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3.19 AVERAGE
3.19 AVERAGE
“In either case, there was very much the same solemnity of demeanour on the part of the spectators, as befitted a people among whom religion and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly interfused, that the mildest and severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful.
Meagre, indeed, and cold, was the sympathy that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders, at the scaffold. On the other hand, a penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern a dignity as the punishment of death itself.”
Meagre, indeed, and cold, was the sympathy that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders, at the scaffold. On the other hand, a penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern a dignity as the punishment of death itself.”
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It is a curious subject of observation and inquiry, whether hatred and love be not the same thing at bottom. Each, in its utmost development, supposes a high degree of intimacy and heart- knowledge; each renders one individual dependent for the food of his affections and spiritual life upon another; each leaves the passionate lover, or the no less passionate hater, forlorn and desolate by the withdrawal of his subject.
La protagonista del racconto è oggetto sia di odio, da parte del marito che ha tradito, sia di amore, da parte dell'uomo con cui ha commesso l'adulterio, che l'ha costretta a sopportare la lettera A cucita sul petto e la vergogna insieme ad essa.
Anche a seguito della gogna pubblica, la reputazione di Heaster è in bilico tra l'immagine della donna dissoluta e quella della madre solidale, tanto che intorno alla lettera A si crea un'aura più di ammirazione che di disprezzo.
But there is a fatality, a feeling so irresistible and inevitable that it has the force of doom, which almost invariably compels human beings to linger around and haunt, ghostlike, the spot where some great and marked event has given the color to their lifetime; and still the more irresistibly, the darker the tinge that saddens it.
E infatti, la donna adultera, il suo complice, il marito tradito e anche la figlia frutto dell'adulterio si ritrovano sempre a gravitare intorno allo stesso centro. Il conflitto che si crea tra la coscienza individuale dei personaggi, che pone le sue radici nella morale puritana, e i sentimenti di odio e amore tra di loro sono il motore della storia, una leggenda a cui non manca un velo, anche se molto sottile, di magia.
It is to the credit of human nature, that, except where its selfishness is brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates.
La protagonista del racconto è oggetto sia di odio, da parte del marito che ha tradito, sia di amore, da parte dell'uomo con cui ha commesso l'adulterio, che l'ha costretta a sopportare la lettera A cucita sul petto e la vergogna insieme ad essa.
Anche a seguito della gogna pubblica, la reputazione di Heaster è in bilico tra l'immagine della donna dissoluta e quella della madre solidale, tanto che intorno alla lettera A si crea un'aura più di ammirazione che di disprezzo.
But there is a fatality, a feeling so irresistible and inevitable that it has the force of doom, which almost invariably compels human beings to linger around and haunt, ghostlike, the spot where some great and marked event has given the color to their lifetime; and still the more irresistibly, the darker the tinge that saddens it.
E infatti, la donna adultera, il suo complice, il marito tradito e anche la figlia frutto dell'adulterio si ritrovano sempre a gravitare intorno allo stesso centro. Il conflitto che si crea tra la coscienza individuale dei personaggi, che pone le sue radici nella morale puritana, e i sentimenti di odio e amore tra di loro sono il motore della storia, una leggenda a cui non manca un velo, anche se molto sottile, di magia.
It is to the credit of human nature, that, except where its selfishness is brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates.
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
I had to read this book for a high school class. I don’t mind reading books for class. Every single person in my class hated this book. It is nearly unreadable.
Imagine sentences that span on for paragraphs, sometimes even pages. Not to mention I found the themes of religion, adultery, and shame terribly boring since these were the ENTIRE book.
Imagine sentences that span on for paragraphs, sometimes even pages. Not to mention I found the themes of religion, adultery, and shame terribly boring since these were the ENTIRE book.
So I finally got to find out for myself what the majority of American high-schoolers are subjected to, and while I see the importance of a story like this and the ideas it presents in 1850, I think the subject matter is both outdated and irrelevant today. One might, of course, choose to point out that Hester Prynne's antics would still today be considered immoral in certain parts of the world, however the difference is that they probably wouldn't treat her so leniently as this seventeenth-century puritan community in Boston did. Therefore, it is neither applicable nor particularly shocking. The most surprising thing was that she didn't get hung for her "crime" in the 1600s - a time when people were attached to boulders, thrown in a lake, and if they drowned they were innocent, and if they survived they were burnt as witches.
I think the main problem for me is that a lot of [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter (Penguin Classics)|Nathaniel Hawthorne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327879100s/12296.jpg|4925227] relies on the religious aspect instead of the social aspect. It's much harder to appreciate the tragedy of that blemish on Hester's soul when you're not religious. I expected a lot more ostracising and name-calling from other members of the community but most people talked to Hester like she'd done nothing wrong (though, they tended to stare at her scarlet letter) and her bad reputation didn't seem to affect her life massively. Like I said, Hester Prynne's real struggle was with how God saw her and if she could be forgiven in the afterlife.
