关于霍桑作品的基本主题(1)

关于霍桑作品的基本主题(1)
Abstract：NathanielHawthorne’swholelifeisperplexedbyhumanbeings’sinandevil.Hisdeep-rootedconsciousnessofPuritanismi sshowninhisworks,andtheseextraordinaryworkshaveasim ilartheme,namely,theprocessfromtheoriginalsintorede mption.Inthefirstpartofthispaper,theauthordiscusses thebasicthemerepresentedinHawthorne’sshortstoriesincludingYoungGoodmanBrown,TheMinister’sBlackVeil,Egotism or theBosomSerpent,RogerMelvin’sBurialandhismasterpieceTheScarletLetter.Moreover,t heauthorsummarizesdiscrepanciesamongthesefiveworksa lthoughtheyhaveacommonsubjectofsin.Thesecondpartfoc usesonthereasonswhyNathanielHawthornechoosessuchaba sictheme.HawthorneisadescendantofthePuritansandlive sinaPuritantown,sothePuritanheritageplaysalargepart inhislifeandliteraryworks.Andthethemeisinfluencedby hisfamilylifeaswellashisownhermitlife.Furthermore,t hefrequentrecollectionofhissinfulancestorsurgesHawt hornetosetsuchagloomybasictheme.Andthelastreasonist omoralizepeopletogetawayfromsinfulbehavior.Inthelas tpartofthispaper,theauthorilluminatesthesignificanc
eofHawthorne’sbasictheme.Thewholepaperisaimedathelpingreaderstob etterunderstandandappreciateHawthorne’sworks.
Keywords:basictheme,sin,expiation,redemption,Purita n,Calvinism
论文摘要:纳撒尼尔••霍桑是美国19世纪影响最伟大的浪漫主义小说家，同时又是一个深受新英格兰清教传统影响的作家。

他多以加尔文教派的善恶观念来认识社会和整个世界，几乎倾其一生致力于探讨人性中的罪恶这一问题。

他的作品反应了他根深蒂固的清教主义思想，因此很多作品都表现了一个相似的基本主题——原罪-赎罪-救赎。

该论文的第一部分以霍桑的五部作品为例--《好人布朗》、《胸中的蛇》、《教长的黑面纱》、《罗杰麦文的葬礼》、以及最著名的《红字》—来探讨他的上述基本主题，并归纳出这五部作品的精神意义。

论文的第二部分通过霍桑家乡的所在地，家庭背景，和霍桑祖先的行为分析了霍桑选择这一主题的原因和清教徒迫害异端的事件对霍桑的思想所产生的深刻影响。

而在最后一部分，论文阐释了霍桑这一基本主题的社会意义和人文意义。

霍桑的作品中渗透着加尔文教派中关于“原罪”、“彻底堕落”等教义的观念”，略显隐晦难懂，本论文的目的在于帮助读者更好的理解和欣赏霍桑的作品及其意义。

论文关键词：基本主题原罪悔罪救赎清教加尔文教
Ⅰ.Introduction
NathanielHawthorneisagreatbrilliantAmericanwriterfu llofinspirationandtalent.Heishonoredasoneofthebesta ndmostimportantnovelistofAmericainthe19thcenturyand “thegreatestimaginativegeniussinceShakespeare”.Ne vertheless,manyreaders,whileappreciatinghisexcellen tartistictechniques,findhisworksverydifficulttounde rstand.Theobstacles,asfarasIamconcerned,areprobably duetoHawthorne’sbasicthemewhichisrelatedwithCalvinism;thereforeiti snecessarytodeeplyexploreit.Ibelievethattheresultof theexplorationwillhelpthereadertounderstandthisgrea tgeniusmoredeeplyandtoappreciatehisworksbetter.
