While Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter,
an Early American novel, does not have the detailed
character development evinced in more contemporary novels nor the dialogue that also
reveals character traits, there are yet observations made by the narrator that
characterize the three important personnages, Hester Pyrnne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and
Roger Chillingworth.
As the reader peruses the novel,
seeking pregnant passages, he/she may wish to select those passages representative of
important traits, and those which indicate significant actions or ideas that relate to
themes.
Hester
Prynne
Above all, the warfare of Hester's spirit at
that epoch was perpetuated in Pearl. (5)
Like all other
joys, she rejected it as sin. (5)
Alone in the world, cast
off by it, and with this sole treasure to keep her heart alive, she felt that she
possessed indefeasible rights against the world, and was ready to defend them to the
death. (8)
Hester's nature showed itself warm and
rich....She was self-ordained a Sister of Mercy....The letter was the symbol of her
calling. Such helpfulness was found in her,--so much power to do, ... sympathize,--it
meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength.
(13)
She assumed a freedom of speculation....In her
lonesome cottage,...thoughts visited her such as dared to enter no other
dwelling...(13)
... Was existence worth accepting even to
the happiest among them?....At times a fearful doubt strove to possess her soul, whether
it were not better to send Pearl at once to Heaven, and go herself to such futurity as
Eternal Justice should provide.
The scarlet letter had not
done its office (13)
...Hester Prynne...glanced her sad
eyes downward at the scarlet
letter...
Arthur
Dimmesdale
...Arthur
Dimmesdale, false to God and man, might be, for one moment
true!(17)
"The judgment of God is on me...It is too mighty
for me to struggle with!"(17)
"If .. I could recall one
instant of peace or hope, I would yet endure, for the sake of that earnest of Heaven's
mercy. But now...wherefore should I not snatch the solace allowed to the condemned
culprit before his execution?...Neither can I any longer live without her companionship;
so powerful is she to sustain,--so tender to soothe! O Thou to whom I dare not lift
mine eyes, wilt Thou yet pardon me?" (18)
No man, for any
considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without
finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.
(10
"Ha! tempter! Methinks thou art too late!"..."Thy
power is not what it was! With God's help, I shall escape thee now!"
(23)
"But there stood one in midst of you, at whose brand
of sin and infamy ye have not shuddered!" (23)
"....It may
be, that, when we forgot our God,--when we violated our reverence each for the other's
soul,--it was thenceforth vain to hope that we could meet herafter, in an everlasting
and pure
reunion."(23)
Roger
Chillingworth
[to Hester] "We have wronged each other"
(4)
"He will be mine!" (4)
His
form grew emaciated; his voice, though still rich and sweet, had a certain melancholy
prophecy of decay in it. (9)
Had a man seen old Roger
Chillinworth, at that moment of his ecstasy, he would have had no need to ask how Satan
comports himself when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won into his kingdom.
(10)
"Thou hast escaped me!"
(23)
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