewhere else. Gaining strength from this new freedom from his shameful past, the church minister delivers a fiery sermon but suddenly loses his control. He climbs on the same scaffold to confess his guilt and tells everyone about his affair with Hester. Afterward, he dies in the arms of Hester. The controversy of seeing the same letter “A” carved on his chest also faces the same fierce refusal from a few in the crowd. Shortly after this incident, Chillingworth, too, dies, leaving a good amount of inheritance for Pearl. Hester, after left alone, starts living in the same cottage. After her death, her body is buried in the grave near Dimmesdale’s.

Major Themes in The Scarlet Letter

• Sin: Sense of sin, its impacts, and its manipulation and exploitation for ulterior motives is the major theme of The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne has committed this sense of having an illicit relationship with a church minister. The church minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, has committed the same offense and equally guilty as Hester. However, he sits on the jury as Hester doesn’t reveal his identity while she is standing in the criminal enclosure. When the court accuses her of adultery, as the punishment for her sin, she is excluded from the social circle and forced to wear scarlet color “A” sown on her dress. Dimmesdale does not show any remorse. However, what impacts the readers most is the way Hester dignifiedly hides this fact and only discloses when it becomes imperative. Chillingworth does not show any mercy on her.
• Conformity to Religion: Religion must need confirmation, or else the person may face subjection of censure. One of the novel’s major themes, The Scarlet Letter, confirms the religiosity of those times of puritanism, for Hester, has not confirmed its convention of the religion to stay chaste. Dimmesdale, too, shows the same trait, but he keeps it hiding, while Hester could not hide due to the birth of Pearl, her daughter from Dimmesdale. That is why she has to undergo sufferings for defying a religious convention.
• Criticism of Puritanism: The Scarlet Letter is also a critique of puritanism as well as stricture on it. It is a critique that shows how puritanism, a theological concept, has crept into public life, overtaking every social, moral , and financial aspects of life. As a stricture, it shows that it has not done good to the public life, for Hester has to undergo suffering for defying its principles, while Dimmesdale enjoys privileges because of aligning with the religious clergy.
• Public and Individual Guilt: The novel also demonstrates that when an individual, such as Hester, is caught for some guilt, he must undergo suffering that they do not deserve. However, when the whole public is involved, there is a deafening silence from the clergy as well as the jury. Dimmesdale represents the public morality and the public as the church minister but has no guts and courage like Hester to stand up for a trial. However, he feels it in his heart as an individual and has displayed the symbol on his chest.
• Moral Codes: Moral codes, ethical frameworks, and their social confirmation is another smaller thematic strand in that Hester defies a social value of the ethical framework of the Puritan social fabric. As it happens openly and people see a piece of evidence , she gets punished for violating this code. However, the case of Dimmesdale stays hidden, the reason that he does not face any punishment; rather, he faces only mental stigma.
• Gender Suppression: Gender suppression and feministic resilience is another partial theme that The Scarlet Letter demonstrated through Hester’s character . However, it does not seem that Hawthorne has consciously inserted it. Instead, it seems that it is part of the story that whereas Hester is involved, she faces punishment while it comes to a man, Chillingworth as well as Dimmesdale, they hoodwink not only the legality but also the religiosity.
• Mockery of Law: The novel shows that when a law does not protect the weaker section of the society, such as Hester Prynne, it ceases to exist as a law. Mr. Dimmesdale shows that some segments can wield law for their own purposes. Therefore, it needs to be changed, as the novel has mocked such a law.
• Domination of Patriarchy: The novel also shows that patriarchy always conspires to win when men and women are put against each other. Hester Prynne has no way to win against Dimmesdale, for he is as much responsible for bringing Pearl into this world as Hester is, yet he gets away while she faces imprisonment as well as a stricture.
• Redemption: Despite being relegated to the background, the redemption theme comes in the open when Hester has to endure long-sufferings for her sin. However, Dimmesdale wins it through his sermons and isolated confession.

