美国文学 Unit 2 the Scarlet Letter.pptVIP

The Scarlet Letter —— A romance of psychological paradox It is about adultery, but not about sex. It is about punishment, but not about crime. Main characters Hester Prynne Pearl Arthur Roger Dimmesdale Chillingworth the implication of protagonists’ names Hester Prynne Hester: Hestier in Greek mythology, Zeus’s sister, a woman of beauty Prynne: pry: probe into the interior of one’s heart prune: purify her sin Arthur Dimmesdale Arthur: Adam, adultery Dimmesdale: dim + dale: dim interior (to hide one’s sin) Roger Chillingworth Roger: rogue (revenge) Chillingworth: chilly (cruel, inhumane) Pearl: good, pure and precious multiple themes The theme of love, lust The theme of sin The theme of revenge The theme of inner heart conflict The theme of rebellion and loyalty What do you think about their morality? Morality Hester was morally wrong in her act, but was morally right in the acceptance of her wrong. Dimmesdale was morally wrong in his act, but in keeping this enormous secret from the community, the town of Salem, was better off, for the good of the community. In the beginning Roger Chillingworth seems not to be in the wrong, but in the end he became the most immoral one of all. Consider Hester, Chillingsworth, and Dimmesdale. Who has the greatest sin? Why? * *