"At about the centre of the oaken panels, that lined the hall, was suspended a suit of mail, not, like the pictures, an ancestral relic, but of the most modern date; for it had been manufactured by a skillful armorer in London, the same year in which Governor Bellingham came over to New England. There was a steel head-piece, a cuirass, a gorget, and greaves, with a pair of gauntlets and a sword hanging beneath; all, and especially the helmet and breastplate, so highly burnished as to glow with white radiance, and scatter an illumination everywhere about upon the floor. This bright panoply was not meant for mere idle show, but had been worn by the Governor on many a solemn muster and training field, and has glittered, moreover, at the head of a regiment in the Pequot War." ((Chapter 7/PAGE 93-94))
The armour that hangs in the Governor's mansion fits the theme of hypocrisy and symbolized the wrongful actions towards others by the religious/powerful. Since the Governor is the high official in the town, he therefore has a strong religious presence about him. Yet, he has been noted to have been present in the Pequot War, slaughtering thousands of Indians, killing innocent families, and going on a rampage only for the chance to grant themselves a large sum of land that they had no right to take from the Native people. This shows the hypocrisy of the Puritan faith for feeling they have the right to alienate (Hester) and/or annihilate (Pequots) anything who is different to them or opposes them in some way. The way the armour gleams about the room and emits an impressive shine symbolizes the Puritan pride and the justification they feel in regards to such horrible actions because they believe that they have done what God would've wanted them to do.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
-~- DIALECTICAL JOURNAL #10 -~-
"The very first thing which she had noticed, in her life, was--what?--not the mother's smile, responding to it, as other babies do, by that faint, embryo smiles of the little mouth, remembered so doubtful afterwards, and with such fond discussion whether is were indeed a smile. By no means! But that first object of which Pearl seemed to become aware was--shall we say it?--the scarlet letter on Hester's bosom! One day, as her mother stooped over the cradle, the infant's eyes had been caught by the glimmering of the gold embroidery about the letter; and , putting up her little hand, she grasped at it, smiling, not doubtfully, but with a decided gleam that gave her face the look of a much older child." ((Chapter 6/PAGE 86))
The first object that Pearl sees is the dreadful scarlet letter. However, Pearl has never been on Earth before and knows not of its message or origin. The lack of understanding that the baby has, doesn't allow it to be disgusted or repulsed by the insignia. Instead, it is rather eye-catching and intriguing to her. The gold lining as well as the intrinsic red fill draw the child's attention, so it can view the letter as an illustration and not as the terrible symbol everyone else sees, which mirrors Hester's own appearance and the view of her by the townsfolk on a smaller scale.
THEMES:
Nature vs. Human Law
Man vs. Nature
Nature of Evil
Sin vs. Forgiveness or Punishment vs. Forgiveness
Individual vs. Society
Exile
Public Guilt vs. Private Guilt
Civilization vs. Wilderness (Town vs. Woods)
Good vs. Evil
Man vs. Society
The first object that Pearl sees is the dreadful scarlet letter. However, Pearl has never been on Earth before and knows not of its message or origin. The lack of understanding that the baby has, doesn't allow it to be disgusted or repulsed by the insignia. Instead, it is rather eye-catching and intriguing to her. The gold lining as well as the intrinsic red fill draw the child's attention, so it can view the letter as an illustration and not as the terrible symbol everyone else sees, which mirrors Hester's own appearance and the view of her by the townsfolk on a smaller scale.
THEMES:
Nature vs. Human Law
Man vs. Nature
Nature of Evil
Sin vs. Forgiveness or Punishment vs. Forgiveness
Individual vs. Society
Exile
Public Guilt vs. Private Guilt
Civilization vs. Wilderness (Town vs. Woods)
Good vs. Evil
Man vs. Society
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
-~- DIALECTICAL JOURNAL #9 -~-
"...and the bond-servant, perhaps judging from the decision of her air and the glittering symbol in her bosom, that she was a great lady in the land, offered no opposition." ((Chapter 7/PAGE 92))
The bond-servant sees Hester and Pearl for the first time when they arrive at the Governor's opulent house. He is a free-born Englishman and isn't too familiar with the Puritan religion. He sees the beautiful Hester and her embroidered A with it's golden and crimson threads. He notices the elegance of her appearance as well as her attire and suspects/assumes that she is a woman of high authority and nobility. Unbeknownst to him that she is an outcast in Puritan society, since he doesn't have a clouded/biased view of her because he isn't a part of the religion. (Which may be ironic due to him being the servant of one of the high political as well as religious powers in the town.)