Ⅱ.ThebasicthemeofHawthorne’swritings
AccordingtoChristianity,eversinceAdamandEvearedecei vedbySatanintoeatingthefruitandexpelledfromtheGarde nofEdenbyGod,evilhasenteredtheworld,andhumanbeingsa redoomedtocarrytheburdenofsin.DeeplyinfluencedbyChr
istianity,HawthorneputstheCalvinismideaoforiginalsi nanddepravityintohisworks.Inmanyofhisshortstoriesan dromances,Hawthornepresentsacentralthemeoforiginals in,togetherwithanaccompanyingthemeofthehungerforcon fessionandexpiation.Hisworksmakeusrealizethatpeople arebornsinfulandeveryonehassomesecretguiltandsinhid deninheart,thatsinexistseverywhereintheworld,andtha thumanlifeisasufferingjourneyofself-redemption.Byci tingthefollowingworksofHawthorne,Iwishtofullydispla yhisbasicthemeofsin-expiation-redemption.
A.YoungGoodmanBrown——Disillusionmentinfaith
NathanielHawthorne’sbestshortstoryYoungGoodmanBrowntellsreadersthestor yofthedisillusionmentinfaith,whichcouldbecomprehend edintwoaspects:thedisillusionmentoftheheroBrown’sfaithofhisown,andthatofhisfaithinothers.GoodmanBro wnisanhonestyoungmaninpeople’seyes,butislaterseducedbyevil.Heoncegoestoattendthe witches’Sabbath,buttherehefindsoutsomeguiltysecretsofotherp eople.Hemeetsalltherespectable,reputable,andpiouspe rsonsofthevillageincludingtheladyofgovernor,wivesof
honoredhusband,excellentfairyounggirls,andchurchmem bersofthevillagefamousfortheirespecialsanctity.Tohi sgreatersurprise,heevenseeshisnewlymarriedwife,thep ureandsweetestFaith.Therefore,Brownrealizestheevilo fothersandcannotbelieveingoodinhimselfandinothers.I nthestory,Hawthornecreatesa“darkfigure”totellBrown, or ratherthereadersthefollowingwords:
“Thereareallwhomyehavereverencedfromyouth.Yedeemed themholierthanyourselves,andshrankfromyourownsin,co ntrastingitwiththeirlivesofrighteousnessandprayerfu laspirationsheavenward.Yetherearetheyallinmyworship ingassembly.Thisnightitshallbegrantedyoutoknowtheir secretdeeds:howhoary-beardedeldersofthechurchhavewh isperedwantonwordstotheyoungmaidsoftheirhousehold;h owawoman,eagerforwidow’sweeds,hasgivenherhusbandadrinkatbedtimeandlethimsl eephislastsleepinherboson,howbeardlessyouthshavemad ehastetoinherittheirfather’swealth;andhowfairdamsels—blushnot,sweetones---haveduglittlegravesinthegarden andbiddenmethesoleguesttoaninfant’
sfuneral.Bythesympathyofyourhumanheartsforsinyeshal lscentoutalltheplaces---whetherinchurch,bedchamber, street,field, or forest---wherecrimehasbeencommit ted,andshallexulttobeholdthewholeearthonestainofgui lt,onemightybloodspot.Farmorethanthis,itshallbeyour stopenetrate,ineverybosom,thedeepmysteryofsin,thefo untainofallwickedarts,andwhichinexhaustiblysupplies moreevilimpulsesthanhumanpowercanmakemanifestindeed .”
Inthisstory,attendingtheSabbathcouldbeactuallyconsi deredas “aspiritualjourneyforexploringthetruthofhumanworld ”,whichisfilledwithsinandguilt.Andwecanalsoconclud ethatthepathintheforestsymbolizesadarkjourneyofBrow ntomeetthedeepmysteryoforiginalsin.Fromtheangleofor iginalsinofPuritanism,thisjourneymakeshimagonybecau sehefindsthedarknessandsininthedeepheartofhumanbein gs.
Fromthemomenthedecidestoleavehiswife,Faith,Brownbet rayshisfaith.Moreover,whilehelooksathiswifeandother
peoplearoundhimwithsuspicioussightthenextmorning,th einnocentBrownchangescompletelyintoanotherperson,gl oomyandunbelieving.ThoughthisyoungmanisstillcalledG oodmanBrown,thereadersknowthereinnogoodmaninreality andthateveryoneissinful.
