earticle

영어

Kim, Cheol-soo. “An Excuse for Dimmesdale: Re-reading The Scarlet Letter.” Studies in English Language & Literature 43.2 (2017): 75-96. This study aims to re-read Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and revaluate Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, who has been negatively assessed as a hypocritical coward hidden in the shadow of Puritanism and present more positive perspective of him. Some characteristics of the novel such as the temporal and emotional gaps between the 17th century society and the attitude of a 19th century writer, the genre of romance swaying between the past and the present, reality and fantasy, and finally the flexibility of narrative allowing for an open-ended reading enable the reader to attempt a different interpretation. Especially the narrative of the novel based on an ambivalent emotion toward the totality of Puritanism in the 17th century New England and the individuality of transcendentalism in the 19th century helps the reader find that the focus of the narrative moves from Hester Prynne as an individual who rebels against the sternness of a society to pastor Dimmesdale, who has managed to undergo plenty of spiritual wars on the basis of his belief in God. Finally, pastor Dimmesdale, once a fallen and hidden religious leader of the society, reappears as a sincere man of faith, who has cherished and preserved sincere faith in God and taught it to the people of New England until his repentance and death. (Chosun University)