Major Characters in The Scarlet Letter

• Hester Prynne: Hester Prynne is not only the primary female character but also the protagonist of the novel on account of her dignified manner, resilience, and patience to suffer the stigma of adultery. When the jury awards her punishment, she does not remonstrate. She chooses to wear the scarlet letter ‘A’ and leaves the town to live the rest of her life in isolation with her daughter Pearl. On the other hand, Dimmesdale, the minister of the city, who had seduced her, stays hidden until the end. Meanwhile, Hester’s husband, Roger Chillingworth, sees her and asks her the name of the child’s real father, Pearl, but she refuses. When the Governor, Bellingham, too, turns against her by ordering the retrieval of Pearl from her custody, she subtly makes Dimmesdale confess his guilt, though it does not happen publicly.
• Arthur Dimmesdale: A respected and reverend church minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, hoodwinks Hester into his love, committing adultery followed by the birth of Pearl, his daughter. However, when she faces public shame, he distances himself from her, sitting on the theological bureaucracy’s higher stand. Inwardly though, he is aware of his culpability, which gnaws at him and forces him to accept his guilt by the end, showing the sign on his chest after which he dies on the scaffold.
• Pearl : Pearl is Hester Prynne’s illegitimate daughter and symbol of her parents’ love and passion. She is inquisitive by nature. As she is naughty as a child and fails to recite the Bible, the church plans to put her in foster care. However, the church gives her another chance to Pearl and allows her to stay with her mother with Dimmesdale’s and Governor Bellingham’s approval. Pearl is also a reminder and symbol of the minister’s adulterous affair. Dimmesdale finally dies, confessing his crime. Also, Pearl gets considerable property from her stepfather, Chillingworth.
• Roger Chillingworth: A Dutch, Roger Chillingworth is the assumed name of the former husband of Hester Prynne, who is amazed at finding his beloved wife in an adulterous affair and having a child, Pearl. However, he does not disclose his identity and let the clergy decides her fate, though he comes to meet her as a physician to counsel her. He also plans to avenge this from Dimmesdale about whom he comes to know somehow.
• Governor Bellingham: He is an authoritative and manipulative person who exploits the helplessness of Hester Prynne and orders to take Pearl away from her. His role seems critical in forcing Hester to seek help from Dimmesdale. However, his role appears to include the other side of the story as he accepts Dimmesdale’s reasoning of letting her stay with her mother.
• General Miller: General Miller is the first official of the Custom House. His collecting duty has made him a politically strong person. He protects the employees and workers from being fired. That is why his role seems like a minor character in the novel.
• Mistress Hibbins: Hibbins’ character sheds light on the witch-hunting of those times. Despite being Governor Bellingham’s sister, she is killed when it transpires that she meets the “Black Man” in the woods for witchery.
• Inspector : He is the inspector at the Custom House and has been a product of nepotism, for his father created that seat to keep his son in the job. Due to his father’s influence, he seems to have harbored the emotion of being a permanent employee.
• John Wilson : He is another minister of the church who is involved with Dimmesdale to award punishment to Hester Prynne.

Writing Style of The Scarlet Letter‎

Despite its being written around three centuries back, The Scarlet Letter still shows the beauty of the language used by Nathaniel Hawthorne in his masterpiece. Its diction is subtle and ornate, its sentences are long, complex, and intricate, while its terseness and concision resonate in the minds of its readers. However, this style ’s major feature is Romanticism, shown through a battle between the forces of good and evil.

