Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Symbolism in The violent earn Carl Jung believed that the source of figures is universal. Symbols rustle from the collective unconscious common to all gentle universe everywhere. Joseph Campbells research supports this theory he traces universal archetypes through the stories, myths, and artwork of various cultures. While more or less work done with emblemism has focused on the universality of symbols, Nathaniel haw focuses on their personal, subjective meanings. A universal symbol arises from the symbols relationship to human beings thus, such a symbol remains the very(prenominal) across cultures and with assorted individuals. While symbols can be created, such created symbols be subjective and moldiness be given meaning within their scope and because the context is various among individuals and societies and can vary over time, the meanings of the symbols are, likewise, highly variable. In The Scarlet Letter, the symbol of most importance is the garner A which H ester Prynne is condemned to wear, having been establish guilty of adultery. Literally, the letter A is an arbitrary visual representation of contingent sounds used in languages. Nothing in the shape of the letter A or each other aspect of its being represents adultery. This shape is hold upon by populate who use the Roman alphabet to begin the serial of marks that visually signifies the word adultery. This is not a universally emblematic relationship. The letter A means nothing in itself until the Puritans agree to a meaning in order to mark Hester and this meaning is altered consort to the mindset of those see it. Hester with this mark of shame upon her bosom is meant to be a living speaking against sin (59) yet the residents of Boston had begun to look upon the cherry letter as the token, not of that one sin . . . but of her more good plant since. . . . The scarlet letter had the effect of the cross on a nuns bosom. It imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness, whi ch enabled her to walk securely amid all expose (149). Some large number begin saying that A stands for able (148). another(prenominal) example of the nacreous symbolism of the letter A is the astronomical suit witnessed by Arthur Dimmesdale and others on the night of Governor Winthrops death. Dimmesdale as a man rendered morbidly self-contemplative . . . had drawn-out his egoism over the whole expanse of nature.Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Scarlet Letter essaysSymbolism in The Scarlet Letter Carl Jung believed that the source of symbols is universal. Symbols arise from the collective unconscious common to all humans everywhere. Joseph Campbells research supports this theory he traces universal archetypes through the stories, myths, and artwork of various cultures. While most work done with symbolism has focused on the universality of symbols, Nathaniel Hawthorn focuses on their personal, subjective meanings. A universal symbol arise s from the symbols relationship to reality thus, such a symbol remains the same across cultures and with different individuals. While symbols can be created, such created symbols are subjective and must be given meaning within their context and because the context is different among individuals and societies and can vary over time, the meanings of the symbols are, likewise, highly variable. In The Scarlet Letter, the symbol of most importance is the letter A which Hester Prynne is condemned to wear, having been found guilty of adultery. Literally, the letter A is an arbitrary visual representation of particular sounds used in languages. Nothing in the shape of the letter A or any other aspect of its being represents adultery. This shape is agreed upon by people who use the Roman alphabet to begin the series of marks that visually signifies the word adultery. This is not a universally symbolic relationship. The letter A means nothing in itself until the Puritans agree to a meaning i n order to mark Hester and this meaning is altered according to the mindset of those interpreting it. Hester with this mark of shame upon her bosom is meant to be a living sermon against sin (59) yet the residents of Boston had begun to look upon the scarlet letter as the token, not of that one sin . . . but of her many good deeds since. . . . The scarlet letter had the effect of the cross on a nuns bosom. It imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness, which enabled her to walk securely amid all peril (149). Some people begin saying that A stands for able (148). Another example of the changeable symbolism of the letter A is the astronomical event witnessed by Arthur Dimmesdale and others on the night of Governor Winthrops death. Dimmesdale as a man rendered morbidly self-contemplative . . . had extended his egoism over the whole expanse of nature.