摘要
《红字》是美国19世纪最具影响力的小说家霍桑的经典作品,其中的女主角海丝特·白兰被认为与受人尊敬的牧师丁梅斯代尔通奸并生下女儿珠儿,因此佩戴上红字“A”(" Adultery"的象征)作为清教法规严苛无情的惩罚。霍桑通过塑造海丝特这个形象向读者展示了清教观,以及清教观对人们生活和思想所造成的影响。海丝特最初是勇敢坚强的,最终却在清教社会的压迫下,承认了自己的罪过,并通过艰苦工作,自我提升得到救赎,得到了社会的认可。
Abstract
"The Scarlet Letter",Nathaniel Hawthorne's representative work ,is a classical novel in American litera-ture in the 19th century ,in which the heroine Hester Prynne and the town's reverend priest ,Arthur Dimmesdale , engages in the act of adultery and produce a baby girl named Pearl .As a result ,she has to wear the scarlet letter"A"as the severe and strict punishment of the Puritanism .By creating the image of Hester ,Hawthorne shows the readers the Puritanism and its great impact on people's life and thought .At the beginning ,Hester is brave and strong .At last ,she has to admit her sin under the pressure of the Puritan community and get salvation through self -improvement and hard working .Therefore ,she is accepted by the community .Hawthorne explains his puri-tan thoughts through creating Hester ,as a sinner ,Hester finally get salvation by working hard .