Analysis of Literary Devices in The Scarlet Letter

• Action: The novel’s main action comprises the sufferings and woes of Hester Prynne when she is tried for adultery, thrown in prison, and subsequently ordered to keep away from the town. The rising action occurs when Dimmesdale and Wilson both award punishment, while the falling action occurs when Dimmesdale confesses his sin and punishes himself, showing his sense of shame carved on his chest.
• Allegory : The Scarlet Letter shows the use of allegory not only through its places, symbols, and incidents but also through the characters, which resemble abstract ideas such as sin, sense of sin, hypocrisy, authority, shame, and condemnation.
• Antagonist : Although it seems that Dimmesdale is the main antagonist of The Scarlet Letter in the opening chapters, it is Roger Chillingworth, who is the antagonist of the novel on account of his machinations, and stooped physical deformity that is equal to the distortion of his soul.
• Allusion : There are various examples of allusions given in the novel The Scarlet Letter. The first allusion is of Hester as she seems Eve thrown out of Paradise. Therefore, it seems a Biblical allusion. The second illusion is to Babylon, an ancient city, and third to Sir Thomas Overbury, the poet Overbury. Some other Biblical allusions include Cain, the Holy Spirit, the Pearl , and Adam and Even.
• Conflict : The are two types of conflicts in the novel The Scarlet Letter. The first one is the external conflict that starts between Hester Prynne and the authorities, including the religious church ministers, that ends in the defeat of Hester. The second conflict is the mental conflict going on in the mind of Dimmesdale because of his part in punishing Hester and her innocence.
• Characters: The Scarlet Letter presents both static as well as dynamic characters . The church minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester Prynne, and Pearl are dynamic characters as they change with the storyline. However, static characters include Mistress Hibbins and Governor Richard Bellingham, as they do not change during the course of the novel.
• Climax : The climax in the novel arrives when Dimmesdale and Wilson are on the jury to punish Hester.
• Foreshadowing : The novel, The Scarlet Letter, shows various examples of foreshadowing . For example, i. A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments and gray steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes. (Chapter-1) ii. It was a circumstance to be noted, on the summer morning when our story begins its course, that the women, of whom there were several in the crowd, appeared to take a peculiar interest in whatever penal infliction might be expected to ensue. (Chapter-2) iii. “It is done!” muttered the minister, covering his face with his hands. “The whole town will awake, and hurry forth, and find me here!” (Chapter-XII)
• Hyperbole : Hyperbole or exaggeration occurs in the novel at several places. For example, i. Her spirit sank with the idea that all must have been a delusion, and that, vividly as she had dreamed it, there could be no real bond betwixt the clergyman and herself. ii. The minister started to his feet, gasping for breath, and clutching at his heart as if he would have torn it out of his bosom. (Chapter-XII) Both of these statements shows facts overblown and exaggerated even if they are in emotions and not in reality.
• Imagery : Imagery means to use of five senses such as in these examples: i. When they found voice to speak, it was at first, only to utter remarks and inquiries such as any two acquaintances might have made, about the gloomy sky, the threatening storm, and, next, the health of each. (Chapter-XVII) ii. There played around her mouth, and beamed out of her eyes, a radiant and tender smile, that seemed gushing from the very heart of womanhood. A crimson flush was glowing on her cheek, that had been long so pale. (Chapter-XVIII) The first example shows the images of sound color as well as sight, while the second, too, demonstrates the presence of these images.
• Metaphor : The novel shows good use of various metaphors . For example, i. Hester’s first motion had been to cover her bosom with her clasped hands. (Chapter-VI) ii. she seemed the unpremeditated offshoot of a passionate moment. (Chapter-VII) iii. No golden light had ever been so precious as the gloom of this dark forest. (XVII) iv. The instillment thereof into her mind would probably have caused this aged sister to drop down dead, at once, as by the effect of an intensely poisonous infusion. (Chapter-XX)
• Mood : The novel, The Scarlet Letter, shows a satirical mood , though, at times, it becomes quite somber, serious, ironic as well as jubilant by the end.
• Motif : The most important motifs of the novel, The Scarlet Letter, is of light and darkness for Pearl and Hester.
• Narrator : The novel is narrated by a third-person narrator , though the writer himself enters the novel to narrate its introduction . Even the third-person narrator is also the writer.
• Personification : Personification means to attribute human acts and emotions to non-living objects . For example, i. While the shadow of his figure, which the sunlight cast upon the floor, was tremulous with the vehemence of his appeal. (Chapter-VIII) ii. The crisis flung back to them their consciousness, and revealed to each heart its history and experience, as life never does, except at such breathless epochs. (Chapter-XVII) iii. They needed something slight and casual to run before, and throw open the doors of intercourse, so that their real thoughts might be led across the threshold. (Chapter-XVII) Both of these examples show sunlight and crisis personified here.
• Protagonist : Hester Prynne is the protagonist of the novel. She comes into the novel from the very start and captures the readers’ interest through her extraordinary qualities until the end when Dimmesdale accepts his fault and dies.
• Paradox : The Scarlet Letter shows the use of paradox as “Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers—stern and wild ones—and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.” (Chapter-XVIII). The narrator means that these have made her strong instead of a weak creature.
• Rhetorical Questions : The novel shows good use of rhetorical questions in several places. For example, i. But Arthur Dimmesdale! Were such a man once more to fall, what plea could be urged in extenuation of his crime? None; unless it avail him somewhat, that he was broken down by long and exquisite suffering (Chapter-XVIII) ii. “Do I feel joy again?” cried he, wondering at himself. “Methought the germ of it was dead in me! (Chapter-XVIII) iii. But where was his mind? (Chapter-XXII) This example shows the use of rhetorical questions posed by different characters such as Dimmesdale, himself, and then the narrator.
• Theme : A theme is a central idea that the novelist or the writer wants to stress upon. The novel, The Scarlet Letter shows the titular thematic strands of color and gender marginality, patriarchy, hypocrisy, and love.
• Setting : The setting of the novel, The Scarlet Letter, is the city of Boston in the 1600s.
• Simile : The novel shows good use of various similes. For example, i. But yet returned, like the bad half-penny. (Introduction) ii. a quality of enchantment like that of the Devil’s wages… (Introduction) iii. He now dug into the poor clergyman’s heart, like a miner searching for gold; (Chapter-X) iv. Sometimes, a light glimmered out of the physician’s eyes, burning blue and ominous, like the reflection of a furnace, or, let us say, like one of those gleams of ghastly fire that darted from Bunyan’s1 awful door-way in the hill-side, and quivered on the pilgrim’s face. (Chapter-X)