The bond-servant sees Hester and Pearl for the first time when they arrive at the Governor's opulent house. He is a free-born Englishman and isn't too familiar with the Puritan religion. He sees the beautiful Hester and her embroidered A with it's golden and crimson threads. He notices the elegance of her appearance as well as her attire and suspects/assumes that she is a woman of high authority and nobility. Unbeknownst to him that she is an outcast in Puritan society, since he doesn't have a clouded/biased view of her because he isn't a part of the religion. (Which may be ironic due to him being the servant of one of the high political as well as religious powers in the town.)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
-~- DIALECTICAL JOURNAL #8 -~-
"...like a tuft of green moss on a crumbling wall..." ((Chapter 2/PAGE 55))
Not too important, but it is a simile depicting a scene of nature. The memories of Hester's youth and upbringing send her into a brief spell of reminiscence that is pleasing. She remembers her parents, her childhood, how she got to Boston: everything. The things that her mind flashes through her gaze are eerily vivid as they detract from her current predicament which is a low-point in her life thus far. The memories are comfort, they are safe, and they have the power to ease herself from going mad as initially planned after standing on the scaffold for a few moments. The memories have guided her through the pain of the public scrutiny for small moments, and the comparison of this mental reassurance to the calming spirit of nature only strengthens nature's symbolic appeal, therefore contrastingly weakening the cruel actions of man towards one another which are unnecessary.
Not too important, but it is a simile depicting a scene of nature. The memories of Hester's youth and upbringing send her into a brief spell of reminiscence that is pleasing. She remembers her parents, her childhood, how she got to Boston: everything. The things that her mind flashes through her gaze are eerily vivid as they detract from her current predicament which is a low-point in her life thus far. The memories are comfort, they are safe, and they have the power to ease herself from going mad as initially planned after standing on the scaffold for a few moments. The memories have guided her through the pain of the public scrutiny for small moments, and the comparison of this mental reassurance to the calming spirit of nature only strengthens nature's symbolic appeal, therefore contrastingly weakening the cruel actions of man towards one another which are unnecessary.
-~- DIALECTICAL JOURNAL #7 -~-
"Had there been a Papist among the crowd of Puritans, he might have seen in this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien, and with the infant at her bosom, an object to remind him of the image of Divine Maternity, which so many illustrious painters have vied with one another to represent; something which should remind him, indeed, but only by contrast, of that sacred image of sinless motherhood, whose infant was to redeem the world." ((Chapter 2/PAGE 53))
Not unlike the previous journal, this excerpt takes another look at the character of Hester and remarking that is of Divine nature, when viewed upon by non-Puritans. Again, the weight of the religion is so vast that it plagues the minds of the Puritans viewing Hester on the scaffold. Had anyone taken an unbiased look at the scene, they would notice that the pretty lady holding a child in her arms was happily reminiscent to a depiction of Mary and Jesus. However, she has borne the child in contrast to Jesus, who has had his/her world set up with prejudice due to his mother's actions. The debt of these actions are to take their toll in the future no doubt, yet this, again, is taking religion into account. The charm and grace of Hester standing there holding a child is naturally inspiring, but the religious undertones seem to cloud what could be an elegant scene of 'divine maternity'.
Not unlike the previous journal, this excerpt takes another look at the character of Hester and remarking that is of Divine nature, when viewed upon by non-Puritans. Again, the weight of the religion is so vast that it plagues the minds of the Puritans viewing Hester on the scaffold. Had anyone taken an unbiased look at the scene, they would notice that the pretty lady holding a child in her arms was happily reminiscent to a depiction of Mary and Jesus. However, she has borne the child in contrast to Jesus, who has had his/her world set up with prejudice due to his mother's actions. The debt of these actions are to take their toll in the future no doubt, yet this, again, is taking religion into account. The charm and grace of Hester standing there holding a child is naturally inspiring, but the religious undertones seem to cloud what could be an elegant scene of 'divine maternity'.
