The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter is the first and greatest novel of Hawthorne. This novel also has this theme in its essence. Though the witch does not appear physically in the novel, yet the demonise force are always at play. The selfish and domineering intolerance of the judge are embodied in Roger Chillingworth. And Hester Prynne, with her unrepentant sexuality and her rebellious independency of mind and spirit, plays the part of the witch. And Arthur Dimmesdale is an unfortunate character who is trapped between these two evil forces. But this psychological analysis is not the only point of interest. The novel can be appreciated and enjoyed at other levels as well. The special beauty of the Scarlet Letter is derived not from any psychological analysis, but its emotional overtones. On the one side is the small Puritan town of Boston, with its righteous, domineering, intolerant and acquisitive citizens; on the other side is the vast unconquered forest, in which Hester Prynne is condemned to live after her sin has been exposed. This forest is also the house of the devil and a meeting place of the witches and source of all that is wild, chaotic and uncontrolled. Such a setting inspired Hawthorne to do his best work because he was writing, not merely about Hester Prynne, but about the whole American Experience. 

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