Реферат: The Scarlet Letter The Symbol Of The

her next life. To the Puritans she is shamed, yet to the heavens she is honored

as a repentant sinner who has returned to the loving arms of her Creator.

Finally, Hester’s scarlet emblem is found on the outside, while the mark that

her lover Dimmesdale is found in “his inmost heart.” Though Hester and

Dimmesdale are both branded with the scarlet “A”, there is a world of difference

between their badges of shame, for Hester’s scarlet token is embroidered in

dazzling gold thread and is displayed for everyone to see, showing that she

hides nothing, while Dimmesdale’s letter is branded on his chest: hidden from

the public eye, yet with an effect that is more potent than that of the scarlet

token on Hester’s breast. Indeed, the heat of glowing metal inflicts a far

greater pain than that of needle and thread, the throb of fire against skin is

more potent than a pin on a piece of cloth; though Hester may have to endure the

taunts of the pitiless Puritans, at least, unlike Dimmesdale, she does not have

to endure those of her own creation. Therefore, it can be concluded that Hester

was better off wearing the letter, for by a enduring a lifetime of pain and

agony, she escapes an eternity of unbearable torment.

The scarlet letter restrains Hester’s passionate nature in her

appearance, transforming her into a colorless and faceless woman, yet her

passion finds another outlet in the deep recesses of her own mind; Hester is

liberated by the scarlet letter since she discovers an intellectual passion as a

release from a dull and monotonous existence. Hester’s physical appearance may

be one of “marble coldness”, yet buried underneath those marble slabs her “newly

emancipated” intellect burns with great fervor. The pure yet hard marble

represents the Hester seen by the people; Solid and dependable, possessing a

serene yet pallid beauty. The vibrance that once dominated her features now

dominates her thoughts, her warm passion this time finding release in the

richness of her brilliant mind. “Hester [imbibes] the spirit” of intellectual

emancipation. Her passion, which once flowed generously in her physical

appearance, is now geared towards the exploration of her mind’s inner depths. A