-~- DIALECTICAL JOURNAL #6 -~-
"The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance, on a large scale. She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes. She was lady-like too, after the manner of the feminine gentility of those days; characterized by a certain state and dignity, rather than by the delicate, evanescent, and indescribable grace, which is now recognized as its indication. And never had Hester Prynne appeared more lady-like, in the antique interpretation of the term, than as she issued from the prison. Those who had before known her, and had expected to behold he dimmed and obscured by a disastrous cloud, were astonished, and even startled, to perceive how her beauty shone out, and made a halo of the misfortune and ignominy in which she was enveloped. It may be true, that, to a sensitive observer, there was something exquisitely painful in it. Her attire, which indeed, she had wrought for the occasion, in prison, and had modelled much after her own fancy, seemed to express the attitude of her spirit, the desperate recklessness of her mood, by its wild and picturesque peculiarity. But the point which drew all eyes, and as it were, transfigured the wearer,--so the both men and women, who had been familiarly acquainted with Hester Prynne, were now impressed as if they beheld her for the fires times,--was that Scarlet Letter..." (Chapter 2/PAGE 50))
This lengthy excerpt describes (in great detail) the beauty of Hester Prynne. One wouldn't think that someone who appeared to be such a remarkable person, would have as bad of a reputation as she possessed. People wanted a hot iron driven into her face, others thought she should just be outright killed, and when given the chance to view her, all the people care to lay their eyes upon, is the letter. The shame, the wrong-doing, the sin has begun to follow her, it is a part of her and she can't get rid of it. This is only because of the society dwells on strong religious principles that appear to deem sinners unfit to walk among the Puritans. The idea of nature being forgiving and just is seen through Hester, as she is still a being of nature, and seems to be indifferent to her current situation. There is no denying that what she did was wrong, however the townspeople are fixated on what she has done and not the person she truly is and their memories of her before she sinned. Puritan religion has made itself a utopia that if viewed upon for its grace is quintessentially a heaven on Earth, so to speak, although the religion weighs too heavily in the society for it to be this way. Therefore, Hester can be viewed as nothing more than villainous scum with no purpose for life. I believe that religion is going to be a prime antagonist in this novel because of the actions emanating from Puritan followers causing a disruption in utopian society as well as nature.
This lengthy excerpt describes (in great detail) the beauty of Hester Prynne. One wouldn't think that someone who appeared to be such a remarkable person, would have as bad of a reputation as she possessed. People wanted a hot iron driven into her face, others thought she should just be outright killed, and when given the chance to view her, all the people care to lay their eyes upon, is the letter. The shame, the wrong-doing, the sin has begun to follow her, it is a part of her and she can't get rid of it. This is only because of the society dwells on strong religious principles that appear to deem sinners unfit to walk among the Puritans. The idea of nature being forgiving and just is seen through Hester, as she is still a being of nature, and seems to be indifferent to her current situation. There is no denying that what she did was wrong, however the townspeople are fixated on what she has done and not the person she truly is and their memories of her before she sinned. Puritan religion has made itself a utopia that if viewed upon for its grace is quintessentially a heaven on Earth, so to speak, although the religion weighs too heavily in the society for it to be this way. Therefore, Hester can be viewed as nothing more than villainous scum with no purpose for life. I believe that religion is going to be a prime antagonist in this novel because of the actions emanating from Puritan followers causing a disruption in utopian society as well as nature.
Monday, October 10, 2011
-~- DIALECTICAL JOURNAL #5 -~-
"What do we talk of marks and brands, whether on the bodice of her gown, or the flesh of her forehead? This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Is there not law for it? Truly there is, both in the Scripture and the statute-book. Then let the magistrates, who have made it of no effect, thank themselves if their own wives and daughters go astray!" ((Chapter 2/PAGE 49))
The group of women are truly disgusted with the awful sin committed by Hester Prynne. Some of the women who speak before this one (this line taken from the last woman to talk before Hester emerges out of the building.) suggest that she should brand Hester in the forehead with a hot iron. Such a mark would surely be a cruel and just punishment to what she has done, no matter what it is, she sinned. But this is no matter to this last lady, who firmly states that nothing can be done so that she can live the rest of her life in shame and misery and therefore can only be put to death. Such harsh words seem to show that the Puritan way of life can be more aggressive than most would assume. The struggle between man's intolerance of sin/misbehaviour and the true forgiveness of nature I feel are going to a huge theme.
The culture being so zealous and religiously-driven is also reinforced in this excerpt where the fact that Hester's death must be enforced due to her breaking of civil statute as well as going against the Scripture. (Since they are practically the same thing, what she says is almost redundant.)
The group of women are truly disgusted with the awful sin committed by Hester Prynne. Some of the women who speak before this one (this line taken from the last woman to talk before Hester emerges out of the building.) suggest that she should brand Hester in the forehead with a hot iron. Such a mark would surely be a cruel and just punishment to what she has done, no matter what it is, she sinned. But this is no matter to this last lady, who firmly states that nothing can be done so that she can live the rest of her life in shame and misery and therefore can only be put to death. Such harsh words seem to show that the Puritan way of life can be more aggressive than most would assume. The struggle between man's intolerance of sin/misbehaviour and the true forgiveness of nature I feel are going to a huge theme.
The culture being so zealous and religiously-driven is also reinforced in this excerpt where the fact that Hester's death must be enforced due to her breaking of civil statute as well as going against the Scripture. (Since they are practically the same thing, what she says is almost redundant.)
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