독후감- The Scarlet Letter

[Loo-Yeon]

2009년 6월 13일 토요일

Justin Ravus

Title: The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathanael Hawthorne

Story:

           Hester Prynne from England came to America ahead of her husband. Since the husband’s arrival was delayed, she committed adultery with reverend Dimmesdale. For the punish, she had to wear clothes with scarlet ‘A’ all the time which means adultery.

 However, her ex husband Roger Chillingworth came and concealed his identity. He determined to revenge. Dimmesdale was getting weaker and Chillingworth, who was a doctor saw that his chest had a scarlet A.

 Hester, however, told Dimmesdale who Chillingworth was. They decided to run away to England after Dimmesdale’s speech on a feast. But, Dimmesdale confessed his deed-the adultery with Hester and died. Chillingworth was depressed to lose his enemy and died in about a year. He inherited great wealth to Pearl the daughter of Hester and Dimmesdale.

 Then, Hester and Pearl went to England. Pearl was happily married with rich man. Few years later, Hester went back to her old town and lived there helping the ‘A’ marked women. When she died, she was buried near Dimmesdale.

Impression:

           Well, I’ve always been hated Hawthorne without any reason. Now I actually like him. The idea-it’s just perfect. Seems to be real but also has ‘fantastic’ themes. And it gives mystic image. I don’t know whether he got any prizes that I would know but I am sure he worth for it.

 Dimmesdale is alive, I say. Each character is impressive but he is the most. Maybe it is because of his role. Reverend who sold his soul to Satan, seeking for Salvation but never finds one. Hence, he still loves the adulteress. He was with too much thinking. He had a destiny of wise men. Wishing for cure but attracted to evil. He has even one more attribute that he could fall in love and dare to confess when it is forbidden-the morality he has.

 However, Hester has weaker character. She is just a symbol or field to make Dimmesdale and Chilingworth.

 Chilingworth is Azrael the vengeful angel. He is ill tempered but he could control that because of his strong passion. He hid himself for long to see the decline of his enemy. However, he failed and lost his goal. Then he was the one who declined.

Azrael is the Wrath of God. To whom was the wrath? It was for the vengeful but yet poor husband, not the adulterer. The sinner was dead with bliss in the arm of whom he loved. I concluded the God for Hawthorne was a stranger who is watcher in faraway. Is it a paradox if I saw the fair and justice on his God?