Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne and and The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter

Overview Video

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNENATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

Hawthorne's LifeHawthorne's Life

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNENATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

Born July 4, 1804 in Salem, MABorn July 4, 1804 in Salem, MA Education- Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Education- Bowdoin College in Brunswick,

Maine (38 freshmen, 5 faculty members)Maine (38 freshmen, 5 faculty members) Married Sophia Peabody in 1842Married Sophia Peabody in 1842 Job at Custom House 1839-40, 46-49Job at Custom House 1839-40, 46-49 3 Children3 Children Moved to England, France, and Rome after Moved to England, France, and Rome after

SalemSalem Died in 1864Died in 1864 Do you want to learn more?Do you want to learn more?

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNENATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

““The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter is powerfully is powerfully written but my writings do not, written but my writings do not, nor ever will, appeal to the nor ever will, appeal to the broadest class of sympathies, broadest class of sympathies, and therefore will not obtain a and therefore will not obtain a very wide popularity.” very wide popularity.”

-Hawthorne, after finishing the -Hawthorne, after finishing the novelnovel

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNENATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

As a literary artist…As a literary artist…

First American “pro writer”: college First American “pro writer”: college educated, familiar with the great educated, familiar with the great European writersEuropean writers

4,000 copies of 4,000 copies of The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter sold sold in the first 10 daysin the first 10 days

OVERVIEW OVERVIEW

The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter tells the story of Hester tells the story of Hester Prynne who has committed adultery and Prynne who has committed adultery and must wear a scarlet "A" publicly as must wear a scarlet "A" publicly as punishment. When her husband, whom she punishment. When her husband, whom she believed to be dead, suddenly reappears, he believed to be dead, suddenly reappears, he determines to discover the identity of the determines to discover the identity of the father of Hester's child, although Hester father of Hester's child, although Hester steadfastly refuses to reveal his identity. steadfastly refuses to reveal his identity. Through the use of rich symbolism and Through the use of rich symbolism and supernatural events, Hawthorne shows the supernatural events, Hawthorne shows the destructive effects of guilt and revenge.destructive effects of guilt and revenge.

HISTORICAL CONTEXTHISTORICAL CONTEXT

The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter was finished inwas finished in 1850…..1850…..

What was going on in What was going on in America in 1850?America in 1850?

HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, AND HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, AND LITERARY EVENTS LITERARY EVENTS

TIMELINETIMELINE

HISTORICAL CONTEXTHISTORICAL CONTEXT

To what “period” of AmericanTo what “period” of American

Literature does Hawthorne Literature does Hawthorne belong??belong??

Lets take a look at the history of Lets take a look at the history of American Literature…..American Literature…..

HISTORICAL CONTEXTHISTORICAL CONTEXT

English Heritage (Elizabethan Age)English Heritage (Elizabethan Age)1650-1770: Early Colonial period-1650-1770: Early Colonial period-

Puritan writings, no distinctive Puritan writings, no distinctive American literatureAmerican literature

1750-1800: Later Colonial 1750-1800: Later Colonial period-period- Age of Age of Reason/Enlightenment Reason/Enlightenment (Neoclassicism, Rationalism)(Neoclassicism, Rationalism)

HISTORICAL CONTEXTHISTORICAL CONTEXT

1800-1850: American 1800-1850: American Renaissance/ Romanticism-Renaissance/ Romanticism- slave slave narratives, inner feelings, the burden narratives, inner feelings, the burden of a Puritan past, the rejection of of a Puritan past, the rejection of NeoclassicismNeoclassicism

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism was a part of was a part of this…this…

HISTORICAL CONTEXTHISTORICAL CONTEXT

TRANSCENDENTALISMTRANSCENDENTALISM Boston-centered movement, led by Emerson, Boston-centered movement, led by Emerson,

was an important force in New England circleswas an important force in New England circles Human existence transcends the sensory Human existence transcends the sensory

realmrealm Formalism in favor of individual responsibilityFormalism in favor of individual responsibility Belief in individual choice and consequenceBelief in individual choice and consequence Focus on the positiveFocus on the positive

HISTORICAL CONTEXTHISTORICAL CONTEXT

SUBDIVISION OF ROMANTICISM: SUBDIVISION OF ROMANTICISM: GOTHIC GOTHIC LITERATURE, LITERATURE, the “dark the “dark romantics”(1800-1850)romantics”(1800-1850)

-use of supernatural-use of supernatural

-motif of double (both good and evil in-motif of double (both good and evil in

characters; sin and evil does exist)characters; sin and evil does exist)

-depression, dark forests-depression, dark forests

-Poe, Hawthorne, Melville-Poe, Hawthorne, Melville -emphasis on symbolism -emphasis on symbolism (which we will (which we will

discuss later)discuss later)

HISTORICAL CONTEXTHISTORICAL CONTEXT

In what ways can you see the In what ways can you see the Transcendentalist influence on Transcendentalist influence on Hawthorne? Hawthorne?

