红字中海斯特的性格分析.docx

红字中海斯特的性格分析.docx

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红字中海斯特的性格分析

Abstract

Asoneoftheworld’smostfamouswritersand“theShakespeareofAmerican”NathanielHawthorneplayedacriticalroleinthehighlightofromanticnovel.Asatrailblazerofwritingromanticnovelwithpsychologyanalysis,HisrepresentativeworkScarletLetterboostedhimintheliterarycreation.AndTheScarletLetterhaswinedtheworld-wideattention.EspeciallythefemaleprotagonistHesterPrynnehasattractedlargenumbersofscholarstoanalysishercharacters.ThispaperisdeterminedtodetectthecharactersofHesterthroughthreeapproacheswhichareherlifeexperience,herdaughterandthesocialenvironmentshelivesin.TheresultwegetisthatHesterisapure,courageous,andkind-heartedwomanwhosespirithasenlightenedagenerationofwomenwholivedinthedarkcorneroftheworld.

Keywords:

pure;courageous;kind-heated

摘要

作为世界著名作家之一和“美国的莎士比亚”，霍桑在将浪漫主义文学推向了高峰。

霍桑是将心理分析融进浪漫主义小说的创始人。

他的代表作“红字”更是吸引了世界范围内人们的注意。

而女主人公海斯特更是吸引着无数学者研究她的性格，对她的各种分析也是屡见不鲜。

本论文将从海斯特的生活经验，家庭以及生存环境来分析她独特的性格。

得出的结论是她是一位纯洁，勇敢，善良的女性并且激励者一代又一代生活在黑暗处的女性。

关键字：

海斯特；纯洁；勇敢；善良

1.Introductionofthenovelandtheauthor

NathanielHawthornewasborninSalem,Massachusetts.Someofhisancestorsweremenofprominenceinthepuritantheocracyofseventeenth-centuryNewEngland.Oneofthemwasacolonialmagistrate,notoriousforhispartinthepersecutionoftheQuakers.YoungHawthornewasintenselyawareofthemisdeedsofhispuritanancestors,andthisawarenessledtohisunderstandingofevilbeingatthecoreofhumanlife.Allhislife,Hawthorneseemstobehauntedbyhissenseofsinandevilinlife.Readinghistalesandromances,onecannotbutbeoverwhelmedbythe“back”visionwhichtheseworksreveal.AndhisrepresentativenovelScarletLetteristhebestembodimentofthisviewpoint.ThewayinwhichHawthornewroteTheScarletLettersuggeststhatAmericanRomanticismadapteditselftoAmericanPuritanmoralism.Inthenovel,whatHawthornepredominantlyconcernedwithwasthemoral,emotional,andpsychologicaleffectofthesinonthepeopleingeneralandthosecomplicatedinitinparticular.TheScarletLetterisnotapraiseofaHesterPrynnesinning,butahymnonthemoralgrowthofwomanwhensinnedagainst.Hawthorne’sflairofsymbolismandsupernaturalinthenovelgreatlyshowshisingeniouscraftsmanship.TheScarletLetterstandshighinthepeakofAmericanRomanticism,andwasthepioneeringworkofromanticismwhichrolledwithpsychologyelements.ItcontributedgreatlytoHawthorne’sreputation,whichoffersanothertestimonyofHawthorne’spowerandpermanence.

AnalysisofHester’scharacter

2.DescriptionofHester’scomplexcharacteristics

2.1Pure:

ShehasapurelovewithDimmesdale.

IntheOldTestament,womenwasluredbysnakewhichwasthesymbolofman’sPenis,thusbegunthedegenerationofhumanbeings.Sowomenwereboundedtobeoneoftheoriginalsinstogetherwithsex.Asaconsequence,sincealways,womenareregardedsubjecttomen.InthesettlementofChristianman,Bibleandmalechauvinismwereevenlegalizedandrulesareissuedtoemphasizeman’ssuperiortowomen.However,ourfemaleprotagonistHesterPrynneisapurelove-seeker.Sheandherhusbandlackofunderstandingandcommunicationwhicharethemostcriticalandbasicfactorsinlove.Beingdeformed,herhusbandcan’tsatisfyherbothphysicallyandmentally.AftershecametoNewEngland,shefellinlovewiththeyoungpriest.Theyhititoffquickly.However,thethingwasdiscoveredquicklybecauseherpregnancyofbaby.Shewenttojailwaitingforthetrail.Whenthetimecame,thepastoraskedherwhothefatherofbabywas.Shelookedattheaudiencewithanairofdignityindifference,withoutanyshame,guilty,orregret.Sherejectedtotellthenameofherloverforthesickofprotectinghisprestige.Sheburdeneveryjeersandsneers;alltheblameandcontemns.Itwasintolerabletobeborne.Ofanimpulsiveandpassionatenature,shehadfortifiedherselftoencounterthestingsandvenomousstabsofpubliccontumely.Aftershehadfinishedtheservingintheprison,shecouldgotoanewplacetostartover.Hersinandherignominyweretherootswhichshehadstruckintothesoil.Itwasasifnewborn,withstrongerassimilationthanthefirst,hadconvertedtheforestland,stillsouncongenialtothepilgrimandwondererintoHesterPrynne’swildanddreary,butlong-livedhome.Butwhatshecompelledherselftobelieve,what,finally,shereasonedupasamotiveforcontinuingtheresidentofNewEnglandwashalftruthandhalfself-delusion.AndtheloveshehadforDimmesdalesupporthertoliveonintheplace.So,HesterPrynnedidnotflee,nordidsheafraidofthecominglife.Shelivedinathatchedcottage,establishedherselfandtheenfant.Lonelywashersituation,withoutasinglefriend,she,howeverincurrednoriskofwant,shepossessedanartwhichistheneedleworkthatsufficedtosupplyfoodforherthrivinginfantandherself.Sheboreonherbreastinthecuriouslyembroideredletter,aspecimenofherdelicateandimaginativeskill.Shedecoratedtheinfant’sattirewithfanciful,fantasticingenuitybutsheisdoomtowearoneornament---scarletletter.TheloveHesterhadforDimmesdalecanbefullydisplayedinchapter17and18whenshemetwithDimmesdaleintheforestatnight.Shepassionatelyhugsthemansheloveandmotivatehimtorunawaywithher,toseekthehappinessoftheirown,tolivefreelyanddignity.ShetookofftheScarletLetterandthrewitinthedumpofrottenleaves.Thensheunboundherlong,darkhair.Thisevidentthatnomatterhowthesituationchanges,herromanceandpassionneverdiesout.Sheneverceasespursuingherhappiness.Neverstoplovingeveninthemostdreadfulplace.

