本科生毕业论文-《红字》中的模糊性.doc

廊坊师范学院本科生毕业论文题目：红字中的模糊性姓名：李海肖指导教师：安晓红系别：英语系专业：英语教育年级：接本完成时间5月20日Ambiguity in The Scarlet LetterByLi HaixiaoProf: An XiaohongSubmitted to the BA committee in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the English department of Langfang Teachers College2004/5/20题目：红字中的模糊性摘要：纳撒尼尔霍桑是美国19世纪杰出的浪漫注意小说家。在他创作的几部长篇小说中，红字一直被列为“霍桑式”小说中最为出色的一部。与所有其他优秀文学作品一样，红字自问世以来，便激发起各种各样的评论，而且从未间断。事实上，众多的文学批评家们，一直在尝试着用各种方法研究这部小说。也正是这个缘由，才使得霍桑的魅力有增无减，经久不衰；从而也使他在美国文学史上的地位愈显突出。源与人们对这部小说持续不断的研究热情，我们才得意对这部小说的不同理解与解释有所了解，同时也激发起我们对霍桑运用模糊性这一表现手法的探究兴趣。这一手法的运用，尽管使得这部作品显得隐晦，意义含糊、摸棱两可，从而导致了多种不同的、乃至相互矛盾的解释，但是毫无疑问，在很大程度上，也正是这一艺术表现手法的成功运用，才使得这部小说成为霍桑的杰作，读后令人回味无穷。即便在150年后的今天，它仍值得人们拜读。模糊性是霍桑运用得最为娴熟、最为成功的艺术手法之一。红字中的模糊性可见与诸多方面，对自然环境的描写，道德观在四个主要人物中的体现以及红字本身对海丝特，珠儿以及狄姆斯台尔的不同意义等等。论文从以上所论及的几个方面对霍桑在红字中所运用的模糊性手法进行了探索、研究，并指出：尽管这一手法的使用，给读者造成了一定的阅读困难，导致了多种不同的乃至相互矛盾的解释。因此，红字的成功，也当归功与模糊性这一创作手法的运用，大大增添了这部名著的神秘与魅力。关键词：模糊性；不可理解性；令人困惑Title: Ambiguity in The Scarlet LetterAbstract: Nathaniel Hawthorne is an outstanding novelist of American Romanticism in the 19th century. Among his larger works, The Scarlet Letter has been generally rated as his characteristic best. Therefore, like all other great works, it continuously stimulates criticism. A good number of critical studies have been added considerably to Hawthornes reputation and stature. As the result of the steady studies, critics, writers and even ordinary readers have come up with many different readings and interpretations of the novel. This eventually leads to the study of Hawthornes perplexed ambiguity, which, though sometimes causes difficulty to the reader, helps a lot in making this novel Hawthornes masterpiece and a rewarding work to read even today. Hawthornes ambiguity is one of the features of his literary and artistic creation. This thesis attempts to argue his ambiguity in The Scarlet Letter through description of natural settings, embodiment of morality in four main characters and the different meanings of scarlet letter “A” in Hester, Pearl and Dimmesdale. Hawthornes application of the artistic technique of ambiguity does arouse some confusion and invites the readers introspection, which gives the book a certain air of mystery. Hopefully, this thesis will help, to some extent, some confused readers of The Scarlet Letter to develop a better understanding of Hawthornes novel.Key words: ambiguity; incredulity; elusivenessContentsI. Introduction 6II. Ambiguity in Natural Settings 8 III. Ambiguity in Morality 10IV. Ambiguity in Scarlet Letter “A” 13V. Conclusion 17Notes 20Bibliography 21I. IntroductionHawthorne, a descendent of Puritan immigrants, takes both pride and hatred in his ancestors. Some of his ancestors were men of prominence in the Puritan theocracy of the seventeenth century New England. However, as magistrate and judge, Hawthornes greatgreatgrand father, William Hawthorne(16071681),was notorious for his role in the persecution of the Quakers. From Hawthornes works and writings, he does feel guilty and ashamed of the two ancestors of his, however, he also takes pride in his ancestors. Hawthorne both loathes and lives his prominent and notorious ancestors.Hawthorne lives in an age with the rapid industrial and economic growth appears an increasing number of proletarians, resulting in a bigger and bigger gap between the poor and the rich, and more and more conflicts as well. To him, all kinds of social problems, all kinds of conflicts arise from one single root, that is, the “ inherent evilness” in this world. In Hawthornes time, many people, including many conventional American Christians have actually, if unconsciously, given up the Puritan belief in original sin and began to think that man is perfectible. However Hawthorne still holds that “evil as well as good impulses were native to every human heart and must be combated afresh by every man and woman in every generation.”1Hawthorne has a deeprooted interest in religion, towards which, however, his attitude is a contradictory one. On the one hand, he attacks and denounces the fanatical religious actions persecuting those who hold different views; on the other hand, he takes the fundamental religious dogma as criteria to distinguish good from evil.Since Hawthornes themes are often such psychological ones as sin, concealed sin, the consequences of sin, secret guilt, the impingement of the Puritan past, the futility of the comprehensive social reforms, the impossibility of getting rid of sin from the human heart, etc., in dealing with these kinds of themes, he is always ambivalent, for he knows that his success as a writers depends upon his keeping psychological analysis of people he meets, while he can never forget that invasion of the sanctity of anothers personality may harden the heart even as it enriches the mind. He knows that there is “something of the hawk-eye” about him, and that the line is vague between prurient curiosity and legitimate artistic study of character. Therefore, he is often seen to evade the issues with which he confronts. Hawthorne tried to “mediate between the private vision and the common-sense objective world”2. In so doing, it seems that he is also trying to cut himself loose from any reality. That is why Hawthorne turns to allegorical method and symbols, which cause a lot of ambiguity.In all these cases lead to Hawthornes use of ambiguity, which leaves the solution to the reader; the reader must decide what is literally true. In the Oxford Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms, the definition given to the term “ambiguity” goes as “openness to different interpretations; or an instance in which some use of language may be understood in diverse ways. Sometimes