關于霍桑作品的基本主題

關于霍桑作品的基本主題關于霍桑作品的基本主題

本文由中國論文聯(lián)盟Keywords:basictheme,sin,expiation,redemption,Puritan,Calvinism

論文

關于霍桑作品的基本主題

eheroBrown’sfaithofhisown,andthatofhisfaithinothers.GoodmanBrownisanhonestyoungmaninpeople’seyes,butislaterseducedbyevil.Heoncegoestoattendthewitches’Sabbath,buttherehefindsoutsomeguiltysecretsofotherpeople.Hemeetsalltherespectable,reputable,andpiouspersonsofthevillageincludingtheladyofgovernor,wivesofhonoredhusband,excellentfairyounggirls,andchurchmembersofthevillagefamousfortheirespecialsanctity.Tohisgreatersurprise,heevenseeshisnewlymarriedwife,thepureandsweetestFaith.Therefore,Brownrealizestheevilofothersandcannotbelieveingoodinhimselfandinothers.Inthestory,Hawthornecreatesa“darkfigure”totellBrown,orratherthereadersthefollowingwords:

“Thereareallwhomyehavereverencedfromyouth.Yedeemedthemholierthanyourselves,andshrankfromyourownsin,contrastingitwiththeirlivesofrighteousnessandprayerfulaspirationsheavenward.Yetherearetheyallinmyworshipingassembly.Thisnightitshallbegrantedyoutoknowtheirsecretdeeds:howhoary-beardedeldersofthechurchhavewhisperedwantonwordstotheyoungmaidsoftheirhousehold;howawoman,eagerforwidow’sweeds,hasgivenherhusbandadrinkatbedtimeandlethimsleephislastsleepinherboson,howbeardlessyouthshavemadehastetoinherittheirfather’swealth;andhowfairdamsels—blushnot,sweetoneshaveduglittlegravesinthegardenandbiddenmethesoleguesttoaninfant’sfuneral.Bythesympathyofyourhumanheartsforsinyeshallscentoutalltheplaceswhetherinchurch,bedchamber,street,field,orforestwherecrimehasbeenmitted,andshallexulttobeholdthewholeearthonestainofguilt,onemightybloodspot.Farmorethanthis,itshallbeyourstopenetrate,ineverybosom,thedeepmysteryofsin,thefountainofallwickedarts,andwhichinexhaustiblysuppliesmoreevilimpulsesthanhumanpowercanmakemanifestindeed.”(Cowley65)

Inthisstory,attendingtheSabbathcouldbeactuallyconsideredas“aspiritualjourneyforexploringthetruthofhumanworld”(Wang3),whichisfilledwithsinandguilt.AndwecanalsoconcludethatthepathintheforestsymbolizesadarkjourneyofBrowntomeetthedeepmysteryoforiginalsin.FromtheangleoforiginalsinofPuritanism,thisjourneymakeshimagonybecausehefindsthedarknessandsininthedeepheartofhumanbeing

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關于霍桑作品的基本主題

s.

Fromthemomenthedecidestoleavehiswife,Faith,Brownbetrayshisfaith.Moreover,whilehelooksathiswifeandotherpeoplearoundhimwithsuspicioussightthenextmorning,theinnocentBrownchangespletelyintoanotherperson,gloomyandunbelieving.ThoughthisyoungmanisstillcalledGoodmanBrown,thereadersknowthereinnogoodmaninrealityandthateveryoneissinful.