2.2Courageous:

Sheiscourageousenoughtofacewiththesocialreality.

Tobeginwith,Hesterisacourageouswomanwhopursuesthetrueloveoflife.ThecombinationofherandChillingworthisafalsebecauseamarriagewithoutloveislikeaflowerwithoutwater,itwillwitherquickly.ThemomentshemetDimmesdale,sheknewitclearlythatiswhereherhappinesslies.Withouthesitation,withoutregret,likeamothflytoafire,sheembracethesecretlovewithopenarmsthoughitistoblamebyworldlyconception.What’smore,Incontrasttothetwodistortedmalepersonalitieswhocounterpoiseher-oneobsessedwithrevenge,anotherwithhispurity-Hesterappearsalmostamiracleofwholenessandsanity.Whilethesemenstrugglewiththeirownegosandfantasies,shehasrealbattles-tomaintainherself-respectinacommunitythatscornsher,tostaysaneinsolitude,tosupportherselfandherchild,toraisethatchildtonormaladulthooddespitesomanyobstacles.Curiously,thoughshehasbeencastoutofsociety,Hesterremainsverymuchintheworld,whereasChillingworthandDimmesdaleattheverycenterofthesociety,aretotallyimmuredintheirself-absorption.Inherinnerintegrityandherouterresponsiveness,Hesterisamodelandacounterstatement.Infrontoftheaudience,shekeptanairofregretful,andshediditsuccessfully,butinherinnerheart,shestillheldanactiveandrebelliousattitude.Whenshestoodontheexecutionqround,facingtheharshwordsofpeopleandtheirinvestigation,shealwayskeptquietandwon’tletanyinformationofthefatherofherdaughter.Shedidn’tcompromise,nordidshegiveup,thiswasthefirsttimethatshechallengesthepublicauthorityandwassucceed.Whentheviceroyandthepastorwanttosplitherdaughterfromher,shetriedherbesttoovercomethedifficulty,tochallengetheauthorityandtopursuethehappinessshedeserves.Thiswashersecondsuccess.Tomakeaconclusion,Hesterisindeedbraveenoughtochallengethemale-chauvinismandtheauthoritywhichconqueredthethensociety.Herrebelliouscompaniedwithsolitude,pushheronthelonelywaytofightforfreeloveandhappiness,andshehadnoroadback.HercourageouswashighlightedwhensheselectedtoliveinNewEnglandtofacetheharshlifeandthepeoplewhohateher,andtostartanewlifeundersuchcircumstance.Shecontinuedherlifewiththescarletletteronherbosomwhichalwaysmentionedherthatsheissomeoneguilty,butsheistryinghardtofitinwithherkindnessandpatience.

2.3Kind-hearted:

Shetreatsothersinafriendlywayregardlessofotherpeople’sopinions.

AfterHesterselectedtocontinueliveinNewEngland,shelivesonbyherbeautifulhand-worktosupportherandherbaby.Exceptforsmallexpenditureforherchild,Hesterbestowedallhersuperfluousmeansincharity,onthelessmiserablethanherselfandwhofrequentlyinsultedthehandthatfeedthem.Muchofthetime,sheemployedinmakingcoarsegarmentsforthepoor.Shehadinhernaturearich,voluptuous,orientalcharacteristic—atasteforgorgeouslybeautiful.Astimewentby,shegotassociatedwithpeopleinthecommunityandwontheirrespectwithherkindnessandgoodness,peoplegraduallyforgethermisstepandacceptedherasacommonmemberoftheircommunity.Onceanoldpriestsufferedathrustandcometothelowebbofhislife,atthemostmiserableofhisalllife-time,Hestercametohisbedtotakeafterhimandpersuadehimtoleavetheplacetosearchnewandfreelife.Withdeterminationandperseverance,Hesternotonlyfittedinthecommunity,butalsochangepeople’sconcept.Yearslater,shedonatedtheletter“A”somenew,positivemeanings.Peoplenowsaythat“A”istherepresentativeofart,forsheboastedasplendiferoushandcraft.Anothersayingisthat“A”symbolizesable,forshecouldmanagetobringupthebabysowellinsuchtoughcondition.SomesayitsymbolizestheActsoftheapostle.Anditalsocanrepr