To Be Self:An Interpretation Of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter From The Perspective Of Existentialism

Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is a literary canon in American literature.Since its inception,many critics and readers have interpreted it from different angles.But the reason why a classic is a classic is that it can transcend the limitations of time and space and can withstand repeated interpretations.In light of the fact that most critics and scholars have analyzed this work from the perspectives of feminism,symbolism,narrative,as well as the novel's main themes,this paper will take a different approach and analyze The Scarlet Letter from the perspective of Existentialism,familiarizing readers with the various existential elements in it.By analyzing the existential philosophical elements in The Scarlet Letter,this paper will lead the reader to think: as an individual in the world,it is of great importance for each of us to choose for himself and assume the responsibility for his choice.The body of this paper consists of three chapters.The first chapter focuses on the analysis of the anxieties experienced by the main characters,which confirms the view advocated by existentialists that human beings possess universal anxiety regarding their existence.The second chapter explores the two existentialist philosophical elements of alienation and authenticity reflected in the novel.Among them,the first section firstly analyzes Hester's estrangement between Dimmesdale and townspeople,secondly Hester's indifference to the mainstream culture of Puritan society at that time,and at last how this alienation and indifference have shaped Hester's personality.The second section of Part 2 focuses on the two protagonists' different attitudes towards adultery,and then analyzes their different experiences in existence.The third chapter mainly analyzes the protagonists' main life choices,and the ways they assume responsibility for their own choices.Faced with the same dilemma,Hester chooses truth and love,and finally achieves consistency with her beliefs and her action;Dimmesdale chooses fame and vanity,and meanwhile he fulfills his duties as a good pastor,which can be considered as assuming the responsibility of his choice of being a minister.But in the end,in order to get rid of the torture off his conscience and obtain his final redemption,he chooses to reveal his sin in public,which costs him his reputation and his life as a consequence.Through analysis,this thesis endeavors to prove that existential elements indeedcan be found in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.As the only rational creature in universe,when encountering the meaninglessness of the world and the absolute freedom of human beings,we experience existential anxiety.But that does not mean we can do nothing,we humans can shape our lives by choosing and acting,and how we choose will largely determine what kind of life we will lead.More importantly,no matter how we choose,we should always be responsible for what we choose.This thesis will remind people,especially the younger generation,of the importance of seeking the meaning in life in this modern society with extremely great wealth.