known as plurisignation or multiple meaning, ambiguity became a central concept in the interpretation of poetry after William Empson, in Seven Types of Ambiguity(1930), defended it as a source of poetic richness rather than a fault of impression”.3Hawthornes ambiguity is employed in The Scarlet Letter. With this device, he casts doubt on his own story as he has told it, and he suggests that an incident may have happened in quite a different way, if at all. This thesis will be devoted to the ambiguities of natural settings, morality and the scarlet letter “A”.II. Ambiguity in Natural SettingsFor Hawthornes, natural settings often seem to be less important for what they are than for the idea they represent. This view results in his using of ambiguity throughout his works, which thus often take the reader a lot of effort in the search of meaning that is under the disguise of common objects. Hawthornes continual use of this element gives the book a certain air of mystery; therefore permitting the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. One is constantly weighing the natural versus the marvelous reason for an event.The first occurrence of ambiguity is concerning the rosebush, outside of the prison where Hester was kept. No one truly know the origin of the rosebush, Hawthorne leaves it up to the reader to decide the rosebush “had survived out of the stern wildness”4 or “whether it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson”5. There is also an additional instance of ambiguity with the rosebush. But, this time it also concerns Pearl. When passing the rosebush at the Governors home, Pearl asks her mother for a rose. Later, when she is being questioned where she came from, Pearl replied, “that she had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison door.”6 The natural reason for this is that Pearl wanted a rose from the Governors home. The internal reason for this is Pearl wanted to enter the society. More complex ones, however, are those that Hawthorne sustains throughout the novel, allowing each of them to develop and take on various appearances and meanings as the book progresses. In most cases, recurring events show great significance and elucidate the truth beneath appearance. Take the scaffold in the novel for example, Hawthorne chooses the scenes to show powerful similarities. Each scaffold scene foreshadows the next and brings great understanding of the novel. By beginning with the first, continuing with the middle, and ending with the last platform scene, we can gain a better understanding of the masterpiece. These three important events in the novel have great significance. The first one signifies love; Hester had such strong love that she could not make Dimmesdale go through what she was going through. The second scaffold scene signifies cowardice. The reverend was suffering much and yet could not relieve his suffering through confession. The ending event signifies bravery. Even though he didnt have to confess, Dimmesdale did The Scarlet Letters recurring event was very potent.For another instance, the forest has various meanings. It is a place where wiches gather, where souls are signed away to the devil, and where Dimmesdale can yield himself with deliberate choice to what he knows is deadly sin. It signifies darkness and evil of the world. It also means a place where Pearl can run and play scarlet “A”. It also means a natural world governed by natural lawsas opposed to the artificial, strict community with its manmade Puritan law . In addition, the forest can also mean a place where one can find his way only by following a narrow, twisting path; it is a symbol of “moral wildness” in which Hester has been wandering.Light and darkness are also another important natural phenomena description. Because it represents the most common battle of all time, good versus evil. When Hester and her daughter are walking in the forest, Pearl exclaims: “Mother, the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is, playing a good way off. Stand you here, and let me run and catch it. I am but a child. It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet.”7 Hester tried to stretch her hand into the circle of light, but the sunshine vanishes. She then suggests that they go into the forest and have rest. This short scene actually represents Hesters daily struggle in life. The light represents what Hester wants to be, which is pure. The movement of the light represents Hesters constant denial of acceptance. Hesters lack of surprise that she never expected to be admitted and is resigned to her station in life. Another way light and darkness is used is in the way Hester and Dimmesdales plan to escape is doomed. Hester and Dimmesdale meet in the shadows of the forest with a gloomy sky and a threatening storm overhead when they discuss their plans for the further. The gloomy weather and shadows exemplify the fact they cant get away from the repressive force of their sins.III. Ambiguity in Morality Hawthornes ambiguity about mans moral nature in The Scarlet Letter is the greatest challenge and pleasure for his readers. Is Hester guilty of anything beyond the transgression of the parochial beliefs of her immediate environment? Is her “sin” Christian and human love? Is she the noble heroine of a love story ordained in Heaven? Such ideas were confusing to many 19th century readers and are confusing to readers of today as well. Hawthorne leaves them as questions and readers must take the challenge to decide by themselves.In this novel Hawthorne examines the phenomena of guilt and shame in Puritan New England. It generates a mixture of confusion of pleasure and disquietude in the