Dark Romantic Themes Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet...

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter expresses various themes of dark romanticism using symbolism. One of the more obvious symbols is that of the scaffold, which is present throughout the story. Upon in-depth exploration, I discovered this use of symbolism relates both literally and metaphorically to the dark romantic themes present in Hawthorne’s tale. First, let me discuss the scaffold and its constant presence in the story. The townspeople, Hester, and Dimmesdale use the scaffold on numerous occasions; most often, its use is to shame, harass, and isolate Hester Prynne so that she will confess the name of her child’s father. However, at times, the scaffold is used as a sanctuary and a confessional for others. The scaffold appears early in the when Hester Prynne is forced to climb up to the scaffold where her punishment will be carried out. The mother and child are gawked at and humiliated, as they are forced to stand there on display for the town. Hawthorne writes: In the old time, to be as effectual an agent, in the promotion of good citizenship†¦ so fashioned as to confine the human head in its tight grasp, and thus hold it up to the public gaze. The very ideal of ignominy was embodied†¦ her sentence bore, that she should stand a certain time upon the platform, but without undergoing that gripe about the neck and confinement of the head. (Hawthorne 481) Perhaps in an effort to describe some mercy for Hester, Hawthorne expresses that the presentation on the scaffoldShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Writings Of Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, And Edgar Allan Poe1335 Words   |  6 Pages Review of writings of Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe. By Mantegbosh Letyibelu Irving, Poe, and Hawthorne were arguably some of the most popular writers of the 19th century (Dincer 223; Lauter 2505). All three of them are known for their short essays and their advocacy to make writing a full-fledged and legitimate profession. Their writings show that they were hugely influenced by the Romantic Movement (romanticism); ‘a movement in art, literature, music, philosophyRead MoreSecret Sins Within The Works Of Hawthorne1424 Words   |  6 PagesDalton Harrison English 102 April 4, 2014 Essay#4 (1417) Secret Sins within the Works of Hawthorne Throughout all the writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne, one thing always reoccurs. What is this one thing? Well, it is secret sin. This Great American Writer of the Romantic era in literature had a firm grasp and understanding of human nature and what it means to be human. The darkness of Hawthorne’s writings come from his own observations of human nature and the treachery that we can commit either inRead MoreDark Romanticism By Edgar Allen Poe1625 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the biggest literary of all times was known as dark romanticism. This kind of literature comes from the darkness inside of a person. Many people who like this style are know to be obsessed with gothic nature. Dark Romanticism is also know to come from darkness in the human soul, original sin, and a dark outlook on society. Dark Romanticism is the complete opposite of romanticism. According to what is dark romanticism â€Å" Dark Romanticism is. A sort of genre threat combines traditional love objectsRead M oreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Mind1900 Words   |  8 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne-The Mind Nathaniel Hawthorne was born July 4, 1804 he was known as an American novelist, who writes dark romantic short stories. He was born in Salem, Massachusetts to his parents to Nathaniel Hathorne and Elizabeth Clarke Manning. Nathaniel Hawthorne was originally named Nathaniel Hathorne but he later added a w to make his name Hawthorne in order to hide the relation to his ancestor John Hathorne, who was the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials who never feltRead MoreSummary Of Hester Prynne Essay1299 Words   |  6 Pagesto confess the man involved in the crime. As a crowd begins to form and Hester s real husband who was lost at sea shows up in the crowd. Hester’s husband asks a nearby man what was happening. The man tells him that Hester is being punished for having an affair with another man while her husband was away, not knowing that he was talking to Hester’s legal husband. After being led back to jail with a scarlet letter â€Å"A† sewn to her chest, Hester and her husband meet and talk with each other. Her husbandRead MoreDevelopment Of Narrative, By Nathaniel Hawthorne, And Edgar Allen Poe1302 Words   |  6 PagesWashington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allen Poe began to attract readers with them. These authors were from the Romanticism period. Three characteristics of Romanticism are havin g a profound love of nature, passionate nationalism, and a fascination with the supernatural. Stories by these authors share dark times and mysterious events. Irving uses the pseudonym to create a persona in the name of fiction. This rising form of literature seats itself well in the Romantic Movement where creativityRead MoreThe 200 Year Old Man1167 Words   |  5 PagesThe 200-Year-Old Man: How Nathaniel Hawthorne Maintained a 17th Century Puritan Allegory Nathaniel Hawthorne, born â€Å"Nathaniel Hathorne† until he added a â€Å"w† to his birth name years later, was a prominent American Novelist that lived during the 19th century. Hawthorne was considered a dark romantic, and often â€Å"undertook the mission of exploring the darker side of humanity† in his short stories and novels. (Wright 3) Hawthorne descended from an ancestry tracing back many generations full of devoutRead MoreBiography of Nathaniel Hawthorne 1123 Words   |  5 PagesThe tall and mysterious Nathaniel Hawthorne is a man of little understanding. We know him for being very secluded and alone much of the time. We also know he had many secrets that may have accounted for the gloomy tone in his novels. He was a writer who did not believe in the game of small talk and enjoyed losing himself to a world of this own creation. Many people might have thought that Hawthorne came off as rude and uninteresting, but they had no idea of the masterpieces tha t laid inside his headRead MoreThe Minister s Black Veil1004 Words   |  5 PagesThe Minister s Black veil is a Romanticism. A romanticism is a movement in the art which sprung during the eighteenth and nineteenth century.Romantic is used to describe literature. It is defined as a depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form. As well as the imagination and emotion and the freedom embraced are all focus points of romanticism. Characteristics Of this literature piece would include subjectivity and an emphasis on individualism. Solitary life rather than life in society. TheRead MoreSymbolism Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Scarlet Letter And The Minister s Black Veil 1083 Words   |  5 PagesAlex Rojas Ms. Bacon English IV H 11/3/15 Many dark romantics use symbolism to support the themes in their stories. The themes represented by these symbols tend to represent sin and evil. Like many of his writing counterparts, Nathaniel Hawthorne extensively uses symbolism in several of his major works to explore sin and human nature. The Scarlett Letter, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"The Minister s Black Veil† are all vivid examples of this exploration and are the focus of this analysis. Before