Romanticism

Joon Moon
11/22/2010
Johnson- 3A

Thesis
Why

does Hawthorne depict Prynne

as a heroine, rather than a sinner?

This

IOP will analyze the

influences of Romanticism
in Hester Prynne

What is the Romanticism?

Early

19th C. (1800-1860)
INTUITION, EMOTIONS, and
MYSTERICAL EXPERICENCES over
reason
Universe as place of change, growth,
and development
Protagonist was the rebel; free
from preordained systems of
thought; emphasis on individual

Emphasis on Hester Prynne

First scene of scaffold as well as Prynne
The young woman was tall, with a figure
of perfect elegance on a large scale. She
had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that
it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and
a face which, besides being beautiful from
regularity of feature and richness of
complexion, had the impressiveness
belonging to a marked brow and deep
black eyes (Hawthorne, 49).

Quote Analysis

Diction: positive connotation

Imagery: Illustration of Hester Prynne
(brighter than the sunshine (Hawthorne,
49))
Detail: The setting of the scene
Language:
Symbolism of Sun
Irony

Syntax: One sentence one single thought

Free from the Puritan

Society
Scene after Prynne is released from the
prison
Its comparative remoteness put it out of
the sphere of that social activity which
already marked the habits of the
emigrants. It stood on the shore, looking
across a basin of the sea at the forestcovered hills, towards the west. A clump
of scrubby tress, such as alone grew on
the peninsula (Hawthorne, 74).

Quote Analysis

Diction: Words that create a sense of isolation,

such as remoteness, forest-covered, scrubby, and
alone
Imagery: The direction cottage is headed toward
(west, opposite direction from the Puritan village)
Details: Indications that the area is secluded
Language:
Allegory (second meaning behind the authors
description of cottage)

Syntax: The structure of sentences is going from

general to narrow

Rebellion against Puritan

Society

Scene of Prynne and Dimmesdales reunion

in the forest
And, as if the gloom of the earth and sky
had been but the effluence of these two
mortal hearts, it vanished with their sorrow.
All at once, as with a sudden smile of heaven,
forth burst the sunshine, pouring a very flood
into the obscure forest, gladdening each
green leaf, transmuting the yellow fallen ones
to gold, and gleaming adown the gray trunks
of the solemn trees (Hawthorne, 191).

Quote Analysis
Diction:

Juxtaposition of antithetical
words (light vs. darkness)
Imagery: Illumination of obscure forest
Language:

Metaphor of scarlet letter

Symbolism of heaven and forest
Juxtaposition
Antithesis
Irony

Conclusion
Hawthorne

emphasized the beauty of

Prynne (his tone was emphasized
even more because of the setting of
the scene).
Prynnes cottage house symbolizes
The Free from Preordained System.
The removal of her scarlet letter
represents the rebellion.