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• Nathaniel Hawthorne 

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Themes and Analysis

The scarlet letter, by nathaniel hawthorne.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘The Scarlet Letter’ is stuffed with themes that border around aspects of religion and human morality such as sinning, confessing, and being penalized for such sin - much to the author’s intention of sending some strong moral lessons to his readership.

About the Book

Article written by Victor Onuorah

Degree in Journalism from University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Hawthorne’s move to go by such name as ‘ The Scarlet Letter ’ for the book’s title is symbolic in itself and already hints at the themes of penitence and punishment for the crime of adultery committed by two of the book’s major characters in Hester Prynne and the priest – Arthur Dimmesdale. There are some foundational themes as there are other subsets that still carry a vital message in them. The most important ones will be analyzed in this article.

Sin and Punishment

These are probably the two most obvious themes of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘ The Scarlet Letter ’ and they are very clearly executed throughout the pages of the book – beginning from the first chapter. 

Hester Prynne, who is the heroine of the book, is one of the characters who bear such guilts of sin and punishment. The sin for which she is being punished is that of adultery – which she commits with a Christian preacher, Arthur Dimmesdale.

Being she lives in the era of a Christian-inspired puritan society, her punishment becomes one of massive social shaming and disgrace – whereby she has to wear a dress with a large inscription of the letter ‘A’ appearing on her chest in blood red color. 

Contrition and Penitence

Hester and Dimmesdale – two prominent characters harboring the most damnable sin of their era – appear to have had a contrite heart after the act, particularly with Hester, who is publicly announced and disgraced. 

Readers could feel the genuineness of Hester’s contrite heart, having been legally married to Roger Chillingworth, her long lost husband – even though she would never regret the love she feels for Dimmesdale and the product of such love being her child, Pearl. 

Gender and Status Inequality Before the Law

Nathaniel Hawthorne, through ‘ The Scarlet Letter ,’ may have tried to point out the sheer inequality of the purity society before the rule of law. Hawthorne’s time is critical of several aspects of Puritanism, and here questions why preacher Arthur Dimmesdale doesn’t get served the same amount of humiliation as Hester gets. 

Though an argument can be raised that the executors of the puritan laws don’t punish Dimmesdale because they do not know for sure if he committed the crime – especially with Hester refusing to give that information out. Still, one can easily sense that they don’t do enough to get the man who’s responsible. 

Two hypotheses here are one; their interest in not punishing men but the women in such crimes. Two, Dimmesdale’s religious status makes him a very important person, so the executors would be tricky with handling a case of such a class. 

