“While this passed, Hester Prynne had been standing on her pedestal, still with a fixed gaze towards the stranger--so fixed a gaze that, at moments of intense absorption, all other objects in the visible world seemed to vanish, leaving only him and her. Such an interview, perhaps, would have been more terrible than even to meet him as she now did, with the hot mid-day sun burning down upon her face, and lighting up its shame; with the scarlet token of infamy on her breast; with the sin-born infant in her arms; with a whole people, drawn forth as to a festival, staring at the features that should have been seen only in the quiet gleam of the fireside, in the happy shadow of a home, or beneath a matronly veil at church. Dreadful as it was, she was conscious of a shelter in the presence of these thousand witnesses. It was better to stand thus, with so many betwixt him and her, than to greet him face to face--they two alone. She fled for refuge, as it were, to the public exposure, and dreaded the moment when its protection should be withdrawn from her. Involved in these thoughts, she scarcely heard a voice behind her until it had repeated her name more than once, in a loud and solemn tone, audible to the whole multitude.” (Chapter 3, Pg. 59-60)
What and Why?
This passage is significant because it shows the connection between the “stranger” and Hester. It illustrates that there is something more between these two individuals. However, it is not a positive meeting because of all of the negative things standing between them. Those of which are: the scarlet letter (“A”) upon her breast, the “sinful” baby (Pearl), and the crowd of scornful people.
This passage is meaningful because it provides suspense, in which at the end of Chapter 4 is revealed. It is revealed that the “stranger” is not actually a stranger but Hester’s husband. The “stranger” is Roger Chillingworth which is not his real name, but he uses it so no one in town knows that he was married to Hester. He is disturbed, because he realizes that his wife has cheated on him during his absence, and has had a child. This foreshadows his revenge throughout the rest of the novel.
Nathaniel Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions when Hester and her husband (the stranger) see each other so, that the reader does not forget the way that they met again, after his absence. He uses complex sentences to show the variety of “awful” things that have happened while her husband was gone.
Questions:
1. Why does Nathaniel Hawthorne organize Hester and her husband’s meeting distant from each other as done in this passage?
2. How would it be different if Roger Chillingworth and Hester would have met up first face-to-face?
3. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses complex sentences to show the variety of “awful” things that have happened while her husband was gone. Do you think other-wise? Why or Why not?
In response to your first question, Nathaniel Hawthorne most probably had Hester Prynne's encounter with her (ex?) husband at the site of her humiliation because he wanted to build up suspense so that the name of Prynne's baby daughter's name would not be revealed so soon in the novel. If they both would have met together, then Prynne probably would have revealed the name of the father. There is plenty of suspense created in the moment when both Chillingsworth and Prynne's eyes first caught each other, and he made his gesture to her.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your second question, if Roger Chillingsworth had initially met with Hester Prynne first, there would have been a different approach to the situation. For instance, their rather 'shocking' encounter would not have occurred since "a writhing horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them..." (pg. 57). Chillingsworth asked a townsman what was the woman (Prynne) doing up there on the pedestal, and, of course, Chillingsworth was told of Prynne's evil doings. But there would have been a different effect between being told by stranger as to have been told by Prynne herself. For example, Prynne wouldn't have hesitated so much to take the medicine from Chillingsworth and maybe even could've told him the name of the man who "wronged [them] both." Because Chillingsworth had already heard of Prynne's unfortunate situation, he had approached Prynne a bit more coldly as he probably would have if Prynne had told him her side of the story.
Hi hon: Are you still confused about the assignment? You post once a week to the class ("my") blogsite, answering what I prompt you with. Each week, you also write the assignment (just like you did here for chap 3 & 4) for the week's assigned chapters. Don't forget to look at the questions from your group members.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1: Hawthorne organizes Hester and Chillingsworth meeting distant from each other to create suspense and make the reader think different ideas of why do they look at each other with "a fixed gaze towards the stranger-so fixed a gaze that...all other objects in the visible world seemed to vanish, leaving only him and her".He would make them wander things like what do they have in common, how do they know each other, or by the gesture Chillingsworth does what does he want to keep as a secret/want to shush her. Moreover,it creates mystery as to what will happen next since Hester and Chillingsworth have already seen each other and make the reader deeply wander about who is the real father of Pearl.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: If Hester and Chillingsworth would have met face to face then the purpose and the story would have changed. It would not have the same psychological effects as it is does now.Chillingsworth would be confused, wondering why Hester would be wearing the letter A, who is the baby, and overall what is going on. Finally, if they would have met each other there would be violence and screaming between them-they would have arguments as to who is her lover and the name of the baby's father so it would led to the truth.If they met face to face the "sin" Hester committed wouldn't be known and she wouldn't be punished so there wouldn't be a story.
#2
ReplyDeleteIf Hester were to meet Chillingworth face to face first, there would have been suspicion arising with the Puritan town of possibly him being the father of the child or being forced to put Hester in more ridcule and shame with the town if he presented himself has his husband that has been betrayed by his own wife. What could have probably done to Hester emotionally is she would have been put in shock that the man that went to the woods is in front of her, and she has to conjurn up an explaination right on the spot.
Which then this question leads to number 1 of why Hawthorne presented Chillingworth at a distance away from Hester but yet in view of her so that she may know that he is in town but she must keep quiet also of Chillingworth finding out what has happen when he was not within the purtian society but in the wilderness with the Indians...in a way its more of finding out through the town gossip, a catch-up of the current news.
Response for #1
ReplyDeleteHawthorne possibly had Chillingworth and Hester not meet face to face as their first encounter because it creates a suspense for the audience since the two have an significant relationship, as insinuated in the text, that we are left to ponder about until it is revealed later in the story.
Response for #2
If Chillingworth and Hester meet upfront as their first encounter since their departure from each other, it probably would not have been as enticing for the reader because the mystery to this character of Chillingworth is gone. Additionally, Hester might have had a different reaction to his presence if she were to see him within a distance of four feet because once their eyes locked for the first time (Pg 57), he held his finger to his lips, hushing her; she might of spat in his face, yell, scream, run away, immediately reveal his true nature, anything other than hushing.