(His wife was a Transcendentalist and had some (His wife was a Transcendentalist and had some effect on his literature, and he also became friends effect on his literature, and he also became friends with Transcendentalists in Concord, Emerson and with Transcendentalists in Concord, Emerson and Thoreau)Thoreau)

How is he also ANTI-How is he also ANTI-TRANSCENDENTALIST/ GOTHIC, as TRANSCENDENTALIST/ GOTHIC, as exhibited in the novel?exhibited in the novel?

LITERARY ELEMENTSLITERARY ELEMENTS

CharactersCharactersMoodMoodSettingSettingPlot Plot SymbolismSymbolismThemesThemes

LITERARY LITERARY ELEMENTS:CHARACTERSELEMENTS:CHARACTERS

Hester Prynne-Hester Prynne- protagonist, married protagonist, married to Chillingworth, adultery with to Chillingworth, adultery with DimmesdaleDimmesdale

LITERARY LITERARY ELEMENTS:CHARACTERSELEMENTS:CHARACTERS

Arthur Dimmesdale-Arthur Dimmesdale- pastor, pastor, intense suffering, tragic figureintense suffering, tragic figure

Roger Chillingworth-Roger Chillingworth- physician, physician, old, evil, deformed, diabolical old, evil, deformed, diabolical vengeance on Dimmesdalevengeance on Dimmesdale

Pearl-Pearl- beautiful daughter, beautiful daughter, sometimes imp-like, rebellious, sometimes imp-like, rebellious, inquisitiveinquisitive

LITERARY LITERARY ELEMENTS:CHARACTERSELEMENTS:CHARACTERS

Gov. Bellingham-Gov. Bellingham- based on actual based on actual governor of Bostongovernor of Boston

John Wilson-John Wilson- eldest clergyman, eldest clergyman, based on actual English ministerbased on actual English minister

Mistress Hibbins-Mistress Hibbins- based on figure based on figure executed for witchcraft, appears to executed for witchcraft, appears to know a great deal about the adulteryknow a great deal about the adultery

LITERARY ELEMENTS: LITERARY ELEMENTS: MOODMOOD

The SOMBER, DARK mood is well-The SOMBER, DARK mood is well-defined from the beginning:defined from the beginning:

““sad-colored garmentssad-colored garments” of spectators, ” of spectators, the prison door which is “the prison door which is “heavily heavily timbered and studded with iron timbered and studded with iron spikesspikes””

LITERARY ELEMENTS: LITERARY ELEMENTS: SETTINGSETTING

1717thth century century Puritanical New Puritanical New England (Mass.)England (Mass.)

What was America like What was America like then?then?

LITERARY ELEMENTS: LITERARY ELEMENTS: SETTINGSETTING

Life in the Mid 1600sLife in the Mid 1600s

Boston was founded just 2 decades earlierBoston was founded just 2 decades earlier 11stst governor was John Winthrop, who governed based on governor was John Winthrop, who governed based on

religious and civic idealsreligious and civic ideals People were hardworking and devotedPeople were hardworking and devoted 1630s- Puritans established a number of settlements in 1630s- Puritans established a number of settlements in

MassachusettsMassachusetts PURITANISMPURITANISM involved belief that the church of England involved belief that the church of England

was too much influenced by the Catholic churchwas too much influenced by the Catholic church Strict code, on which people were expected to act and Strict code, on which people were expected to act and

judged uponjudged upon Rejected belief that divine authority is channeled through Rejected belief that divine authority is channeled through

any one single person (i.e. the pope)any one single person (i.e. the pope) THEOCRACYTHEOCRACY- state governed by the church- state governed by the church

LITERARY ELEMENTS: LITERARY ELEMENTS: SETTINGSETTING

What aspects of this type of religious society What aspects of this type of religious society can be seen in The Scarlet Letter?can be seen in The Scarlet Letter?

