Concetti Chiave
- The novel "The Scarlet Letter" begins with a narrator discovering a manuscript and a scarlet "A", leading him to write about events from two centuries prior.
- Hester Prynne, living in Boston, bears a child named Pearl after an affair with Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, keeping his identity a secret.
- Hester's husband, under the alias Chillingworth, returns to Boston seeking revenge, suspecting Dimmesdale's mysterious ailments are linked to Hester's secret.
- Arthur Dimmesdale struggles with guilt and fear of losing his respectability, ultimately leading to his mental instability and public confession before his death.
- Hester is portrayed as a strong, loyal woman enduring societal punishment, while Dimmesdale represents Puritan hypocrisy through his hidden guilt.
The novel consists in 24 chapters. The novel opens with the narrator finding a manuscript and a piece of cloth with a “A” on it. When he loses his job, he decides to write a novel about the events recorded in the manuscript, which took place some two hundred years before. The result is “The Scarlet Letter”.Hester Prynne is a young woman who lives in Boston and whose husband has been away for a while. During his absence he has a love affair with the respectable Revered Arthur Dimmesdale and she gives birth to a baby girl called Pearl.
However, nobody know who Pearl’s father is. Because of her sin she has to wear a scarlet “A”, which is a mark of adultery, all the time. She also has to live alone with her daughter. In the meantime her husband comes to Boston. He chooses a false name for himself, Chillingworth and decides to keep an eye on Hester in order to find out who her lover is and take revenge.Il segreto di Dimmesdale
Arthur Dimmesdale seems to suffer from some mysterious health problems. Chillingworth believes there may be a link between Dimmesdale’s sufferings and Hester’s secret. One afternoon, while the Reverend is sleeping Chillingworth find out that he is Hester’s lover. Dimmesdale, who is still in love with Hester, is persecuted by his sense of guilt but he can’t confess his sin because he’s afraid of losing his respectability. Because of his inner conflict he goes insane.After seven years Hester forgives Dimmesdale and suggests they should go to Europe and live there together with Pearl. Hester feels finally free and to express it she unties her hair and removes her scarlet letter from her breast. However, Pearl doesn’t recognize her mother. Dimmesdale decides to make a public confession. He shows everyone the letter “A” he has marked on his chest to punish himself. He dies in Hester’s arms when he has finished speaking.
Caratterizzazione dei personaggi
Hester Prynne: she’s a determined young woman, loyal to her lover and ready to pay for her sin. She becomes a sacrificial goat in a community which is obsessed with sex and has very strict moral codes.
Arthur Dimmesdale: she’s a Reverend and a respectable man. He’s Hester’s secret lover and Pearl’s father. He’s persecuted by his sense of guilt but he’s unable to confess his sin and face his responsibilities. For this reason he’s the symbol of Puritan Hypocrisy.
Mr Wilson: he’s an elderly clergyman and a scholar who embodies the strict moral codes of Puritan people in New England.
Domande da interrogazione
- Qual è l'evento scatenante che porta alla creazione del romanzo "The Scarlet Letter"?
- Qual è il significato della lettera scarlatta che Hester Prynne deve indossare?
- Come reagisce Arthur Dimmesdale al suo senso di colpa?
- Qual è il ruolo di Chillingworth nella storia?
Il narratore trova un manoscritto e un pezzo di stoffa con una "A" sopra. Dopo aver perso il lavoro, decide di scrivere un romanzo basato sugli eventi del manoscritto, che si sono svolti circa duecento anni prima.
La lettera scarlatta "A" che Hester deve indossare è un marchio di adulterio, simbolo del suo peccato e della sua punizione nella comunità puritana.
Arthur Dimmesdale è perseguitato dal suo senso di colpa per la sua relazione con Hester, ma non riesce a confessare il suo peccato per paura di perdere la sua rispettabilità. Questo conflitto interiore lo porta alla follia.
Chillingworth, il marito di Hester, assume un falso nome e decide di sorvegliare Hester per scoprire l'identità del suo amante e vendicarsi. Scopre che Dimmesdale è l'amante di Hester e collega le sue sofferenze al segreto di Hester.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
