Can one teach a life lesson through pure misery of another? Nathaniel Hawthorne effectively portrays the Puritan society in a Dark Romantic point of view within The Scarlet Letter. He uses characters such as Hester Prynne‚ Reverend Dimmesdale‚ and Roger Chillingworth to show the dim side of emotions. Throughout The Scarlet Letter‚ Hawthorne uses these three main characters to show the responsibility one should take for his actions‚ the internal suffering caused by guilt‚ and the dangerous effects
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In “The Birth-Mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ the most noticeable symbol is Georgiana’s birthmark on her cheek. Her birthmark is a tiny red spot on her cheek in the shape of a small hand. In the story it says‚ “some fairy at her birth-hour had laid her tiny hand upon the infant’s cheek” (340). At the beginning of the story Georgiana has grown so tired of the birthmark she says‚ “Either remove this dreadful hand‚ or take my wretched life!” (342). Aylmer‚ her husband the scientist‚ decides to take up
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The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story about Hester Prynne‚ her husband Roger Chillingworth and the minister that she had an affair with Roger Chillingworth. There are many strong feelings displayed throughout this novel such as revenge and forgiveness. The most prevalent feeling throughout this story is love. All the principal characters love someone and depend on them. All in all‚ The Scarlet Letter belongs in the romance novel genre because all of the characters are primarily influenced
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ANALYSIS OF THE SHORT STORY “THE BIRTHMARK” Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” illustrates how one’s obsessions and moral weakness leads to another’s questioning of their self-image and drives the pursuit of perfection in our society. The main character‚ Aylmer‚ develops an obsession with becoming a world renowned alchemist‚ yet falls short when he sets his goals and cannot accomplish them. The unrealistic goals that Aylmer sets reflect how his character is composed; he consistently strives
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When looking toward the past people too often seem to address major and general occurrences. However authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne show history through a different‚ more palatable‚ perspective. By illustrating the life of a specific individual in the past Hawthorne has better related his characters and their times to the reader. One of the best ways of accomplishing that in the novel is through the use of symbolism. The forest‚ for instance‚ is vital to the book “The Scarlet Letter.” In order
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Literary Review of “The Ambitious Guest” by Nathaniel Hawthorne Though the family lived a simple yet proud life in the Notch of the White Hills‚ they were not immune to the vanity the stranger brought to their cozy cottage they caught his disease of fame and paid dearly. The story began on a cold September night in a dangerous area in New England as a cheerful family set around their hearth to enjoy their solitude of their inner circle. As the wind roared outside‚ a stranger‚ a young man came to
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Why would he make his beautiful daughter Beatrice (protagonist) immune to the poison and make it impossible to be in love with Giovanni (the young student living in the old edifice)? The twisted and dark story of "Rappaccini’s Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne definitely covers almost every aspect of Dark Romanticism. These are all examples of negative imagery‚ gothic elements‚ and harmful nature relations shown throughout the story and how Dark Romanticism is very much present. "Rappaccini’s Daughter
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Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem‚ Massachusetts into a family that was of Puritan belief since generations. Hawthorne’s lived in poverty with his mother and two younger sisters in a house filled with Puritan ideals. He had a feeling to some extents of Puritanism as being intolerant and cruel. Hawthorne’s states that Puritans feared that some women were completely lost to God and had turned to witchcraft to serve the Devil. Although these witches still appeared human‚ the Devil would use them
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In the introductory sketch to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel the "The Scarlet Letter"‚ the reader is informed that one of the author’s ancestors persecuted the Quakers harshly. The latter’s son was a high judge in the Salem witch trials‚ put into literary form in Arthur Miller’s "The Crucible" (Judge Hawthorne appears there). We learn that Hawthorne feels ashamed for their deeds‚ and that he sees his ancestors and the Puritan society as a whole with critical eyes. Consequently‚ both open and subtle
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The story “The Birth-Mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is set In Europe during the eighteenth century. Specifically the story is set in Aylmer’s sinister laboratory‚ along with a beautiful boudoir. These two locations represent what Aylmer wants to accomplish and his failures. The laboratory as described by the narrator is said to be a place that is gaseous‚ and covered in soot altogether a hideous place‚ something to be ashamed of like failures; In comparison to the boudoir that is filled with nice aromas
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