Essay on Imagery and Symbolism in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter  vision and Symbolism                 In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes imagery to convey that Dimmesdale can hold still for Puritan Society rather than the round character that can be seen on the surface level. This is seen through the imagery and symbolism of hypocrisy, Dimmesdale as a Christ figure, and the scarlet letter.First of all, Hawthorne parallels the hypocrisy of Dimmesdale to that of Puritan society. Hawthorne describes Dimmesdale as, a viler assistant of the vilest, the worst of sinners, even though Dimmesdale is seen as the most holy world in the Puritan community. Puritan society was vatical to be a utopian society and do a right smart with their English traditions. Similarly, as Dimmesdale was supposed to be holy, yet they both were hypocritical. Secondly, Dimmesdale portrays the Puritan society by non initially taking his place on the scaffold, Ye have both b een here before, but I was not with you and we will stand all trine together. The Puritans modeled Dimmesdales hypocrisy, as they were supposed to be a city on a hill for the world to see while they ended up mixing up English tradition with their ideals. While Dimmesdale hid his sin at the first scaffold seen, so did the Puritans when they colonized America. The Puritans faults were not initially that intelligible but as time grew on they appeared on their scaffold fair as Dimmesdale does. Hawthorne writes ab verboten one of Dimmesdales sermons that is, addressed to the multitude a intercourse on sin, in all its branches. In Dimmesdales sermons, he spoke out against sin while at the same time he commits this sin, good as the Puritans committed sins that they condemned Dimmesdales character models Puritan society in the way they treat religious persecution. The Puritans left England to flee from religious intolerance, but when they got to the colonies, they had no religious tole rance for people with different religious beliefs. Dimmesdale speaks out against adultery and commits it, the Puritans demand religious tolerance but refuse to give it.Dimmesdale symbolically portrays Jesus Christ in certain ways. For example, Dimmesdales death marked the outgrowth of a new era, barely as Christs death marked a new beginning for all of those who believe in Him. Dimmesdales death symbolically marks the beginning of American History and the end of colonial history, just as Christs death marked the beginning of the Christian church.