B.TheMinister’sBlackVeil——Revelationofsin

Hawthorne’s“TheMinister’sBlackVeil”isregardedasoneoftheearliestandgreatestAmericanshortstories.LikemanyofHawthorne’sstories,thenatureofsecretsinandhumans’fallennaturearethemaintheme,whilethisstoryisspeciallyfocusedontherevelationofsininpeople’sheart.Theyoungrespectableministeronedaysuddenlyputsablackveilonhisfaceandcontinuestowearituntilhedies.Thoughseverelycriticized,heneverexplainswhyhedoesso.Yettheauthorgivesthereadersahintthathestartstoweartheblackveilonthedayayounggirlinhisparishdies,leadingthereadertorealizethattheministerhassomesecretguiltconnectingwiththedeadgirl.Atthelastmomentofhislife,theministersaystothepeoplearoundhim,“Whydoyoutrembleatmealone?Tremblealsoateachother!...Whenthefriendshowshisinmosthearttohisfriend;thelovertohisbestbeloved;whenmandoesnotvainlyshrinkfromeyeofhisCreator,loathsomelytreasuringupthesecretofhissin;thendeemmeamonster,forthesymbolbeneathwhichIhavelived,anddie!”(Hawthorne181)Mr.Hooper’sdeathbedremarksshowthatheintendstheblackveiltosymbolizethesecretsinwhichallmen“l(fā)oathsomelytreasureup”intheirhearts.(Wan3)

Mr.Hooperrevealshissinbywearingaveilforalifelongtime,andthesinsofpeopleinhisparisharerevealedbyfeelingfrightenedofHooper’sveil,becauseonlythosepeoplewhohidetheirsinsdeeplyintheirheartswouldbeafraidofthesightofMr.Hooperbehindhisveil.Onthewedding,“hisframeshuddered—hislipsgrewwhite—hespilttheuntastedwineuponthecarpet—andrushedforthintothedarkness”(Hawthorne180).Hisbehaviorarousesawarenessofthemajorityofpeoplepresentattheweddingthatitisinevitablethateveryoneisasinnerevenincludingtheministerhimself.ThusHoopertearsawaypeople’swrongillusionofapriestwhoisabsolutelyaholyrepresentativeofGod.Heseemstotel

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關于霍桑作品的基本主題

lthevillagersthat“toerrishuman;toforgiveisdivine”.Hoopergoestogreatlengthstorevealhissininsteadofbeautifyinghimselfjustbecausehehasdiscovered“theEarth,too,hadonherBlackVeil”(Hawthorne181).

WhilemanyreadersconsiderHooperacoward,Iprefertoseehimasarelativelyhonestman.Evenhishiddensintothatyoungladyistrue,theactionofingtothelady’sfuneralstillshowshisgutandrepentanceofwhathedoes.Hisconfessionofhissinthroughwearingtheblackveillastsforalife-timelong,whichpresentshishonesty.Thewearingoftheveil,inmypointofview,doesnotindicatethattheministerdespairsofhisownandhiscongregation’ssalvation.Onthecontrary,itismotivatedbyhishopeforpeaceofmindintheafterlife:“Itisbutamortalveil—itisnotforeternity!”(Hawthorne181)Comparedwiththosewhokeeptheirsinsecretinheart,Mr.Hooperhasthewillingnesstoremedyhismistake,whichismoreadmirableandvenerable.

C.Egotism,ortheBosomSerpent——Perceptivityonsins

Anotherexample,theshortstory‘EgotismortheBosomSerpent’alsoclearlyshowsHawthorne’sblacktheme.Heprovidesaverypowerfulinsightintotheself-obsessionknownasegotism.TheheroRoderickEllistonisestrangedfromhiswife,andfromthenon,asingulargloomspreadsoverhisdailylife.Hebelievesthatthereisaliveserpentinhisbosomperpetuallygnawinghim.Itleaveshimonlywhenheisabletomeethiswifeagainandforgetshisobsessionwithhisownills.Actuallythesnakeisthesymbolofpeople’sinnermostsinfulconsciousness.Asallpeoplearesinful,theyhavesnakesintheirhearts,too.SinceRoderickhimselfkeepstheguiltyandsinfulsenseinhisbosom,hehasabetterperceptivityofthesinsmitted,andhecanseekouthisowndiseaseineverybreast.Whenhemeetsanindividualwhoforthirtyyearshascherishedhatredagainsthisownbrother,heimmediatelyperceivesthatthereisaserpentintheman’sheartwhichisgnawinghim,too.Whenheencountersanambitiousstatement,heaffirmsthatthegentleman’sserpentmustbeofthespeciesoftheboaconstrictor,“foritsappetiteisenormousenoughtodevourthewholecountryandconstitution.”(Pearson1110)Onceheassures“aclose-fistedoldfellow,ofgreatwealth,butwhoskulksaboutthecityintheguiseofascarecrow,withapatchedbluecoat,brownhatandmouldboots,scrapin

