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LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
After going through this module, you should be able to: a. discuss views on revenge, adultery, shaming, and other issues related to the topic; b. compare and contrast the characters’ strengths and weaknesses using the Venn diagram; and c. create another version of the end of the story. .
TOPIC OUTLINE
MODULE 8: The Scarlet Letter By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
OVERVIEW
As you go through your journey in Masterpieces of World Literature, you will appreciate more what life experience brings. Hi! Welcome to module 8! This module reveals a story of a woman who had a love affair to a minister of church and had given birth to a child who served as concrete evidence of her infidelity. Her adulterous act led to public shaming that affected not only her but also the entire community. Further, this module will serve as an eye opener particularly for those who can relate the same experience. Find out what this wonderful life experience entails. "The Scarlet Letter 23" by Byrds & Mirrors is marked with CC PDM 1.0 retrieved September 8, 2020 from http://bit.ly/2EfcX7m
Masterpieces of World Literature
MODULE 8: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel
ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
- Have you ever been tempted to fall in love with someone else while already in a relationship?
- If yes, how did you feel keeping a secret relationship to your partner?
- If no, how would you deal with this kind of situation in case it may happen to you?
THE SCARLET
LETTER
By Nathaniel
Hawthorne
About the Author Nathaniel Hawthorne, born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts was an American short story writer and romance novelist, who experimented with a broad range of styles and genres. He is best known for his short stories and two widely read novel: The Scarlet letter (mid-March 1850) and The House of Seven Gables (1851). Along with Herman Melville and Edgar Allan Poe, much of Hawthorne’s work belongs to genre of Dark Romanticism, distinguished by an emphasis on human fallibility that gives rise to lapses in judgment that allow even good men and women to drift toward sin and self- destruction. Dark Romantics tend to draw attention to the unintended consequences and complications that arise from well- intended efforts at social reform. Melville dedicated his epic novel, Moby-Dick to Hawthorne: “In token of my admiration for his genius.” Hawthorne’s lesser- known poems exemplify Dark Romanticism; some his darkest works, including his ghost stories and tales involving the supernatural, fall within the genre of Gothic Literature. Young Hawthorne was a contemporary of fellow Transcendalists: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott, Hawthorne was part of this prominent circle of Massachusetts writers and philosophers. The Transcendentalists believed in the “inherent goodness of both people and nature.” I would encourage you to think of them as intellectual hippies of the early 19 th^ century (the movement sprang forth in the 1820’s and 1830’s). Hawthorne was a founding member of Brook Farm, a utopian experiment in communal living. Though he is not portrayed as a deep believer in its ideals. As Hawthorne matured, he drifted further and further from some of the transcendental principles. In fact, his later writing, produced after greater experience in the world, demonstrated an increasing disdain for the Transcendental Movement. He notably fictionalized “Nathaniel Hawthorne” by Matthew Brady is retrieved September 8, 2020 from http://bit.ly/32DUcnu
Everyone believed that Hester’s husband may have been lost at the sea, that he could have already been dead. Apparently, Hester had had an affair and had given birth to a child while waiting for her husband. Hester promised that she would never reveal who the father of her daughter is; however, the scarlet letter on her breast and the public shaming stood as her punishment for her sin and secrecy. On that day, she was led to the town scaffold. She was sermonized by the town fathers, but she still refuses to reveal his lover’s identity who was believed to be her daughter’s father. Unknown to everyone, the elderly onlooker who has been told about Hester’s adultery was her missing husband. He was already practicing medicine and disguised and called himself Roger Chillingworth. He stayed in Boston with an intent on revenge. He revealed his true identity to no one but to his wife, Hester, whom he had sworn to secrecy. Several years passed, Hester supported herself and her daughter by working as a seamstress and Pearl grew up a willful and impish child. Being avoided and rejected by the community, Hester and Pearl lived in in a small cottage on the outskirts of Boston. Community officials tried to take Pearl away from her mother but it never happened because of Arthur Dimmesdale, a young and eloquent minister. He helped the mother and daughter to stay and live together. However, the minister seemed to be wasting away. He appeared to be suffering from a mysterious heart trouble, seemingly caused by psychological distress. Chillingworth attached himself to Dimmesdale and moved in with him so she could give the round-the- clock care to the ailing minister. Because of his observations, Chillingworth had some suspicions that what was happening to the minister. May have a connection to Hester’s secrecy. His suspicions led him to test what he can find out from the minister. One afternoon, while Dimmesdale was sleeping, Chillingworth discovered a mark on the minister’s chest. This convinced Chillingworth that what he suspected between the minister and Hester was correct. Dimmesdale’s condition had worsened and he invented new torments for himself. On the other hand, Hester’s charitable deeds gave her a reprieve from the community’s scorn. One night, when Pearl was