scarlet letter essay1
Through out Nathaniel Hawthone's The Scarlet Letter, the main characters suffer psychological damage as a result of different forms of alienation. The character traits they posses make them more susceptible to certain types of alienation. Since Dimmesdale cannot reveal his secret to anyone, he can not share his pain. All the pent up guilt he has stored with in eats away at him, slowly deteriorating his body and soul. Dimmesdale's masochistic and pious attributes greatly contribute to the extent of his alienation. For the reverend it was "essential to his peace to feel the pressure of a faith about him." This need for punishment coupled with religious devotion gives reason for Dimmesdale's secrecy. Hiding his intimate self from other people bestows Dimmesdale the punishment he so desperately seeks. His mental breakdown stemming from his social alienation is most clearly shown in the chapter the "The Minister's Vigil". His self-torture leads him to walk "under the influence of a species of somnambulism", thinking irrationally in a way not like himself. His pent up agony causes Dimmesdale to act out in ways like this that could reveal his secret. Dimmesdale's psychological agony partly st
Alienation as a factor of injury on the human spirit is clearly shown throughout the novel. Roger Chillingworth, a self-proclaimed intellectual, becomes a villain driven by revenge. The scarlet letter acts as a symbol of the main character trait that alienates Hester, her individualism. He has become a different person as a result for his intent on revenge. As a minister, he has a close relationship with God and has a strong sense of spirituality. This "fitful and fantastic little elf" is essentially a free spirit in a society of constraint. " Her alienation from the group is also due to her beauty. Hester's self-alienation is perhaps most damaging to her psyche. Hester reject the values and standards of puritan society and yearn to "cast away the fragments of a broken chain. This token of her sin separates her from the rest of society by marking her as an outcast, forced to live in isolation in a cottage outside of town. The main characters in The Scarlet Letter all are alienated in one way or another. Because of his intellectual nature, Chillingworth is able to distance himself from others to systematically destroy Dimmesdale. This religious choice makes Dimmesdale more susceptible to spiritual alienation. Hester's Main form of alienation is most obvious in her scarlet letter. Hester's daughter Pearl, if discussed as a character, is alienated to the point where she is not really accepted by anyone.
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Roger Chillingworth,
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puritan society,
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