8 Howthorne.ppt

One the enlightened Chillingworth allude to Greek mythology and figures in history having knowledge of medicinal remedies The other Chillingworth the barbarous one who seeks revenge with diabolical persistence. 6. Blackness, Darkness symbolizing the sternness and rigidity of the Puritans the somberness of life in colonial Boston sinfulness and secrecy Themes sin, rejection, and redemption (补偿) the nature of evil revenge self-respect Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, MA ↑ good from evil hypocrisy and cowardice the rational vs. the supernatural 广州商学院2007年《英美文学》 True and False 6. The House of the Seven Gables deals with the effects of a curse, and though the tale itself is fiction, the germ of the story sprang from the author’s family history. The author is Henry David Thoreau. Thank you for your listening * (5) as a member of the community sympathetic charitable a maternal figure to her community The townspeople who condemned her now believe the scarlet letter stands for her ability to her beautiful needlework her unselfish assistance to the poor and sick serves to wash away evil At last, Hester overcomes the shame of her sin through the purity and goodness of her soul grows to be quite admirable amongst the people of the town 2. Arthur Dimmesdale a respected minister the father of Hester’s child, unknown to townspeople weak and cowardly but redeems himself in the end tortured by his sin and cowardice Hawthorne still paints a sympathetic picture of him. very human in his suffering pathetic(凄惨可怜的) in the hands of Chillingworth Contrast Hester’s scarlet letter with Dimmesdale’s scarlet letter Unconfessed sin destroys the soul. Hesters sin has been confessed. As its symbol, she wears the Scarlet Letter A. Dimmesdale does not confess his sin until it totally destroys him hides his adultery 3. Roger Chillingworth old, ugly, cruel, deformed, crazy, vengeful symbol of evil the largest threat to Hester and Dimmesdale’s secret Hawthorne’s attitude: Chi