On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules - Draft 1

Paaras Chand

Professor Knapp

English 1B

1 May 2011

On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules

The Scarlet Letter is much like a dream — it makes a different impression underneath each eyelid — it is art left for the reader to untangle and understand — it is purely transcendental.  Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing holds the soul — the style many of his contemporaries tried to replicate in a time based upon Puritan values, changing ideals, and deeper meanings within natural life (Whipple 1). From "The Custom House" to the ever-lasting power of the scarlet letter, Hawthorne provides us with everything, yet nothing at the same time — the substance is not within what he tells the reader, but what the reader can tell Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter is an adventure valued as much as the nineteenth century itself - it became the first step into true American literature; the breaking point of Puritan philosophies and ways of life; and the beginning of the Transcendental, Gothic, Anti-Transcendental, and Romantic periods (Whipple 1). Anne W. Abbott’s "Review of 'The Scarlet Letter, a Romance” applauds Hawthorne’s "artistic prowess" and Pearl’s character, but questions the reality of Roger Chillingworth, Hester, and Arthur Dimmesdale. ln a story capable of handling so much, every part of the story needs to hold the structure as strong as the next. Though the novel has its flaws, no reader can leave The Scarlet Letter unchanged.

"The Custom House" is an oddly phrased introduction to the tale; outlining a few parts of Hawthorne’s life and providing some facts onto the truth behind the story. Abbott begins her review by saying she enjoyed “the preface better than the tale" and cites Hawthorne’s elaborate use of "original turns of expression, and unhackneyed combinations of words, falling naturally into their places, as if of their own accord" (Abbot 1). “The Custom House" is definitely very different from the rest of the story, but that’s exactly where much of the dilemma lies; it is cut, dry, and much more direct. At some points Hawthome is able to convey life’s greatest lessons with poetic love; "If a man, sitting all alone, cannot dream strange things, alnd make them look like truth, he need never try to write romances", but most of "The Custom House" remains descriptions of Hawthorne’s gray life; "The pavement ... has grass enough growing in its chinks to show that it has not. . .been worn by any multitudinous resort of business" (Hawthome 15, 19). At times Hawthorne even sounds like a writer of the Realism period because of his focus on facts; "In the way of furniture, there is a stove with a voluminous funnel; an old pinedesk with a three-legged stool beside it" (Hawthorne 17). Though "The Custom House" is designed to be very detailed and informative, it does not hold the same emotional appeal as "Hatred, by a gradual and quiet process, will even be transformed to love, unless the change be impeded by a continually new irritation of the original feeling of hostility" — words marked with sin and challenege" (Hathorne 18, 76).

In a time ruled by Puritan ideals and the Church, one small act can travel a joumey of its own. Arthur Dimmesdale — the marked culprit — and minister of Salem buried his sin within himself to protect his position, but in the end discovered his sin was the key to the future. Abbott feels that Dimmesdale is "better kept" than the other characters in the story, but still far from realistic (Abbott 2). She mocks how Dimmesdale “exhales at the first gleam of hope" and does not deal with the further consequences of sin; he goes straight to death (Abbott 2). Dimmesdale was far from the perfect father or perfect husband, but he did exactly what any man of the time would have done; he ran away."And thus, while standing on the scaffold, in this vain show of his expiation, Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart." Even when he had the chance to come out with his sin, he left his daughter and Hester to suffer.  An affair was greatly looked down upon at the time and any news of such an event would kill the reputation of both parties. He was not the hero who went against the grain, but rather went with it (Whipple 2).  Naturally a man of this caliber would not have taken his path to redemption - the sin was bad enough. He did however show signs of understanding for his sin: "No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true. . .Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!" (Hawthorne 93, 103). If Hawthorne had not killed Dimmesdale through suicide, it would have brought more questions of validity to the reader’s mind; the story would sound too much like a "happily ever after."