B.TheMinister’sBlackVeil——Revelationofsin
Hawthorne’s“TheMinister’sBlackVeil”isregardedasoneoftheearliestandgreatestAmericanshor tstories.LikemanyofHawthorne’sstories,thenatureofsecretsinandhumans’fallennaturearethemaintheme,whilethisstoryisspecial lyfocusedontherevelationofsininpeople’sheart.Theyoungrespectableministeronedaysuddenlyput sablackveilonhisfaceandcontinuestowearituntilhedies .Thoughseverelycriticized,heneverexplainswhyhedoess o.Yettheauthorgivesthereadersahintthathestartstowea rtheblackveilonthedayayounggirlinhisparishdies,lead ingthereadertorealizethattheministerhassomesecretgu iltconnectingwiththedeadgirl.Atthelastmomentofhisli fe,theministersaystothepeoplearoundhim,“Whydoyoutrembleatmealone?Tremblealsoateachother!. ..Whenthefriendshowshisinmosthearttohisfriend;thelo
vertohisbestbeloved;whenmandoesnotvainlyshrinkfrome yeofhisCreator,loathsomelytreasuringupthesecretofhi ssin;thendeemmeamonster,forthesymbolbeneathwhichIha velived,anddie!”Mr.Hooper’sdeathbedremarksshowthatheintendstheblackveiltosymb olizethesecretsinwhichallmen“loathsomelytreasureup”intheirhearts.
Mr.Hooperrevealshissinbywearingaveilforalifelongtim e,andthesinsofpeopleinhisparisharerevealedbyfeeling frightenedofHooper’sveil,becauseonlythosepeoplewhohidetheirsinsdeeplyi ntheirheartswouldbeafraidofthesightofMr.Hooperbehin dhisveil.Onthewedding,“hisframeshuddered—hislipsgrewwhite—hespilttheuntastedwineuponthecarpet—andrushedforthintothedarkness”.Hisbehaviorarousesa warenessofthemajorityofpeoplepresentattheweddingtha titisinevitablethateveryoneisasinnerevenincludingth eministerhimself.ThusHoopertearsawaypeople’swrongillusionofapriestwhoisabsolutelyaholyrepresen tativeofGod.Heseemstotellthevillagersthat
“toerrishuman;toforgiveisdivine”.Hoopergoestogrea tlengthstorevealhissininsteadofbeautifyinghimselfju stbecausehehasdiscovered
“theEarth,too,hadonherBlackVeil”.
WhilemanyreadersconsiderHooperacoward,Iprefertoseeh imasarelativelyhonestman.Evenhishiddensintothatyoun gladyistrue,theactionofcomingtothelady’sfuneralstillshowshisgutandrepentanceofwhathedoes.H isconfessionofhissinthroughwearingtheblackveillasts foralife-timelong,whichpresentshishonesty.Thewearin goftheveil,inmypointofview,doesnotindicatethatthemi nisterdespairsofhisownandhiscongregation’ssalvation.Onthecontrary,itismotivatedbyhishopeforp eaceofmindintheafterlife:“Itisbutamortalveil—itisnotforeternity!”Comparedwiththosewhokeeptheirsinsecretinheart,Mr.Ho operhasthewillingnesstoremedyhismistake,whichismore admirableandvenerable.