Necromancy and witchcraft

There is a massive dose of talks and meetings about and with witches, and even the devil – who is referred to in the book as ‘ The Black Man .’ These subjects are part of what gives the book its dark, spooky ambiance characteristic of gothic fiction. 

Mistress Hibbins is a high-profile suspect whose behavior is, by a puritan society’s standards, termed diabolic and hellish. Hibbins goes about negatively influencing people – like Hester and Pearl – instilling strange, anti puritan mentality in them, conducting and attending meetings and conventions where they invoke and commune with ‘The Black Man’ or devil himself. 

Key Moments in The Scarlet Letter

• After losing his job with the Salem Custom House, a man puts together a piece of the manuscript that he had discovered littering in the attic of his former job. On the cover is an inscription, ‘Scarlet Letter A .’ 
• The story which he has assembled from it narratives the story of a young woman called Hester Prynne who lives in a 1600s puritan society. 
• She appears to have been imprisoned for a heinous crime and is processioned out and made to stand over a public platform wearing a dress with the scarlet letter ‘A’ written boldly on her breast, on which she also carries her baby. 
• The crime for which she is paraded is adultery, and under a typical puritan leadership, social shaming and scorning are the repercussions for such acts. 
• While she faces the worse moment of her life, a man stands a stone’s throw away in the crowd observing the whole event. His name is Roger Chillingworth, the long-lost husband of the woman being punished at the platform. 
• On the platform with Hester is a popular preacher of the town, rev. Arthur Dimmesdale publicly pressures her to say who’s responsible for her baby, but Hester wouldn’t tell and is thrust back into her cell.
• With a keen interest in the matter, Chillingworth lies that he is a doctor to get access to his wife, and when he gets past security into the cell, he threatens her not to let anyone know she is married to him and that if she does, he would search out the man responsible and hurt him very badly.
• Following her release, Hester moves away from town and tries to survive as a dressmaker with young Pearl. Chillingworth is still in town posing as a doctor as he tries to unearth the father of his wife’s baby. And by now, Dimmesdale, the popular town people’s preacher, has failing health and is being tended to by Chillingworth. 
• Pearl grows fond of the scarlet ‘A’ on her mother’s breast, but Hester wouldn’t tell her the truth about it. 
• With Chillingworth now spending so much time with Dimmesdale, he starts to notice an unusually strange correlation between Hester’s case and the preacher’s health history. 
• One faithful day during Dimmesdale’s medical examination, Chillingworth finds that his patient has a similar scarlet letter ‘A’ etched inside his chest. He is convinced Dimmesdale is Hester’s lover and father of the illegitimate child, Pearl. 
• With this knowledge, Chillingworth decides to exert revenge on Dimmesdale by giving him the wrong meds and treating him so much so that his health deteriorates further by the day. 
• For Dimmesdale, it seems that his inability to confess publicly is eating him up and causing him constant emotional trauma and heartache. And on several occasions, he doesn’t eat and chastises and whips himself for his mistake. 
• On a faithful day, just after twilight, troubled by his guilt, Dimmesdale climbs up the platform and is joined by Hester and her daughter shortly, while Chillingworth skulks by the shadows observing them before a shooting star shimmers through the night sky to reveal his presence. 
• What follows next is an exchange of emotions. Hester begs Chillingworth to stop torturing Dimmesdale, but he argues he’s lenient to him. 
• Hester then plans a rendezvous with Dimmesdale in the wilderness, where she exposes Chillingworth’s real identity and begs Dimmesdale to elope with her across the Atlantic to start afresh in a new, distant town. He agrees to go with her after he has delivered a scheduled sermon. 
• On the day of the sermon, Dimmesdale is moved by his preaching that he decides to confess publicly that he is Hester’s lover and the father to Pearl (both of who had joined him on the platform). Opening his chest, he exposes a scarlet cut he had been carrying in his chest and dies as soon as Pearl kisses him.
• Chillingworth’s revenge is taken from him, and he dies a few months later. Hester leaves town with her daughter – explores Europe and marries a wealthy home, and seldom writes her mother. 
• When Hester dies, she is laid to rest beside Dimmesdale, and the later ‘A’ is erected in their resting place.