about seven years old, she and her mother were returning home from their visit to a deathbed when they encountered Dimmesdale on the town scaffold, punishing himself for the sins he has committed. The mother and daughter joined the minister and the three linked hands. Pearl requested Dimmesdale to acknowledge her as his daughter publicly the next day but the minister’s self-torments but Chillingworth denied Hester’s request. Hester’s arranged a meeting with Dimmesdale at the forest because she knew that Chillingworth had probably predicted and she planned to reveal his true identity to Dimmesdale decided to flee to Europe where they can live as a family with Pearl. They would take a ship sailing to Boston in four days. The two felt a sense of relief and Hester took off her scarlet letter. Pearl did not recognize her mother without the letter. The townspeople gathered at the church for a holiday, a day before Hester, Dimmesdale and Pearl would leave. Dimmesdale preached his most eloquent sermon ever. Meanwhile, Chillingworth had learned that Hester and Dimmesdale planned to flee to Europe. This made him book the passage on the ship. While leaving the church after his sermon. Dimmesdale saw Hester and Pearl standing at the town scaffold. Dimmesdale impulsively mounted the scaffold with Hester and their daughter and confessed their sin publicly. He exposed a scarlet letter seared into a flesh of his chest, he immediately as Pearl kissed him. Chillingworth became very frustrated in this revenge because it did not turn out the way he wanted it to end. He died a year after Dimmesdale died. Hester and Pearl left Boston and no single one knew where they have gone nor
what happened to them, but many years have passed, Hester came back to Boston alone and still with the scarlet letter. There, she lived in her old cottage and continued her charitable endeavors. She still received occasional letters from her daughter, Pearl, who married a European aristocrat and established her own family. When Hester died, she was buried next to her lover Dimmesdale sharing a single tombstone which bears a scarlet “A”. "The Scarlet Letter 23" by Byrds & Mirrors is marked with CC PDM 1.0 retrieved September 8, 2020 from http://bit.ly/3hJfOTH
LEARNING
ACTIVITY 1
Explore your Creativity Objective: Create an acrostic poetry concerning your views on revenge, adultery, shaming, forgiveness, and other related topics. Task: As a student in Masterpieces of World Literature, you are tasked to create your own acrostic poetry regarding your views on revenge, adultery, shaming, forgiveness and other related topics on the space provided on the right side of this page. Below is a good example of an acrostic poetry.
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LEARNING
ACTIVITY 3
Other side of the story’s ending Objective: Create another version of the end of the story. Task: For you to be able to develop your creativity and imagination, you, are tasked to create another version of the story’s ending. Note: Your own version of the story’s ending must contain at least 150 words. Please, use the space provided on the next page.
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SUMMARY
Let us see if you can remember the main points raised in this lesson. Below is a summary of these points: The story revolves around Hester Prynne and her alleged adulterous acts. She was sent to Boston ahead by her husband but her husband never arrived. In consensus, he was believed to have lost at the sea. Hester has had an affair and had given birth to a daughter whom she named Pearl. Hester never revealed her daughter’s father because she wanted to protect his identity and reputation. Hester’s missing husband, disguised and called himself Roger Chillingworth, returned practicing medicine and with an intent on revenge. He associated himself to Dimmesdale, the ailing church minister, whom he suspected of having a connection with Hester’s secrecy. He found out that his suspicions were correct when he discovered a mark on the minister’s chest. Dimmesdale’s condition worsened due to his psychological distress and new invested self- torments. Hester decided to intervene. She and Dimmesdale decided to flee to Europe with Pearl and start as a family. However, on his very sermon, Dimmesdale died after exposing the scarlet letter engraved into the flesh of his chest. Due to frustration on his revenge, Chillingworth died a year after Dimmesdale died. Hester and Pearl left Boston and no one knew what happened to them until one day after several years, Hester came back alone and continued her charity works but still with the scarlet letter on. When she died, she was buried next to Dimmesdale sharing a single tombstone which bares scarlet letter A. Congratulations! You have just finished module 8! I hope that this will serve as lesson in making sound decisions in life. Keep your track for the next modules ahead.
READINGS AND
REFERENCES
Readings
Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008, November 11). The Scarlet Letter Full Text. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.shmoop.com/scarlet-letter/f ull-text.html McDonald, R. (2020, May 05). The Scarlet Letter. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/The- Scarlet-Letter-novel-by-Hawthorne Hawthorne, N. (n.d.). The Scarlet Letter. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://americanliterature.com/author/na thaniel-hawthorne/book/the-scarlet- letter/summary
References
Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008, November 11). The Scarlet Letter Full Text. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.shmoop.com/scarlet-letter/f ull-text.html McDonald, R. (2020, May 05). The Scarlet Letter. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/The- Scarlet-Letter-novel-by-Hawthorne Hawthorne, N. (n.d.). The Scarlet Letter. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://americanliterature.com/author/na