In fact, it didn't seem to me like much of the main story was about the scarlet letter attached to her bosom. If you don't know the story, basically Hester Prynne commits adultery that results in the birth of an illegitimate child, the ministers then rule that she should be forced to wear a scarlet letter 'A' for the rest of her life so she will be publicly shamed. This is at the beginning in the first couple of chapters. After that, the story is about finding out the identity of the father (no mystery at all), interactions between Hester and her husband, and the growth of Hester's illegitimate and really annoying child.
The greatest strength of [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter (Penguin Classics)|Nathaniel Hawthorne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327879100s/12296.jpg|4925227] is that it gives us Hester - one of the early strong female protagonists. She is far more feisty and willing to stand up for herself than most Austen (for one example) characters, but she also lacks the depth of personality that other nineteenth-century female creations have. But, beyond the scandal, I'm just not sure this book is worthy of its popularity. I had a look on sparknotes to try and see why the novel earned its masterpiece badge, and many of the techniques and themes explored are such as the use of night and day to be symbolic and the choice of names:
"Chillingworth is cold and inhuman and thus brings a “chill” to Hester’s and Dimmesdale’s lives. “Prynne” rhymes with “sin,” while “Dimmesdale” suggests “dimness”—weakness, indeterminacy, lack of insight, and lack of will, all of which characterize the young minister. The name “Pearl” evokes a biblical allegorical device—the “pearl of great price” that is salvation."
If it is this kind of small attention to details that makes a story so brilliant for you, then you might just love [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter (Penguin Classics)|Nathaniel Hawthorne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327879100s/12296.jpg|4925227]. But I prefer something bigger, that moves or inspires or angers me. I don't want to have to analyse a text to discover how great it is, partly because I believe you can see symbolism in anything if you look hard enough (see: Shakespeare). It's not that I mind this nitty-gritty stuff being there, but I think it's a poor substitute for well-developed characters and plot.
I think the main problem for me is that a lot of [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter (Penguin Classics)|Nathaniel Hawthorne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327879100s/12296.jpg|4925227] relies on the religious aspect instead of the social aspect. It's much harder to appreciate the tragedy of that blemish on Hester's soul when you're not religious. I expected a lot more ostracising and name-calling from other members of the community but most people talked to Hester like she'd done nothing wrong (though, they tended to stare at her scarlet letter) and her bad reputation didn't seem to affect her life massively. Like I said, Hester Prynne's real struggle was with how God saw her and if she could be forgiven in the afterlife.
In fact, it didn't seem to me like much of the main story was about the scarlet letter attached to her bosom. If you don't know the story, basically Hester Prynne commits adultery that results in the birth of an illegitimate child, the ministers then rule that she should be forced to wear a scarlet letter 'A' for the rest of her life so she will be publicly shamed. This is at the beginning in the first couple of chapters. After that, the story is about finding out the identity of the father (no mystery at all), interactions between Hester and her husband, and the growth of Hester's illegitimate and really annoying child.
The greatest strength of [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter (Penguin Classics)|Nathaniel Hawthorne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327879100s/12296.jpg|4925227] is that it gives us Hester - one of the early strong female protagonists. She is far more feisty and willing to stand up for herself than most Austen (for one example) characters, but she also lacks the depth of personality that other nineteenth-century female creations have. But, beyond the scandal, I'm just not sure this book is worthy of its popularity. I had a look on sparknotes to try and see why the novel earned its masterpiece badge, and many of the techniques and themes explored are such as the use of night and day to be symbolic and the choice of names:
"Chillingworth is cold and inhuman and thus brings a “chill” to Hester’s and Dimmesdale’s lives. “Prynne” rhymes with “sin,” while “Dimmesdale” suggests “dimness”—weakness, indeterminacy, lack of insight, and lack of will, all of which characterize the young minister. The name “Pearl” evokes a biblical allegorical device—the “pearl of great price” that is salvation."
If it is this kind of small attention to details that makes a story so brilliant for you, then you might just love [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter (Penguin Classics)|Nathaniel Hawthorne|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327879100s/12296.jpg|4925227]. But I prefer something bigger, that moves or inspires or angers me. I don't want to have to analyse a text to discover how great it is, partly because I believe you can see symbolism in anything if you look hard enough (see: Shakespeare). It's not that I mind this nitty-gritty stuff being there, but I think it's a poor substitute for well-developed characters and plot.
I remember liking the book when I first read it in high school. However I tried listening to it on audiobook this time around and couldn’t get into it. I found my mind wandering and couldn’t kept track of the plot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
slow-paced
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Oh goodness... I'm just so done with analyzing this book for english class, that I can't even put the effort in to write a proper review. I liked it. I didn't like the analyzing.
A cultural classic, it captures the time period well and is still relevant today.