浅谈红字中的救赎英文论文TheScarletLetterSelfredemption

The Scarlet Letter:Self-redemption

Abstract:Hawthorne’s works, whether novels or short stories, Hawthorne can be seen often in a symbolic way, the community was ugly in a didactic way of ethics displayed in the reader's eyes.So "evil" in his work has always dominated, and Hawthorne's life is also exploring how to treat "evil" to the problem."The Scarlet Letter," Hawthorne's masterpiece as a profound reflection of Hawthorne's work reflects the core of Christian ethics: the common people sin and crime of this mercy and salvation.Based on the "The Scarlet Letter," characters and content of the re-excavation works in the salvation of Hawthorne to interpret.

Key Words: The Scarlet Letter；Hawthorne；salvation；ethics.

红字：救赎

摘要：霍桑的作品 ,不论是长篇小说 ,还是短篇小说 ,都可以看出霍桑常常用一种象征的手法 ,把当时社会的种种丑恶用一种伦理说教的方式展示在读者的眼前。因此“罪恶”在他的作品里始终占据着主导地位 ,而霍桑的一生也正是在探讨应该怎样对待“罪恶”这一问题。《红字》作为霍桑的代表作深刻地体现了霍桑作品中折射了基督教伦理的核心：人的普遍罪性，以及对这罪性的怜悯和救赎。本文通过对《红字》人物形象及内涵的挖掘重新对霍桑作品中的救赎进行解读。

关键词：红字；霍桑；救赎；伦理

Contents

1. Introduction (1)

2. Moral of “The Scarlet Letter” (2)

3.The embodiment of self-salvation in the main characters of

“The Scarlet Letter” (2)

3.1. The self-salvation of Hester (2)

3.2. The self-salvation of Dimmesdale (3)

3.3 The self-salvation of Chillingworth (3)

4. Conclusion (4)

Bibliography (5)

The Scarlet Letter:Self-redemption

1.Introduction:

The story starts during the summer of 1642, near Boston, Massachusetts, in a Puritan village. A young woman, named Hester Prynne, has been led from the town prison with her infant daughter in her arms, and on the breast of her gown "a rag of scarlet cloth" that "assumed the shape of a letter." It is the uppercase letter "A." The Scarlet Letter "A" represents the act of adultery that she has committed and it is to be a symbol of her sin—a badge of shame—for all to see.

Hester's husband, who is much older than she, and whose real name is unknown, has sent her ahead to America whilst settling affairs in Europe. However, her husband does not arrive in Boston and the consensus is that he has been lost at sea. It is apparent that, while waiting for her husband, Hester has had an affair, leading to the birth of her daughter. She will not reveal her lover's identity, however, and the scarlet letter, along with her subsequent public shaming, is the punishment for her sin and secrecy. Hester is led to the town scaffold and harangued by the town fathers, but she again refuses to identify her child's father.

Hester's missing husband, who is now practicing medicine and calling himself Roger Chillingworth. He reveals his true identity to Hester and medicates her daughter. Hester refuses to divulge the name of her lover. Chillingworth settles in Boston to practice medicine there. Several years pass. Hester supports herself by working as a seamstress, and her daughter, Pearl, grows into a willful, impish child, and is said to be the scarlet letter come to life as both Hester's love and her punishment. Shunned by the community, they live in a small cottage on the outskirts of Boston.

Dimmesdale's psychological anguish deepens, and he invents new tortures for himself. She goes to Chillingworth and asks him to stop adding to Dimmesdale's self-torment. Chillingworth refuses. She suggests that she may reveal his true identity to Dimmesdale.

Dimmesdale, however, appears to be wasting away and suffers from mysterious heart trouble, seemingly caused by psychological distress. Chillingworth attaches himself to the ailing minister and eventually moves in with him so that he can provide his patient with round-the-clock care. Chillingworth finally discovers something undescribed to the reader, supposedly an "A" burned into Dimmesdale's chest, which convinces him that his suspicions are correct.

Dimmesdale impulsively mounts the scaffold with his lover and his daughter, and confesses publicly, exposing the mark supposedly seared into the flesh of his chest. He falls dead just after Pearl kisses him.

Frustrated in his revenge, Chillingworth dies a year later. Hester and Pearl