readers. The confusion is the result of a moral ambiguity in the storys situations and characters. In this novel, this confusion brings the readers own beliefs into question, proving that its themes are still relevant in todays culture.The moral ambiguity in The Scarlet Letter starts with the situation of the novel. The heroine, Hester, is an adulteress, a sinner found guilty and tired by the Puritan religious court. It seems that Hawthorne keeps on insinuating throughout the novel whether Hester deserves her punishment. Hesters crime is reduced to a crime of passion, an expression of her individualistic rebellion against the harshness of her society, Hawthorne writes, “She has wandered without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as vast, as intricate and shadowy as the untamed forestHer intellect and heartroamed as freely as the wild Indian in his woods. ”8 “The tendency of her fate and fortunes had been to set her free.”9 Is Hesters crime made less sinful because it is an individualistic expression? Hester ultimate fate seems to suggest not. She does oft die of her guilt as her lover, the Reverend Dimmesdale, does; but she lingers on earth, forever wearing the stigma of the scarlet letter. In addition, Hawthorne does not say that Hester ascends to heavenly bliss, nor does he say that she is condemned to the fiery hell of Puritan damnation. “He was too aware of his own human frailty to arrange final judgment. He left it to his readers to recognize their own sinful humanity and their redeeming brotherhoodand sisterhoodwith their fellow humans.”10The character of Pearl, Hesters daughter, suggests otherwise. Like Hester, there was a trait of passion, a certain depth of hue in Pearls character. Pearl is the distillation of Hester and Dimmesdales deep, hidden wells of freedom and individuality. Roger Chillingworth comments on Pearls unpredictability, wondering, “Hath she any discoverable principle of being?” “None,” answers Dimmesdale, “save the freedom of a broken law.”11 Freedom generally regarded as a positive characteristic, yet this freedom of Pearl is described as the result of a lawless rebellion. If we associate with the Romantic belief that children are innocents, unsoiled by the sins of humanity, this ambiguity is reinforced. Like Hester, Pearls fate gives further insight. Pearl, who has been the symbol of individuality and freedom taken to an extreme, finally becomes a rich heiress, and lives a happy life. As a matter of fact, she is the only character in the novel to do so. It is also interesting to note that Pearl has inherited two things; from her parents, the individuality of her character, and from the evil Chillingworth, Hesters rightful husband, the property and money that allow her to live a happy life.Chillingworth is another character that contributes to this moral ambiguity. Although he is described as dark, evil, even demonic, the readers sympathies favor him somewhat; as it can be seem clearly that Hesters untruthfulness has affected him deeply. Initially, Chillingworth is a wronged man, but he determines to take revenge against Dimmesdale. Is it his desire for revenge that makes him evil; or is it his method of seeking revenge that makes him evil? This is not made clear. Dimmesdale expresses a rationalization of this demonization of Chillingworth, claiming, “We are not, Hester, the worst sinners in the world. There is one worse than even the polluted priest! That old mans revenge has been blacker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart. Thou and I, Hester, never did so!”12 Dimmesdale simply ignores the wounds they have instilled on Chillngworth. This oversight accentuates the doubts in the heart of readers. They cannot help asking whether Hester and Dimmesdale really deserve of their sympathy, and Chillingworth deserves of their revulsion?Dimmesdale is also a source of moral uncertainty in the novel. The character of the “pollute priest” is a common one, and is commentary on the impossibility of attaining the purity of God on earth. Corrupted by sin and living the lie of holiness, Dimmesdale wonders if his charade is necessary to ensure that Gods work is accomplished on earth. Dimmesdale wrestles with this idea of salvation through hardworking, perceiving in his churchly duties in the hope of redeeming himself. Dimmesdale explains this situation to Chillngworth as he outlines why a hypothetical person might keep his sins a secret. “ guilty as they may be, retaining, nevertheless, a zeal for Gods glory and mans welfare, they shrink from displaying themselves black and filthy in the view of men, because, thenceforward, no good may be achieved by them; No evil of the past be redeemed by better service.” 13 Are Dimmesdales hopes in vain? Dimmesdale confesses his sin after an inspired Election Day sermon, dying as he reveals the truths. Is this an indication that no works, no matter how miraculous, are enough to keep a sinner from his fate? Or, since his life was such a torture, are his death not justice, but mercy? Has he earned death and a respite from the pain of guilty? This is but another example of the moral ambiguity in Hawthornes novel. We cannot make any inferences bases solely upon the next. Therefore, The Scarlet Letter has created a “healthy confusion” in its readers.The moral ambiguities in The Scarlet Letter force readers to reevaluate their own beliefs as if plays with the readers sympathies. It is the introspection demanded by Hawthornes work that makes it a lasting piece of literature. The questions asked by The Scarlet Letter are so timeless that they remain relevant in todays society.IV Ambiguity in Scarlet Letter “A”Another importan