Antiquarian: Pg. 30, With business pertaining to his office seems to have devoted some of his many leisure hours to researches as a local antiquarian. Definition: dealing in, or interested in old or rare books.
Bestirred: Pg. 34, I bestirred myself to seek that invigorating charm of nature. Definition: rouse to action
Torpid: Pg. 34, The almost torpid creatures of my own fancy twitted me with imbecility. Defenition: inactive or sluggish.
Ignominy: Pg. 153, Abased by sin, and half maddened by they ignominy, that was still new, when they had talked together in the prison-chamber. Definition: shameful or dishonorable quality or conduct or an instance of this.
Lurid: Pg.157, Letting the lurid fire of his heart blaze out before her eyes. Definition: gruesome; horrible; revolting
Propinquity: Pg. 157, But it was the constant shadow of my presence! - the closest propinquity of the man whom he had most vilely wronged! Definition: nearness in place; proximity.
Animadversion: Pg. 213, It excited neither surprise nor animadversion when so reputable a citizen as old Roger Chillingsworth. Definition: an unfavorable or censorious comment
Clarion: Pg. 215, Yet attaining the great object for which the harmony of the drum and clarion addresses itself to the multitude. Definition: an ancient trumpet with a curved shape
Apotheosized: Pg. 228, So etherealized by spirit as he was, and so apotheosized by worshipping admirers. Definition: to deify; glorify.
Nugatory: Pg. 235, By yielding up his breath in the arms of that fallen women to express to the world how utterly nugatory is the choicest of man’s own righteousness. Definition: of no real value; trifling; worthless.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Historical Context
Published in 1850, the story of the scarlet letter was one that spanned two hundred years. The story is told to the reader from the perspecive of an anonymous customs surveyor in the 19th century. This customs surveyor came across the story by finding a manuscript that a previous customs surveryor, Jonathon Pue, had written. The reader is told that the actual events, however, had occurred in the 1600’s, a century earlier than Pue had written the manuscript.
Although the early Puritan settlers, which the book is focused on, came to America to escape religious persecution, they were somewhat discriminatory in nature themselves. They believed religion should play a large part in their government, as seen by Hester’s imprisonment because of her adultry. Puritans valued education, prayer, and reading the Bible. These people were called Puritans because they wished to purify the Church of England.
Although the early Puritan settlers, which the book is focused on, came to America to escape religious persecution, they were somewhat discriminatory in nature themselves. They believed religion should play a large part in their government, as seen by Hester’s imprisonment because of her adultry. Puritans valued education, prayer, and reading the Bible. These people were called Puritans because they wished to purify the Church of England.
Theme: Punishment
In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of the major themes is punishment. Throughout the book Hester Prynne is punished for having commited adultery, which she did. She is ostracized by everyone around her for having given birth to an illegitimate child with her illicit lover, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and forced to wear a scarlet letter “A” on her chest. Dimmesdale’s identity as Hester’s lover is kept a secret by Hester so that he will not have to go through the same things she did. He, however, feels guilt inside. He punishes himself by secretly practicing self-flagellation (beating himself). He believes that it is better to punish himself than to be punished by the people around him. These two characters, Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, are both punished in the book, but by different ways. Hester’s punishment is public, and seen by everyone, while Dimmesdale’s is more of an internal punishment since he is punishing himself because of the guilt he feels, which makes one of the main themes of the book punishment.
A modern day "Scarlet Letter"
Recent media exposure has taken Tiger Woods’ flawless life and shown the true Woods. Early this year a lady came out saying she had an affair with Tiger Woods. Soon women from all over started saying the same and claimed to be Woods’ mistresses. Due to the media Woods has become a modern day Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter. Woods has been publically ostracized for his behavior just as Prynne was in the book. A mistake like adultery is a private matter that tears families apart; the public does not to need to know about it. Woods does not literally have to wear a “scarlet letter”, but he might as well. Every where Woods goes he is publically humiliated and it is not easy on the family either. I guess Woods is just our generations’ Hester Prynne.
Monday, March 22, 2010
About The Author
Nathaniel Hawthorne
1804-1865
Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. Hawthorne’s father was a sea captain and a descendant of one of the judges from the Salem Witchcraft Trials. Nathaniel’s father died when Nathaniel was only four years old. His mother lived a very secluded lifestyle. The Hawthorne family moved from Salem to Maine, where Nathaniel attended Bowdoin College. From 1825-1836 Hawthorne was a writer and contributor to periodicals. The first book that Hawthorne wrote he burned after the book was turned down by a publishing company.
In 1842 Hawthorne married Sophia Peabody. Hawthorne and his wife started a family together in Concord but after building up a surmountable amount of debt they moved back to Salem. In 1846, Hawthorne decided to get another job because writing was not helping support his family. He was appointed surveyor of the Port of Salem. Hawthorne kept that job for three years until he was fired. Hawthorne went back to his writing. Hawthorne was truly the first American author to use allegory. Through his life, Hawthorne was friend with some of the best American authors. Hawthorne, like his good friend Edger Allan Poe, wrote of a dark view of human nature.
"Not to be deficient in this particular, the author has provided himself with a moral - the truth, namely, that the wrongdoing of one generation lives into the successive ones." (from The House of the Seven Gables)
1804-1865
Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. Hawthorne’s father was a sea captain and a descendant of one of the judges from the Salem Witchcraft Trials. Nathaniel’s father died when Nathaniel was only four years old. His mother lived a very secluded lifestyle. The Hawthorne family moved from Salem to Maine, where Nathaniel attended Bowdoin College. From 1825-1836 Hawthorne was a writer and contributor to periodicals. The first book that Hawthorne wrote he burned after the book was turned down by a publishing company.
In 1842 Hawthorne married Sophia Peabody. Hawthorne and his wife started a family together in Concord but after building up a surmountable amount of debt they moved back to Salem. In 1846, Hawthorne decided to get another job because writing was not helping support his family. He was appointed surveyor of the Port of Salem. Hawthorne kept that job for three years until he was fired. Hawthorne went back to his writing. Hawthorne was truly the first American author to use allegory. Through his life, Hawthorne was friend with some of the best American authors. Hawthorne, like his good friend Edger Allan Poe, wrote of a dark view of human nature.
"Not to be deficient in this particular, the author has provided himself with a moral - the truth, namely, that the wrongdoing of one generation lives into the successive ones." (from The House of the Seven Gables)
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