C.Egotism, or theBosomSerpent——Perceptivityonsins
Anotherexample,theshortstory
‘Egotism or theBosomSerpent’alsoclearlyshowsHawthorne’sblacktheme.Heprovidesaverypowerfulinsightintothese lf-obsessionknownasegotism.TheheroRoderickEllistoni sestrangedfromhiswife,andfromthenon,asingularglooms preadsoverhisdailylife.Hebelievesthatthereisalivese rpentinhisbosomperpetuallygnawinghim.Itleaveshimonl ywhenheisabletomeethiswifeagainandforgetshisobsessi onwithhisownills.Actuallythesnakeisthesymbolofpeopl e’sinnermostsinfulconsciousness.Asallpeoplearesinful, theyhavesnakesintheirhearts,too.SinceRoderickhimsel fkeepstheguiltyandsinfulsenseinhisbosom,hehasabette rperceptivityofthesinscommitted,andhecanseekouthiso wndiseaseineverybreast.Whenhemeetsanindividualwhofo rthirtyyearshascherishedhatredagainsthisownbrother, heimmediatelyperceivesthatthereisaserpentintheman’sheartwhichisgnawinghim,too.Whenheencountersanambit iousstatement,heaffirmsthatthegentleman’sserpentmustbeofthespeciesoftheboaconstrictor,“foritsappetiteisenormousenoughtodevourthewholecou ntryandconstitution.”Onceheassures
“aclose-fistedoldfellow,ofgreatwealth,butwhoskulks aboutthecityintheguiseofascarecrow,withapatchedblue coat,brownhatandmouldboots,scrapingpencetogetherand pickinguprustynails”thathisserpentisacopper-hand,andhasbeengeneratedbyt heimmensequantitiesofthatbasementalitywithwhichheda ilydefileshisfingers.Onanotheroccasionhetellsanenvi ousauthor,whodepreciatesworkswhichhecouldneverequal ,that “hissnakeistheslimiestandthefilthiestofalltherepti letribebutisfortunatelywithoutsting”.Hewarnsafairy ounggirlthatshecherishesaserpentofthedeadestkindwit hinhisbosom,andafewmonthslater,thepoorgirldiesoflov eandshame.Hemakestwoladies,“rivalsinfashionablelife,whotormentedoneanotherwit hathousandlittlestingsofwomanishspite”,understands thateachoftheirheartsis “anestofdiminutivesnakewhichdoesquiteasmuchmischie fasonegreatone”.Inthisway,hemakeshisownserpent,ifh ereallyhasoneinhisbosom,thetypeofeachman’sfatalerror, or hoardedsin, or uniqueconscience ,andstrikeshisstingsounremorsefullyintothesorestspo
t,whichnearlyeverybodyindeedpossesses.
D.RogerMelvin’sBurial——Retributionofsins
Peopleoftensaywhatgoesaroundcomesaround.Hawthorneis interestedinwhatwouldhappentopeopleaftercommittings ins.Therefore,retributionofsinsbecomestheinseparabl epartsofhisgloomytheme.Heoncesays:“Themerefactsofguiltareoflittlevalueexcepttothegos sipandthetipstaff;buthowthewoundingandwoundedsoulsb earthemselvesafterthecrime,whichisoneoftheneedfulle ssonsoflife.”Thusheemphasizesretributions.Inordertoexpiatehissin ,thesinfulcharactermustsufferandbearallthepunishmen t,whichcouldbesummarizeasretribution.
Inthisstory,HawthornecreatesaplotthatReubensurvives afterthewar,buthecannotfeelatpeacebecausehehasnotbu riedRogerMelvinashepromises,moreover,whenherecovers ,hedoesnothavethecouragetotellDorcas,Malvin’sdaughterandReuben'sfiancée,thatheleavesherfathertodie,eventhoughitisMalvin's wish.Manyyearslater,whenReubenandDorcas'sonisalread
yagrownboy,theirfamilytravelsthroughwilderness.Atar est,Reubenandhissonwanderintotheforestseparately.At acertainmoment,Reubenhearssomethinginthebushesandsh oots,thinkingitmightbeadeer,butitturnsoutthathehask illedhisownson.Asheobservestheterrain,itisobviousth atthisisthesameplacewhereheleavesRogerMalvin.Inthes tory,GodpunishesReubenbykillinghisson,whichisadidac ticplot,aimingatpersuadingpeopletoavoidcommittingsi ns.However,inreallife,punishmentoftencomesfromthesi nner’sinnersoul.Itisself-punishment.Thepersonwhocommitsa crime or whohimselfthinkshedoessoisbitterlytortur edbyhisownconscience.Hecondemnshimselfsohardthathew illtryallwaystopunishhimself,tocleartheignominy,and toexpiatethesin.Longclearlyexpressesthismeaninginhi sbookaboutAmericanliterature,sayingHawthorne “makesmanhisownjudge,punishinghimselfinhislifeinst eadofawaitingsentenceatthefinaljudgment”.