How do you think Hawthorne views this type How do you think Hawthorne views this type of society?of society?

How do you think his own past How do you think his own past might have affected his writing?might have affected his writing?

(Hawthorne was intrigued and even (Hawthorne was intrigued and even haunted by his past ancestors, and haunted by his past ancestors, and they appeared quite often in his they appeared quite often in his fiction. Hawthorne’s past greatly fiction. Hawthorne’s past greatly influenced his writing of The Scarlet influenced his writing of The Scarlet Letter.)Letter.)

How did his life affect the How did his life affect the writing of the novel?writing of the novel?

John Hathorne presided overJohn Hathorne presided over

the Salem Witch Trials of the Salem Witch Trials of 16921692

Major William Hathorne Major William Hathorne (1608-1681) persecuted (1608-1681) persecuted quakersquakers

1. Influences on Hawthorne: Puritan 1. Influences on Hawthorne: Puritan backgroundbackground

How did his life affect the How did his life affect the writing of the novel?writing of the novel?

2) Salem-2) Salem- childhood, later work at the childhood, later work at the Custom HouseCustom House, as Surveyor of the Port, as Surveyor of the Port

““The Custom House” introduction creates a The Custom House” introduction creates a

FRAME STORYFRAME STORY This introduction gives an account of his This introduction gives an account of his

experience as surveyor; he attacks the officials experience as surveyor; he attacks the officials who connived in his dismissal… Like his heroine who connived in his dismissal… Like his heroine Hester, Hawthorne emerges from confrontation Hester, Hawthorne emerges from confrontation with a self-righteous society as an individual of with a self-righteous society as an individual of integrity,passion, and moral superiorityintegrity,passion, and moral superiority..

The Custom HouseThe Custom House

LITERARY ELEMENT: LITERARY ELEMENT: SYMBOLISM IN THE NOVELSYMBOLISM IN THE NOVEL

MAJOR THEMESMAJOR THEMES PURITAN MORALITY v. PASSION AND PURITAN MORALITY v. PASSION AND

INDIVIDUALISMINDIVIDUALISM Self-trust v. accomodation to authoritySelf-trust v. accomodation to authority Conventional v. unconventional gender rolesConventional v. unconventional gender roles Guilt: sense of guilt forced by puritanical Guilt: sense of guilt forced by puritanical

heritage/societyheritage/society The penalties of isolation/ isolation because of The penalties of isolation/ isolation because of

self-cause and societal causeself-cause and societal cause Patriarchal powerPatriarchal power Belief in fate/free willBelief in fate/free will Impossibility of earthly perfectionImpossibility of earthly perfection

MAJOR THEMESMAJOR THEMESPerhaps his greatest interest was the human Perhaps his greatest interest was the human

capacity on how sin operates on the inner workings capacity on how sin operates on the inner workings of mindsof minds

With the superstition common to With the superstition common to his brotherhood, he fancied himself his brotherhood, he fancied himself given over to a fiendgiven over to a fiend, to be , to be tortured with frightful dreams, tortured with frightful dreams, and desperate thoughts, the and desperate thoughts, the sting of remorse, and despair sting of remorse, and despair of pardonof pardon; ; as a foretaste of as a foretaste of what awaits him beyond the what awaits him beyond the gravegrave. But it was the constant . But it was the constant shadow of my presence!--the shadow of my presence!--the closest propinquity of the man closest propinquity of the man whom he had most vilely whom he had most vilely wronged!--and who had grown to wronged!--and who had grown to exist only by this exist only by this perpetual perpetual poison of the direst revengepoison of the direst revenge! ! Yea, indeed!--he did not err!--there Yea, indeed!--he did not err!--there was a fiend at his elbow! was a fiend at his elbow! A mortal A mortal man, with once a human heart, man, with once a human heart, has become a fiend for his has become a fiend for his especial torment!"especial torment!" The The unfortunate physician, while unfortunate physician, while uttering these words, lifted his uttering these words, lifted his hands with a look of horror, as if he hands with a look of horror, as if he had beheld had beheld some frightful shape, some frightful shape, which he could not recognize, which he could not recognize, usurping the place of his own usurping the place of his own imageimage in a glass. in a glass.

““smile with a sinister meaning”smile with a sinister meaning”

THE ENDTHE END