This paper gives a brief overview of Hawthorne’s most important and famous work "The Scarlet Letter" from the point of view of five contemporary theories of criticism: Psychoanalytic Criticism, Reader-Response Criticism, Feminist Criticism, Deconstruction and The New Historicism.
"The Scarlet Letter" was first published in 1850, but its genesis can be found in tales and sketches Hawthorne wrote some years before he began to work on this novel. Being a Puritan descendent, in one of those sketches from 1845 he speculates about what life would be like for a young woman who would be condemned always to wear the letter A for having committed adultery. For Hawthorne this is a moral tale; the wild rose in the opening chapter points out the novel’s moral purpose: it is our duty to show to the world our true nature.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
PSYCHOANALYTIC CRITICISM
READER – RESPONSE CRITICISM
FEMINIST CRITICISM
DECONSTRUCTION
THE NEW HISTORICISM
CONCLUSION
Objectives and Topics
This thesis provides a critical examination of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" through the lens of five contemporary literary theories, aiming to explore how different interpretative frameworks shape our understanding of the novel's characters, morality, and social commentary.
- Psychoanalytic readings of character repression and desire.
- Reader-response analysis of interpretation and subjectivity.
- Feminist criticism concerning gender roles in a patriarchal society.
- Deconstructionist perspectives on silence and language.
- New Historicist contextualization of the work within its time.
Excerpt from the Book
INTRODUCTION
“On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne 1992: 39)
The Scarlet Letter was first published in 1850, but its genesis can be found in tales and sketches Hawthorne wrote some years before he began to work on this novel. Being a Puritan descendent, in one of those sketches from 1845 he speculates about what life would be like for a young woman who would be condemned always to wear the letter A for having committed adultery. For Hawthorne this is a moral tale; the wild rose in the opening chapter points out the novel’s moral purpose: it is our duty to show to the world our true nature.
“This is a tale of adultery, or more precisely, of its consequences, even though that word has never been used in the text.” (Claridge 1992: 10) Hawthorne does not treat the sexual relationship between two adult people the way we would expect him to. That is attributed to his puritan origin and the time in which the novel is set. By displacement of the sexual act in time it gains even prehistoric connotations; so this story can also be interpreted as the one about the Original Sin and its consequences.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Provides fundamental background on the novel, detailing the plot, its genesis, and the thematic importance of characters within their social context.
PSYCHOANALYTIC CRITICISM: Analyzes the novel by examining the repressed desires, Oedipal anxieties, and the symbolic significance of the scarlet letter as a fetishistic object.
READER – RESPONSE CRITICISM: Explores how reader subjectivity and the inherent gaps within the text allow for diverse interpretations of reality and character behavior.
FEMINIST CRITICISM: Examines Hester Prynne’s position as a woman within a patriarchal system, focusing on her subversion of traditional gender roles and the significance of motherhood.
DECONSTRUCTION: Investigates the central role of silence and the instability of meaning, challenging the hierarchy between speech and writing in the novel.
THE NEW HISTORICISM: Contextualizes the novel within its era, discussing the intersection of history, social power dynamics, and the author's political observations.
CONCLUSION: Summarizes the effectiveness of the chosen critical theories, evaluating their contributions to a more comprehensive understanding of the text.
Keywords
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, Psychoanalytic Criticism, Reader-Response Criticism, Feminist Criticism, Deconstruction, The New Historicism, Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, Puritanism, Adultery, Symbolism, Gender, Silence, Power
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on analyzing Hawthorne’s "The Scarlet Letter" through five distinct contemporary literary theories to uncover multifaceted interpretations of the narrative and its themes.
Which specific critical frameworks are applied to the novel?
The study utilizes Psychoanalytic Criticism, Reader-Response Criticism, Feminist Criticism, Deconstruction, and The New Historicism.
What is the central research question?
The research explores how these different theoretical approaches change or deepen our understanding of Hawthorne’s work regarding morality, gender, and social repression.
What methodology is employed in the work?
The methodology involves a comparative literary analysis, where each chapter introduces a theory and subsequently applies it to the character development and plot of "The Scarlet Letter."
What is the core subject of the main chapters?
The chapters examine specific characters like Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, exploring how they function as symbols of sin, repression, and independence according to each theoretical lens.
Why are certain keywords central to this analysis?
Keywords like "Silence," "Gender," and "Power" are essential because they represent the friction points where the characters struggle against their community and internal conflicts.
How does the author characterize the role of silence in the book?
The analysis suggests that silence is the center of the novel; it functions as a mechanism of both protection and torture for the characters, shifting the focus away from the act of adultery itself.
Does the author conclude that one theory is superior?
While the author finds value in all approaches, she suggests that a reader-response perspective is particularly balanced because it allows for both theoretical inquiry and personal, human connection with the text.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Aleksandra Vujovic (Autor:in), 2009, "The Scarlet Letter" in Contemporary Criticism, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1271882