Withthisinmind,thereadercaneasilyunderstandwhyin “RogerMelvin’sBurial”,afterunwittinglyshootinghisonlysontodeath
,ReubenBournefeelsrelieved.That’sbecauseheregardedthetragedyasapunishmenttohimself. Althoughhefeelshedeservesnocensureforleavinghisfath er-in-lawwhenheisdying,“concealmenthadimpartedtoajustifiableactmuchofthes ecreteffectofguilt.”Therefore,Reubenexperiencesinnosmalldegreethemental terrorswhichpunishtheperpetratoroftheundiscoveredcr ime.Heattimesalmostimagineshimselfamurderer.Theunbe arablesufferingmakeshimlongforapunishment.Bykilling hisson,Reubensymbolicallykillshimself.Hissonisavalu ablesacrifice.TheAmericanprofessorEstesoncetellsmet hatHawthornethinkstheonlywaypeoplesavethemselvesfro mguiltistosacrificethemselves.Thus,bymakingsuchatre mendoussacrifice,Reuben’ssin “wasexpiated,thecursewasgonefromhim,inthehour,when hehadshedblooddearertohimthanhisown”.Thetragedyfin allyreleaseshim.Hetruststhat“itwasHeaven’sintenttoaffordhimanopportunityofexpiatinghissin.”
E.TheScarletLetter——Redemptionofsins Inthefirstchapter,theprison-door,ofTheScarletLetter
,Hawthornesays
“Thefoundersofanewcolony,whateverUtopiaofhumanvirt ueandhappinesstheymightoriginallyproject,haveinvari ablyrecogniseditamongtheirearliestpracticalnecessit iestoallotaportionofthevirginsoilasacemetery,andano therportionasthesiteofaprison.”Thesewordsclearlyillustratethesecretsin,oneofthethe mesmostfocusedoninthiswork.
Inthisstory,eachofthethreemaincharacters,Hester,Dim mesdale,andChillingworth,hashis or herownsecretsi ns.Hester’ssinisnotrevealingtheidentityofhersexualpartner,Pea rl’sfather.Likewise,ReverendDimmesdale’ssecretsiniscommittingadulterywithHester.Moreover,R ogerChillingworth,Hester’shusband,isguiltyofviolatinganotherhuman’sheartandsoul.Allofthesecharacterswishtoconfessthei rsinstolaydowntheburdenofguiltofftheirshoulders,but onlyoneofthemistrulyabletogetredemption.
HawthornemakesHesteraheroineandsurvivestoatranquilo
ldagejustbyexpiatingheroffence.Shewearsthescarletle tterA,somewhatwillingly,forthepurposeofconfessinghe rsin,ofmeditatingandofreformingherself.Onthispoint, MarkVanDoren’scommentsaboutHester,inmyinterpretation,agreewithHa wthorne’soriginalintention.Dorensaysthatsheis “heroicinsizeandstrength…AlthoughshecametobePuritanism’svictim,sheneversurrenderedtheintegrityofhersoul.Ne itherdidshecomplainofherfate.Herfatewastowasteherli fe,yetwedonotfeelintheendthatherlifewaswasted.Rathe ritisknown,sheisimmortal.”EachCharacterhasasecretsinthathe or shewishestoco nfessandeachofthosesinsaffectsthecharacterthatcommi tsthatsinaswellasothercharactersinthestory.
Thoughtheyareallsinners,Dimmesdale’ssinsstandsoutmoreboldlythanthatofHester’s or Chillingworth’s,forhehascommittednotjustthesinofadultery,butalsot hatofdishonestyaswellascowardice,andhisfirstsinwith Hesterleadshimtocommitothersins.
UnlikethesinsofHesterandDimmesdale,RogerChillingwor th’ssecretsinismoresevere.Whilethesinsoftheothercharac tersaresinsagainstsociety,Chillingworth’ssinisasinagainstanotherperson’sheartandsoul.OnceChillingworhdiscoversthetrueident ityofhiswife’slover,hespendsmostoftherestofhislifetryingtogetrev engeonDimmesdale.Pryingaway,piecebypiece,atDimmesda le’salreadyguilt-troddensoul,Chillingworthisalargefact orintheminister’sillnessanddeath.BypretendingtobeDimmesdale’sdoctorandfriend,ChillingworthisabletoaskDimmesdale manyquestionsthatmakeDimmesdalespirituallyandphysic allyill.
