[debussybunny563]

This is the rough draft for an essay about the Scarlet Letter. Poll is/will be added.

Some of the formatting may have changed ("the scarlet letter" isn't underlined, no indents, etc.), but it is still intact.

x is probably gonna have some criticism...

In the novel The Scarlet Letter, many things symbolic in nature are presented by Nathaniel Hawthorne that reflect the thoughts and ideals of his time. Throughout the book, Hawthorne represents various human ideas and philosophies by embodying them within the three main characters: Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. The interactions, mannerisms, and appearances of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth reflect interactions within the physical, spiritual, and intellectual aspects of humanity, respectively, and should be valued as such. He shows that the spiritual is weak, the intellectual preys upon the spiritual, and ultimately the physical lasts out both.

Dimmesdale’s depiction is derogatory and practically sneers at the minister. His adulterous crime committed with Hester signifies the corruption within the Church’s institution itself, that such an act would happen with a respected clergyman. He cannot even bring it about himself to admit in public that he brought about such sin, though it must be admitted that he does later confess his guilt. This seems to show that religion is unwilling to express its own shortcomings and contrives to shade such corruption. Such is Dimmesdale’s own remorse that he punishes and disciplines himself almost to death. However, such behavior, while clearly demonstrative of his regret, does nothing to solidify his character, and conversely transitions into his deterioration from a pure minister into a wretched sinner. Hawthorne stresses how religion is so frail, inevitably collapsing upon itself, provoked and incited by itself, and corrupt within itself. However, the spiritual alone was not responsible for its demise.

The intellectual pursuit of humanity seeks to destroy and encourage religion’s suicide. While Dimmesdale feels remorse for his actions, the severity of his resulting behavior is inarguably administered by Chillingworth, a ruthless man who sought his revenge recklessly, yet with such precision. This situation is familiarized by the conflicts that have been had with religion, i.e. the Church. Most of these arguments had a trifling beginning; it was simply to prove something that perhaps the Church maybe misinterpreted or had an incorrect idea about. More significant reforms would follow, and eventually the simple idea would lead to a vicious preying upon the Church. Many, if not most teachings of science today indicate the beliefs of the world as taught through the Church are invariably false, and attack the Church’s explanations. Similarly, Chillingworth pursues Dimmesdale at first to simply be vengeful of his (possibly hidden) shame resulting from Hester’s unfaithfulness. Unfortunately, the thought of revenge and revenge alone begins to consume him, and thus is it his sole purpose of existence to leech the minister until his will is no more. It is comparable like such to say that the intellectual pursuits of man, a product of the vice of the Church, eventually harshly opposes the Church and seeks to attack all facets of its teachings. Of course, there is slight exaggeration, but nonetheless such a point can be clearly defined. It must be noted, however, in both cases, from the novel and in reality, the victim provokes its own destruction; the predator simply acts as a catalyst. But once the spiritual does expire, the intellectual has no more left to feed off of, therefore imploding as well.

This leaves the physical, outlasting the rest. Hawthorne’s personal ideals influence this greatly, as he was ashamed of his Puritan heritage, which emphasized the spiritual facet. Hawthorne appears to say that the physical nature of the human will ultimately survive, as humanity is supported by humans. The spiritual seeks to purify humanity, and the intellectual combats it and its corruption. Eventually those two will die out and reduce it to the physical, the raw human. For there will always be arguments among superfluous, intangible ideas, as they are inexplicable. Although humans may strive to procure such an understanding of things fathomed in the mind, it is almost certainly doomed to fail, and we can only observe and treasure what we truly know exists. Hester may have been guilt-ridden, and remained so throughout the novel, but it is ultimately the confession of her sin that relieves her of it, for then she has nothing to conceal, for it has already been revealed. However, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are unable to let go of the act; the minister seals his guilt inside himself lest he be discovered and tears himself apart thus, and Chillingworth refuses to cease till he receives full revenge for the terrible sin. The ability of the physical to confess and continue with no enduring self-inflicted consequences is one that Hawthorne admires and praises.

How Hawthorne perceives the exchanges between the spiritual, intellectual, and physical settings of humanity is significant in understanding the story more cohesively, and understanding Hawthorne as the author and as a person. How religion is weak and preyed upon by intellectual “science” is emphatic and vital. Hawthorne sees it fit, though, that neither should be as ever-enduring as the human itself; its own resiliency determines its favorability in his eyes. And thus Hawthorne personifies the three aspects with a meaning that symbolizes the whole of humanity.