Context
Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter in 1849, and it was published in the spring of 1850 by Ticknor, Reed and Fields. The novel is classified both romance and historical fiction. The book was banned and considered offensive due to the moral contradictions and conflicts with community values. From the story, Hester Prynne, the protagonist, “challenges the two men in her life – her husband and her lover – with the dark truth of their emotional responsibilities and failures, while at the same time wrestling with her own sinful nature.” (McCrum, 2014) Since Hester attempts to keep her husband and her lover equal without causing any offense, there exists some confusion about moral truths and the potentialities of human nature. On the other hand, “Nathaniel Hawthorne's understanding of the emotional transactions of the sexes is profound and modern.” (McCrum, 2014) In Nathaniel Hawthorne's view, the power of love is invincible, in spite of the social restrictions and unpredictable consequences.
The drawing titled “The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter,” reflects the scene of “‘May God forgive thee!’ said the minister. ‘Thou / too, hast deeply sinned!’” (Chapter 23, “The Scarlet Letter”) The drawing displays Dimmesdale dead in Hester’s arms and Chillingworth knelt down beside Dimmesdale. The child Pearl looked down and remained standing. This miserable scene demonstrates Dimmesdale endured the extreme repression and desperation, while Hester felt helpless and anxiety, but she had to face all those misfortunes.
The manuscripts The Scarlet Letter: Analysis. Holograph, unsigned, undated are written by Hawthorne Julian, who is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s son. He claims his personal opinions and responds to the moral questions of “The Scarlet Letter.” The manuscripts have four pages, with the page number written on the top of each page. Since the texts are handwritten in ink, some of the words are illegible. From the analysis, Hawthorne Julian also clearly examines the main characters’ intentions and internal conflicts.
The book argues love and politics, sympathy and justice in “The Scarlet Letter” by illustrating the importance of the love story in Hawthorne’s text, and the political relation on the issue of slavery. The love between Hester and Dimmesdale was not destroyed by the frustration and doubt. Their deep love was eternal, although they were tortured by the conflicts and endured all kinds of hardships.