The Scarlet Letter | Essays and Criticism

  • A Characterization of the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale

    In the following essay, R. Moore explores the character of Arthur Dimmesdale and the guilt that he grapples with throughout the novel.

  • What is Sin? The Art of Forgiveness in The Scarlet Letter

    An in-depth examination by J. Kersh of the concept of sin in The Scarlet Letter, with numerous concrete examples of both sin and forgiveness in the characters of Hester, Dimmesdale, and others.

  • Is Hester Prynn a Role Model?

    In the following essay, J. Kersh explores whether or not Hester Prynn can be considered a role model. This essay contains numerous quotes and passages from the text, with explanations and citations.

  • The Evolution of Symbols in The Scarlet Letter

    J. Kersh writes that all of the symbols Hawthorne uses in The Scarlet Letter point to the book’s most obvious symbol, the scarlet letter A itself. Images of light and dark, crosses, scaffolds, even Hester Prynn’s daughter Pearl can be found within the symbolism of the letter.

  • Historical Concerns and the Emblem

    In the following essay, Pearl James explores the historical concerns that shaped The Scarlet Letter and how Hester Prynne's emblem serves as several types of imagery.

  • The Scarlet Letter

    In the following excerpt, Richard B. Sewall discusses Hawthorne's introductory essay, and the emphasis on ambiguity throughout The Scarlet Letter.

  • Arthur Dimmesdale as Tragic Hero

    Bruce Ingham Granger maintains that The Scarlet Letter is not Hester's story but that of Dimmesdale, whose confession bridges the gap between illusion and reality, or the ideal and actuality, thus making him a true tragic hero.