《红字》---对清教主义的怀疑

【English Abstract】 The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classical novel in American literature in the 19th century. Since the first Chinese translation of The Scarlet Letter appeared in the 1950’s scholars and readers in this country have shown an ever-increasing interest in his works. Its immortal enchantment lies in not only its condemnation of the negative impact of Puritan society on people’s spirit, but also its affirmation of goodness. The novel aims at criticizing severely Puritanical asceticism, suggesting Hawthorne’s further thinking over the “original sin” “good and evil” “soul salvation” “total depravity” by analyzing the four main characters in the novel. The novel concerns the consequence caused by the sin and people’s attitude towards sin rather than the sin itself. He believes man can do good deeds to get rid of evil in his heart.
【Key Words】 Puritanism; Human nature; Prynne; Dimmesdale; Roger; Pearl; the scarlet letter 本文来自

1．Introduction
The Scarlet Letter is a famous American novel whose author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, is considered the leading American native fictionist of the 19th century. Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusette, of a prominent Puritan family, on July4, 1804. “In 1850 he brought out his masterpiece The Scarlet Letter, the story of a triangular love affair in colonial America. In this novel Hawthorne condemned the Puritan philosophy of life”[1]P49 “His stories display a psychological insight into moral isolation and human emotion. He distrusted the claim of objective reason to be able to arrive at humanly relevant truth” [2]P53
His short stories and novel includes: The Minister’s Black Veil, Twice Told Tales, Mosses from an Old Manse, The House of The Seven Gables, The Marble Faun, among which The Scarlet Letter is the most famous. The novel is short but very moving. Prynne, a young and beautiful woman, came to New England two years before his husband, an old, ugly man who can not give Prynne love. Prynne, then falls in love with Dimmesdale, a young handsome clergyman and then has a baby, Pearl, because she can not get any news from her husband, thinking that he has died. When her “adultery” is discovered, she is punished to wear a scarlet letter “A” on her chest all her life. Her husband, Roger, tries his best to torment Dismmesdale. And Dimmesdale, suffering from both physical and spirit torment, announces his “sin” at last, he dies an honest man. Roger, withers at last, Prynne, restructures her life and wins people’s respect, Pearl, leaves for Europe, marries a noble family, leading a happy life.

2．Puritanism in American
    “Puritanism was entirely English in its origin, yet the movement achieved its greatest influence in America. The 17th century colonies in New England represent the fullest development of the movement.”[3]P22 Puritanism is the practices and beliefs of the Puritans. The Puritans were originally members of a division of the Protestant Church, who came into existence in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James I. The first Puritans to arrive in America were Separatists. A new group of Separatists fled England in 1607---1609, to the north of Plymouth, in the area around Boston, other Puritans began arriving in 1628---1630. They came over under the auspices of the Massachusetts Bay Company, a corporation with rights to the area of land lying betwee