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1、THESCARLETLETTER19thcenturyAmericanRomanticismHawthornesnovel-NathanielHawthorneNATHANIEL HAWTHORNE Novelistandshortstorywriter,acentralfigureintheAmericanRenaissance.NathanielHawthornesbest-knownworksincludeTheScarletLetter(1850)andTheHouseoftheSevenGables(1851).LikeEdgarAllanPoe,Hawthornetookadark
2、viewofhumannature.NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE “Nomanforanyconsiderableperiodcanwearonefacetohimselfandanothertothemultitude,withoutfinallygettingbewilderedastowhichmaybethetrue.”(fromThe Scarlet Letter, Chapter XX The Minister in a Maze)STORY SYNOPSIS.The Scarlet Letter told a story of a puritan The Scarlet
3、 Letter told a story of a puritan woman Hester Prynne who was punished to wear a woman Hester Prynne who was punished to wear a scarlet A which stood for the crime of adultery. scarlet A which stood for the crime of adultery. The pretty young lady tried to settle down in The pretty young lady tried
4、to settle down in Boston with her old and ugly husband Boston with her old and ugly husband Chillingworth, a scholar. But the latter did not Chillingworth, a scholar. But the latter did not appear for years. During this time, Hester appear for years. During this time, Hester committed adultery with
5、a local Minster committed adultery with a local Minster Dimmesdale, and gave birth to a girl Pearl. Dimmesdale, and gave birth to a girl Pearl. Facing the terrible punishment, Hester refused Facing the terrible punishment, Hester refused to give her loverto give her lovers name away to protect him.s
6、 name away to protect him.STORY SYNOPSIS Years later, the husband Chillingworth came to the town and found out the whole truth, and he operated an horror revenge on Dimmesdale, with hiding his own true name. Yet, as the story going, Hester and Dimmesdale became sympathetic figures, while Chillingworth was a devil at last.BOOK REVIEW AND SUMMARY The Scarlet LetterrepresentstheheightofHawthornesliterarygenius.Itremainsrelevantforitsphilosophicalandpsychologicaldepth,andcontinuestobereadasaclassictaleonauniversaltheme.Thanks for your listening