Tosumup,mostofHawthorne’sworksarechieflystudiesofsinanditsexpiation.Hetakes uptheproblemofsinandjudgmentandshowsthetorturingeff ectofsinintheminditselfratherthaninoutwardpunishmen t.Unfortunately,allthismakeshisbasicthemeblackandbl eak.
Ⅲ.WhydoesHawthornechoosesuchabasictheme?
LongpointsoutthatHawthorne “sawthedarkersidesteadilyenoughbutthelightandhopei nwhichwemostlylive, or hopetoliveisnotreflectedin hispages.”Thisisabsolutelytrue.Nevertheless,whatonearthisitth atgivesHawthorne“greatpowerofblackness”toride “hisdarkhorseofthenight”,or,toportraythedarklands capeofthehumanmind?InmystudyofHawthorne,Ihavefounds everalreasonsforthis.
Firstofall,HawthorneisadescendantofthePuritansandli vesinaPuritantown,sothePuritanheritageplaysalargepa rtinHawthorne’slifeandliterarywork.HishometownSalemisinMassachuse ttsofNewEngland,thelivingplaceofthefirstbatchofBrit ishimmigrantsaftertheycrosstheocean.Mostofthoseimmi grantsarePuritanswhobelieveinCalvinism;therefore,li feofNewEnglandpeopleatthattimeischaracterizedbytheg loomyreligiouscolor.ThosePuritans’religiousbeliefissofirmandtheirzealissostrongthatth eydomanyunreasonablethings.Suchaplace,undoubtedly,w
ouldleavesomeinfluenceuponlatergenerationtowhichHaw thornebelongs.Forinstance,thescenehepresentsin “YoungGoodmanBrown”isjustlaidinSalem,hisownhometown.AcriticnamedNorman HolmesPearsonmakesthiscommentonHawthorne,“therewasnotruerofthereligiousmoodandtheculturalhe ritageofNewEngland.”
However,byHawthorne’stime,thetheologyofCalvinismhaslargelydisappeared.H awthorneisnotaCalvinist,notevenachurch-goer.Oncehis dearestfiancéeurgeshimtoattendtheservicesofFatherEdwardTaylor,th efamousandpassionatepreacher,butheletsherdown;henev ergoes.Inspiteofthis,hestillhasthePuritaninstinct,w hoseelementspervadeshischaracterandguideshisefforts .Hestudiesthehistoryoftwohundredyearsbeforetosearch outwhatPuritansbroughttoAmerica,andhecomestounderst andthePuritanmind.PuritansbelieveintheDevil,whosees sentialwickedness,lurkingwithineveryhumanheart,isbo undtosweeppeopleintodeservedandlastingtormentifthey lackdivinehelp.AlthoughPuritanismisnotHawthorne’sreligiousbelief,itbearsalongstandinganddeepinfluen
ceonhisliteraturebecausePuritanismisHawthorne’stheoreticalweapontounderstandhumanbeingsandsociety .HerejectsEmerson’sphilosophyofuniversalgoodnessandinsiststhatevilexi stsandcouldnotbeavoided,andthatevilisthebasicpartof humannature.Thus,inagenerationthatputsawayPuritanis m,hestillunderstandswhatPuritanismis.Inacenturywhic hdismissesthesenseofsinasold-fashion,hemakesmostofh isworksoutofnothingelse.
