《美国文学史》期末论文2015-2016学年第二学期论文题目: 论《红字中的象征主义》英文题目:An Analysis of the Symbolism of theScarlet Letter姓名: 王舒学号:1345752211专业: 英语日期: 2015 年 6 月29 日An Analysis of the Symbolism of The Scarlet Letter Chapter One Introduction1.1Research Background1.1.1 Life Career and Literary Career1.1.2 The Origin of The Scarlet Letter1.2Purpose and Significance of the Study1.3Organization of the ThesisChapter Two The Organization of Symbolism2.1 Symbolic Meaning of the Main Characters’ Names2.1.1 Hester Prynne2.1.2 Arthur Dimmesdale2.1.3 Roger Chillingworth2.1.4 Pearl2.2 Symbolic Meaning of the Letter “A”2.2.1 Adultery2.2.2 Alone2.2.3 Angel2.2.4 Arthur DimmesdaleChapter Four ConclusionAn Analysis of the Symbolism of the Scarlet LetterChapter one Introduction1.1Research Background1.1.1 Life Career and Literary CareerHawthorne was born in Salem in 1804. His family has a long Puritan tradition. His father is a sea captain, died in Dutch when Hawthorne was only four. And his mother relied on relatives in rearing the children. Besides, some of his ancestors were a judge relate to the Salem Witchcraft Trails of 1692. Therefore, the familygradually fortune declined. Young Hawthorne was witnessed the process and aware of the misdeeds of his puritan ancestors, so he had deep understanding of evil in human life, people called “that blackness in Hawthorne”. This affected many works of him and stated truth in his books.He aspired to be a writer in his middle age. In 1821, he went to Bowdoin College where he made friends with Wadsworth Longfellow and Franklin Pierce, who was the fourteenth President of the United States. Franklin helped him when he was in financial difficulties. After graduation, he spent 12 years in seclusion on literary apprenticeship, reading widely and practicing writing. In 1839, Hawthorne has worked in Boston customs for two years. Later, he entered into Brook Farmland and contacted with the idea of transcendental. Then, Hawthorne went to Salem customs, in which affected the work “The Scarlet Latter” directly.In 1842, Hawthorne got married and lived in Concord, made friends with his neighbors, Emerson and Thoreau and others. Finally, he died in 1864 and buried in Sleepy Valley cemetery. Hawthorne’s first novel is about his school life, which was a failure novel. So he burnt all his copies in great rage. Later, he published a collection of short stories, called Twice-Told T ales in 1837, which attracted some popular and critical attention. Another successful short story collection, Mosses from an Old Manse came out in 1846 and brought him great fame and made him finally financially comfortable. In 1850, a novel, The Scarlet Letter came out, which made him known by others and made his name as a writer of no small talent. In 1851, The House of the Seven Gables came out, to be followed by The BlithedaleRomance in 1852 and The Marble Faun in 1860.1.1.2 The Origin of the Scarlet LetterThe story of The Scarlet Letter is very simple but very moving. The story is set in New England in seventeenth century Boston, which is under Puritan command.A young beautiful woman, named Hester Prynne, is sent ahead to America by his husband-----an aging English scholar. However, for two years, he does not arrive here. But two year later, he is bewildered to see his wife in pillory, wearing a scarlet letter “A” on her breast and holding a baby in her arms. She is considered the guilty of adultery and brought to trial. The old scholar pretends to be a physician and changes his name Rogar Chillingworth. Gradually, he discovered that his wife’s lover is the young clergyman, Arthur Dimmesdale. Hester refuses to name her lover all the time and looked down on by others. Dimmesdale suffered physical and mental torture. But Hester response to the scarlet letter is a positive one. She lives a quiet life with her daughter, Pearl. She helps her fellow creatures as a sister if many of sorts or as a skilled embroiderer in modest manner, and finally wins other’s love and admiration. Because the scarlet letter “A”, the church members suggest Pearl be taken away from Hester, and Dimmesdale has a poor health. She plans to leave America with Dimmesdale, but he refused her help. He dies in the end in her arms while confessing his sin at a public gathering. Chillingworth withers. Pearl is married into a noble family.1.2 Purpose and Significance of the StudySymbolism is not only a significant feature of Hawthorne’s works, but also a major feature of Romanticism. Therefore, study of Hawthorne’s masterpiece, the scarlet letter, symbolism can help the readers knows more about the novel and read his works without any difficulties. When we learn a symbolism of a novel, we could study it from the characters, situations, environment and others. It is very important for readers to understand a novel’s thesis.1.2Organization of the ThesisIn The Scarlet Letter, symbolism is used not only in the main characters but also in the capital letter “A”which symbolism adultery, alone, alienation, angel and Arthur Dimmesdale.Chapter Two The Organization of Symbolism2.1 Symbolic Meaning of the Main Characters’ Names2.1.1Hester PrynneHester Prynne is one of the main characters in this novel. Hawthorne endows her name with much symbolic meanings. Firstly, when we see the word “Hester”, we may contact it with Hastier, who is the sister of Zeus in Greek mythology. She is kitchen goodness. She is also very beautiful god. Hawthorne names his main character Hester, which give readers a strong sense that Hester is a beautiful,passionate and warm-hearted woman. In this novel, Hester tries her best to help others and as a skilled embroiderer in an unobtrusive and undemanding manner. Whatever she goes, she is warm-hearted and king. Besides, the sound of “Hester” is similar to “Hastier”, which is difficult to distinct them. Not only is her behavior like goodness, but also her beautiful appearance.Secondly, Heater is the homophone of the word “Haste”, which means doing something quickly so that you are careless and make mistakes. She gets married to Roger Chillingworth, who is an ugly and old man and devotes all his life to his books, his wife just could get a little love from him. As a young woman, she goes through everyday loneliness without living a normal life. She does not have a baby with Roger. So she feels sexual inhibition. What’s more, her husband sent her to America, while he disappeared for two years without any news. Hester falls in love with Arthur quickly, a young clergyman. As a result, her fortunate life starts with hasty.Hester’s surname also has its symbolic meaning. First of all, “Prynne” sounds like “Prurient”. Hester’s husband is so old that he could not give her sexual love. Which makes Hester loves the young man so hastily. As a result, she is put into prison and forced to wear the letter “A” all the time and everywhere for the crime. Hawthorne uses Prynne to suggest the origin pain of Hester.What’s more, “Prynne”is similar to “Prune”so that affect reader’s understanding. Hawthorne not only point out the reason for Prynne’s guilty, but also believes that she could recover from the pain in the late of life. When Hestergets out the prison, she never abandons herself, but has courage to face the cold world. She has a positive attitude to face the scarlet letter and the rumors in this town.The last but not least, “Pry” the first syllable of “Prynne”, which with the meaning of spying on somebody. The author wants to discover the evil from the life of Prynne. In many years without contacting others, Prynne has been thinking her guilty, it also make her aware of the evil spirit beneath the surface of the saints. If you put people’s mind on the table, may be everyone has a scarlet letter. Everyone has sins in their deep mind。