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關于霍桑作品的基本主題

gpencetogetherandpickinguprustynails”(Pearson1110)thathisserpentisacopper-hand,andhasbeengeneratedbytheimmensequantitiesofthatbasementalitywithwhichhedailydefileshisfingers.Onanotheroccasionhetellsanenviousauthor,whodepreciatesworkswhichhecouldneverequal,that“hissnakeistheslimiestandthefilthiestofallthereptiletribebutisfortunatelywithoutsting”(Pearson1111).Hewarnsafairyounggirlthatshecherishesaserpentofthedeadestkindwithinhisbosom,andafewmonthslater,thepoorgirldiesofloveandshame.Hemakestwoladies,“rivalsinfashionablelife,whotormentedoneanotherwithathousandlittlestingsofwomanishspite”(Pearson1111),understandsthateachoftheirheartsis“anestofdiminutivesnakewhichdoesquiteasmuchmischiefasonegreatone”(Pearson1111).Inthisway,hemakeshisownserpent,ifhereallyhasoneinhisbosom,thetypeofeachman’sfatalerror,orhoardedsin,oruniqueconscience,andstrikeshisstingsounremorsefullyintothesorestspot,whichnearlyeverybodyindeedpossesses.

D.RogerMelvin’sBurial——Retributionofsins

Peopleoftensaywhatgoesaroundesaround.Hawthorneisinterestedinwhatwouldhappentopeopleaftermittingsins.Therefore,retributionofsinsbeestheinseparablepartsofhisgloomytheme.Heoncesays:“Themerefactsofguiltareoflittlevalueexcepttothegossipandthetipstaff;buthowthewoundingandwoundedsoulsbearthemselvesafterthecrime,whichisoneoftheneedfullessonsoflife.”(W.J.Long402)Thusheemphasizesretributions.Inordertoexpiatehissin,thesinfulcharactermustsufferandbearallthepunishment,whichcouldbesummarizeasretribution.

Inthisstory,HawthornecreatesaplotthatReubensurvivesafterthewar,buthecannotfeelatpeacebecausehehasnotburiedRogerMelvinashepromises,moreover,whenherecovers,hedoesnothavethecouragetotellDorcas,Malvin’sdaughterandReuben'sfiancée,thatheleavesherfathertodie,eventhoughitisMalvin'swish.Manyyearslater,whenReubenandDorcas'sonisalreadyagrownboy,theirfamilytravelsthroughwilderness.Atarest,Reubenandhissonwanderintotheforestseparately.Atacertainmoment,Reubenhearssomethinginthebushesandshoots,thinkingitmightbeadeer,butitturnsoutthathehaskilledhisownson.Asheobservestheterrain,itisobviou

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關于霍桑作品的基本主題

sthatthisisthesameplacewhereheleavesRogerMalvin.Inthestory,GodpunishesReubenbykillinghisson,whichisadidacticplot,aimingatpersuadingpeopletoavoidmittingsins.However,inreallife,punishmentoftenesfromthesinner’sinnersoul.Itisself-punishment.Thepersonwhomitsacrimeorwhohimselfthinkshedoessoisbitterlytorturedbyhisownconscience.Hecondemnshimselfsohardthathewilltryallwaystopunishhimself,tocleartheignominy,andtoexpiatethesin.W.J.LongclearlyexpressesthismeaninginhisbookaboutAmericanLiterature,sayingHawthorne“makesmanhisownjudge,punishinghimselfinhislifeinsteadofawaitingsentenceatthefinaljudgment”.(W.J.Long405)