Style and Tone 

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing style is typically one that deploys a lot of metaphors and symbolism to execute his works – with the end goal often having a ton of morals to impact on the reader.

Hawthorne’s works are mostly mysterious, somber, and morose in terms of their themes and storylines. ‘ The Scarlet Letter ’ is no different from his typical style and follows his trademark standard for novel writing. 

The tone in ‘ The Scarlet Letter ’ is mostly sad and contrite, but also critical and disenchantment about puritan cultures, their leaders, and their tendency for being highly hypocritical.

Figurative Languages

Hawthorne brings the pages of ‘The Scarlet Letter’ to life with his heavy use of figurative expressions. Among the figurative language used include metaphor – which seems to appear pervasively throughout the book.

The author also uses tools like irony and personification to highlight his critiques of the purity legacy and traditions. 

Analysis of Symbols in The Scarlet Letter 

This is perhaps the foremost symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book and represents a variety of things. One such thing is that it serves as an identity for the transgressor or sinner of adultery – as is the case with the protagonist, Hester Prynne. 

Hester’s daughter’s character also has an allegorical attachment to its overall essence. Pearl is a direct repercussion of Hester’s son of adultery, but also a symbol of hope for a better life, in the latter part of the book.

Chillingworth

In the book’s reality, he is the husband of Hester, but in terms of the motif to which he represents, Chillingworth proves to be as his name appears; cold. He’s a cold and means man towards the people around him, and this is perhaps one of the reasons Hester could never find love with him. 

What is the main theme in ‘The Scarlet Letter’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne?

Sin and punishment are probably the two most discussed themes in ‘ The Scarlet Letter ,’ and these subjects are pervasive and heavily indulged in by the author throughout the book. 

What does the color red represent in ‘The Scarlet Letter’?

The color red represents sin, and in the book’s case, the sin of adultery – which Hester, the protagonist, is indicted of from the onset of the book. 

What narrative style is deployed by Nathaniel Hawthorne in ‘The Scarlet Letter’?

Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes the third person narrative technique in his book, ‘ The Scarlet Letter, ’ as this allows the narrator to tell his story subjectively – but from a rounded, three-dimensional standpoint on the characters. 

About Victor Onuorah

Victor is as much a prolific writer as he is an avid reader. With a degree in Journalism, he goes around scouring literary storehouses and archives; picking up, dusting the dirt off, and leaving clean even the most crooked pieces of literature all with the skill of analysis.

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Onuorah, Victor " The Scarlet Letter Themes and Analysis 📖 " Book Analysis , https://bookanalysis.com/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-scarlet-letter/themes-analysis/ . Accessed 15 April 2024.

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Opinion With John Barth’s death, the Chesapeake has lost its poet

Christopher Tilghman is a writer who lives part-time on the Eastern Shore. His new novel is “ On the Tobacco Coast .”

When John Barth, son of Cambridge, Md., and the Eastern Shore, died April 2 at age 93, the American literary scene lost a dazzling stylist , a provocative theorist, a beloved teacher and a most generous yet humble mentor to any writer who had the good luck to cross his path. Something less noticed was also gone: The Chesapeake Bay had lost its poet.

Although best known as a postmodernist — I once asked Jack what the word “postmodern” meant and he answered without irony that he had no idea — it’s worth recalling that his earliest works, “ The Floating Opera ” and “ The Sot-Weed Factor ,” are novels of the Eastern Shore. “The Floating Opera” is a mordant and slightly hysterical tale of a Cambridge lawyer planning to commit suicide by blowing up — with himself onboard — a showboat moored in the Choptank River; in “The Sot-Weed Factor,” we get Jack’s wild take on the 17th century colony through the adventures of Ebenezer Cooke, the sot-weed factor — which is to say, the tobacco broker — of the title.

Jack’s subsequent work took off from there into the funhouse of narrative invention, but in his novels he returned to the bay again and again, usually on a sailboat, a sort of grounding, if that’s the right word, for his imagination. In “ The Last Voyage of Somebody the Sailor ,” for example, tales of Scheherazade and Sinbad the Sailor share space with a couple on a sailboat cruising the Chesapeake.