"As for Roger Chillingworth, he seems to have so little in common with map, he is such a gnome-like phantasm." — Abbott sees Chillingworth as the pure opposite of every other good character in the story; he is the one dimensional villain (Abbott 2). Life is not filled with just the bad or just the good — it is a mixture of both, so it only makes sense that the characters fall the same way. Chillingworth is introduced as the creep; his back is arched, his eyes are dark, and his voice is cutting — "When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips" (Hawthorne 16). Redemption is The Scarlet Letter ’s biggest point, yet Hawthorne only paved redemption for Hester; Dimmesdale’s redemption is somewhat debatable and Chillingworth makes no attempt whatsoever. He dies with as much reality as he was born — “When, in short, there was no more Devil's work on earth for him to do, it only remained for the unhumanised mortal to betake himself whither his master would find him tasks enough, and pay him his wages duly" (Hawthorne 120).  In some aspects Chillingworth can be seen as a symbol for the devil, thus his death brings the death of the devil, but with such heavy symbolism within Hawthorne’s writing it does not place a level field amongst those who have sinned. In fact Dimmesdale just points a bigger finger at Chillingworth; "It were far worse than death" (Hawthorne 87).

Hester Prynne — marked with sin and challenge — journeys through The Scarlet Letter through humility, hurt, and happiness. Following her intense trial, Hester looks to restart her life and work toward raising Pearl. Abbott cites that "Hester at first strongly excites our pity, for she suffers like an immortal being," but as she works more toward redemption "her humility catches a new tint, and we find it pride (Abbott 3).  Through much persecution, alienation, and discrimination Hester Prynne was forced to grow as a person, despite the fact that her neighbors continued to go on as they were. As early in her persecution as when she is forced to stand on the scaffold, Hester's growth can be detected. The book describes this demonstration of growth: "...the mother of this child stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token" (Hawthorne 6). With redemption comes pride, but it is necessary to continue a stronger lifestyle; depression for the sin would keep Hester isolated and torn apart by the townspeople. There may be too much pride within Hester’s bosom and scarlet A but it would not be a legend if kept secret and hidden.

No other Pearl can be worth more to a story than this Pearl, but no pearl had ever been earned at as high a cost to a person as in Hester Prynne. Her daughter Pearl, born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one, is an enigmatic character serving entirely as a vehicle for symbolism. Abbott goes on to say that Pearl is the "gem of the purest water. .. a perfect truth to childish and human nature" (Hawthome 58). From her introduction as an infant on her mother’s scaffold of shame to the stormy peak of the story, Pearl is an empathetic and intelligent child. Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see. Pearl is the essence of literary symbolism. She is at times a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the inconsistent and translucent qualities of Hester’s unlawful bond at times, and at others a forceful reminder of her mother’s sin. Pearl Prynne is her mother’s most precious possession and her only reason to live, but also serves as a priceless treasure purchased with her life. Pearl’s strange beauty and deeply enigmatic qualities make her the most powerful symbol Hawthorne has ever created. The product of Hester’s sin and agony, Pearl, was a painfully constant reminder of her mother’s violation of the Seventh Commandment: "Thou shalt not commit adultery". Hester herself felt that Pearl was given to her not only as a blessing but a punishment worse than death or ignominy. She is tormented by her daughter’s childish teasing and endless questioning about the scarlet letter and it’s relation to sinister. After Pearl has created a letter "A" on her own breast out of seaweed, she asks her mother: "But in good earnest, now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? — and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom?" (Hawthone 100). In saying this Pearl implies she knows so much, but her constant nagging also brings Hester to doing the right thing; had it not been for her then Hester would have ran away from her problems. She was the key to Hester’s final redemption "But, in very truth, she is right as regards this hateful token. I must bear its torture yet a little longer" (Hawthorne 111).

Perhaps the greatest part about Hawthorne’s writing is that it becomes a part of the reader — nothing is strictly said — all is a breath of misty air, for it’s breather to take in and break down. Such a great story as The Scarlet Letter requires equally great characters who border on the lines of insanity. At some points this bordering goes beyond reality and takes away the neighbor-like presence we have come to know and love, but it is necessary, for no great story can lead a life within a normal world. Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, Pearl, and even Hawthorne himself are all loving characters which will live in the heart just as the scarlet letter "On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules" (Hawthorne 150).