ThesecondreasonthatdeterminesHawthorne’sthemeistheinfluenceofhisfamilylifeaswellashisownhe rmitlife.Hisfatherdieswhenheisonlyfouryearsold.Afte rthat,hismotherlivesisolatedfromnearlyeverybody.She eveneatsaloneinherownroom.Hiseldestsister,bornseven monthsaftertheirparentsgetsmarried,isverygloomybyna ture.Thefamilylifeiscoveredwithgreycloudsandsadatmo sphere.WhenHawthorneisnine,heishurtonthefootandhast ostayathomealldaylongforquitealongtime.Afterhisgrad uationfromcollege,helivesacompletelyrecluselifeinhi slittlechamberfortwelveyears,reading,thinkingandwri ting.Inaword,hegrowsupwithashadowoverhimthatisnever dispelled.Suchanearlylifehelpsformhispersonality.He
isintrospective,withalltheself-searchinginstinctofh isPuritanancestry.Heissolitaryandpermeateswithasens eofmysteryoflifeandsin.Byponderingoverthem,hetendst oexaggeratethemmoreandmore.Graduallyheformsanddevel opshisoriginaltheme.Iquiteagreewithmanyauthorsofthe sesonHawthorneabouthowhishermitlifegiveshimastylean dasubject,justasLongsays,
“leftsomuchtohimself,broodinginhisownroom or byt helonelysea,hediscoverscertainlawsandimpulsesoftheh umanheartwhichhedeterminestouseasthemotiveforhissto ries.”
Thirdly,thefrequentrecollectionofhissinfulancestors urgesHawthornetosetsuchagloomybasictheme.Whenimmigr antsfromEuropeancontinentarriveatthenewmainland,the ykeepthescrupulouslivingstyle.Theactionandideaofpeo pleinNewEnglandisstrictlyinspected;therefore,thoseb ehaviorsnormalintoday’slifeandthosefarfromcrimewouldreceiveharshpunishmen tatthattime.Moreover,differentideasfromcreativepeop leareconsideredasheresyandthemostruthlesspenaltiesa llovertheworldareexploitedthen.Hisgreatgrandfather,
actingasoneofthethreejudges,playsanimportantpartint heSalemwitchtrialinthe17thcenturyandcondemnsmanyinn ocentpeopletodeath.Afterthen,arumorisspreadthatthed eadwitchcursesHawthorne’sfamily,disastersbefallingontoeveryoffspringofthefa mily.Hawthorneisalwaysattractedbyhisfamily’spast.Hisancestors’crimeinthenameofpreservingthereligiousbeliefleavesh eavyshadowsinHawthorne’smind.Heremainsfascinatedbythedarkerregionsofthehum anmindthatispresidedoverbyhisseventeenthcenturyance stors.Hefeelsthevictims’bloodmayleaveastainuponhim.Hewritesintheintroductio ntoTheScarletLetter “Iknownotwhethertheseancestorsofminebethoughtthems elvestorepentandaskpardonofHeavenfortheircruelties, or whethertheyarenowgroaningundertheheavyconsequ encesoftheminanotherstateofbeing.Atallevents,I,thep resentwriter,herebytakeshameuponmyselffortheirsakes ”.Hawthorne’sguiltofwrongcommittedbyhisPuritanancestorsisindeed paramountinthedevelopmentofhisliterarycareer.Ieveni
maginethatHawthornemightwanttoputablackveilonhisfac e.Whocansaythat,bystickingtothethemeofguiltandsin,h eisnotexpiatingforthesinhisancestorscommitted?
Finally,itiswithamoralpurposethatHawthornechoosessu chabasicthemetowritewith.NewEngland,whereHawthornel ived,wasaccustomedtodidacticisminitsliterature,soth ereisnowonderHawthornealsoholdsthatthepurposeoflite ratureis,firstofall,itsusefulness,thatis,itshouldte achsomekindoflessonandmakeapoint.Ifthereadermakesan examinationonHawthorne’sworks,hewillnoticethatinnearlyallofthemthemostrema rkableandcharacteristicthingistheincessantactionoft hemoralfaculty,becauseinanincreasinglycommercialize dandindustrializedAmerica,wheretheoldrepublicanvirt uesseemtobepassingfromthescene,Hawthornefeelsitmore necessarytoemphasizemorality.
Althoughoriginalsincanleadtodepravity,itmayalsobean educatingelementandthereforeasteptomoralpenitencean dredemption.Writingwithhisbasicthemeofsin-expiation -redemption,Hawthornemoralizeseverythingtomakepeopl
ewiserandbetter,pointingoutapathfortheguiltytoretur ntotheGardenofEden.Hefirmlybelieves “Purifythatinwardsphere,andthemanyshapesofevilwhic hhaunttheoutward,andwhichnowseemalmostouronlyrealti es,willturntoshadowyphantomsandvanishoftheirownacco rd.”
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