Jack gave me a copy of “Somebody” with an inscription wryly giving me permission to skim the Sinbad stuff and focus on the cruise, which is what I did. Nobody, to my mind, captured better the waterlogged landscape, the special sights and smells, the indolent sensibilities of boating on the bay.

Jack’s passing begs a question: Why has the Chesapeake region historically produced so little literature? There were two cradles of the English-American culture, two colonies on two bays, the Massachusetts Bay and our own Tobacco Coast. Why has the Northeast produced so much literature and we have produced so little? Where is our Hawthorne, our Melville, our Henry James, Edith Wharton and Sarah Orne Jewett?

The most enduring book by far to come out of the Eastern Shore is Frederick Douglass’s “Narrative,” but what else was there? Of 19th century Maryland “classics,” has anyone in the past 100 years actually read John Pendleton Kennedy’s “Swallow Barn ”?

In more recent times, Gilbert Byron’s tedious “ The Lord’s Oysters ” and James Michener’s earnest “ Chesapeake ” keep rising to the top of the list only because the list is so short. The problem is, these two warhorses are about the Chesapeake, but not about very much else. What we might be asking for is a literature that comes from or out of the bay with all its intimate secrets attached but looks toward larger American truths.

So what’s the answer? Two observations and then a guess.

First, the material is there. There is the landscape, a river valley drowned only 10,000 years ago , which left behind an almost seamless meeting of land and water. A rivalry of cultures, the farmers working the land to produce tobacco, then peaches, then tomatoes and now chickens, and generations of watermen bringing in oysters and crabs and seines full of shad and herring. A meeting of races, the White middle class building on centuries of privilege, and the Black communities, with their history of enslavement but also, on the Eastern Shore, with a robust population of free Blacks living comfortable lives.

And there is the history. New England, as the story has had it for generations of schoolchildren, was a refuge founded on principle, on religious and perhaps intellectual freedom, built upon a sort of stolid self-reliance. The Chesapeake, as more modern scholarship has confirmed, was a colonial, mercantile venture from the start, a hegemony built on enslaved labor, primarily indentured Whites in the beginning and, by the end of the 17th century, African slaves.

There is a kernel of insight in that contrast: Which of those two cultures is more likely to produce art? Except that neither the pretty tales of New England nor the revisions to our understandings of the Chesapeake are entirely accurate. Where, for example, was diversity of religious belief actually tolerated? What American ports did slave traders sail out of on the triangular trade with Africa and Europe? What region got rich off cotton?

The fact is that the New England of Plymouth Rock and Concord and Lexington is largely a myth, but perhaps, when it comes to a regional literary tradition, a myth is a good thing. It creates its own context and provides a storehouse of behavioral reference. A shared understanding of the challenges life faces. A sense of good and evil and what it might take to discern one from the other. With all that as a starting point, “The Scarlet Letter” could write itself.

As far as I can tell, there is no unifying myth of the Chesapeake Bay; as the planters were in the 17th century, our regional identity is strung out along the rivers, in the coves and creeks. So I wonder if this lack of literary tradition has something to do with being anything and everything, in the middle, on the border, on both sides of the Civil War. Perhaps in the end, this is a matter of geography. We are on an estuary neither fresh nor salt, at the midpoint of the Atlantic Coast, a no man’s land one passes through.

One doesn’t tend to write novels about being in the middle, in a stasis, being held suspended between two points. Not much drama there. One does write about ambiguity, about being torn and uncertain, but plot tends to reward a decision at the end. What if — spoiler alert — there is no decision? What if, as we always have done, Maryland just muddles through?

I wish it had occurred to me, during our occasional lunches over the years, to ask Jack Barth these questions about the Chesapeake literary tradition, about myth, about muddling through. He did approach the subject in certain short essays, and he noted the meagerness of what he called “ goose art .” But honestly, in the end, I feel Jack was content with the situation. The bay was his; he owned it; he was ambivalent about sharing it, as ambivalent about sharing its literary material as sharing a good place to drop anchor. If on an evening a sailboat happened to ghost by his mooring on some nice little cove, I’m sure he was happy enough when it continued on its way without stopping.

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