Withthisinmind,thereadercaneasilyunderstandwhyin“RogerMelvin’sBurial”,afterunwittinglyshootinghisonlysontodeath,ReubenBournefeelsrelieved.That’sbecauseheregardedthetragedyasapunishmenttohimself.Althoughhefeelshedeservesnocensureforleavinghisfather-in-lawwhenheisdying,“concealmenthadimpartedtoajustifiableactmuchofthesecreteffectofguilt.”(Pearson1132)Therefore,Reubenexperiencesinnosmalldegreethementalterrorswhichpunishtheperpetratoroftheundiscoveredcrime.Heattimesalmostimagineshimselfamurderer.Theunbearablesufferingmakeshimlongforapunishment.Bykillinghisson,Reubensymbolicallykillshimself.Hissonisavaluablesacrifice.TheAmericanprofessorEstesoncetellsmethatHawthornethinkstheonlywaypeoplesavethemselvesfromguiltistosacrificethemselves.Thus,bymakingsuchatremendoussacrifice,Reuben’ssin“wasexpiated,thecursewasgonefromhim,inthehour,whenhehadshedblooddearertohimthanhisown”(Cowley,101).Thetragedyfinallyreleaseshim.Hetruststhat“itwasHeaven’sintenttoaffordhimanopportunityofexpiatinghissin.”(Cowley97)

E.TheScarletLetter——Redemptionofsins

Inthefirstchapter,theprison-door,ofTheScarletLetter,Hawthornesays“Thefoundersofanewcolony,whateverUtopiaofhumanvirtueandhappinesstheymightoriginallyproject,haveinvariablyrecogniseditamongtheirearliestpracticalnecessitiestoallotaportionofthevirginsoilasacemetery,andanotherportionasthesiteofaprison.”(Hawthorne3)Thesewordsclearlyillustratethesecretsin,oneofthethemesmostfocusedoninthiswork.

Inthisstory

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關于霍桑作品的基本主題

,eachofthethreemaincharacters,Hester,Dimmesdale,andChillingworth,hashisorherownsecretsins.Hester’ssinisnotrevealingtheidentityofhersexualpartner,Pearl’sfather.Likewise,ReverendDimmesdale’ssecretsinismittingadulterywithHester.Moreover,RogerChillingworth,Hester’shusband,isguiltyofviolatinganotherhuman’sheartandsoul.Allofthesecharacterswishtoconfesstheirsinstolaydowntheburdenofguiltofftheirshoulders,butonlyoneofthemistrulyabletogetredemption.

HawthornemakesHesteraheroineandsurvivestoatranquiloldagejustbyexpiatingheroffence.ShewearsthescarletletterA,somewhatwillingly,forthepurposeofconfessinghersin,ofmeditatingandofreformingherself.Onthispoint,MarkVanDoren’smentsaboutHester,inmyinterpretation,agreewithHawthorne’soriginalintention.Dorensaysthatsheis“heroicinsizeandstrength…AlthoughshecametobePuritanism’svictim,sheneversurrenderedtheintegrityofhersoul.Neitherdidsheplainofherfate.Herfatewastowasteherlife,yetwedonotfeelintheendthatherlifewaswasted.Ratheritisknown,sheisimmortal.”(W.J.Long406)EachCharacterhasasecretsinthatheorshewishestoconfessandeachofthosesinsaffectsthecharacterthatmitsthatsinaswellasothercharactersinthestory.

Thoughtheyareallsinners,Dimmesdale’ssinsstandsoutmoreboldlythanthatofHester’sorChillingworth’s,forhehasmittednotjustthesinofadultery,butalsothatofdishonestyaswellascowardice,andhisfirstsinwithHesterleadshimtomitothersins.

UnlikethesinsofHesterandDimmesdale,RogerChillingworth’ssecretsinismoresevere.Whilethesinsoftheothercharactersaresinsagainstsociety,Chillingworth’ssinisasinagainstanotherperson’sheartandsoul.OnceChillingworhdiscoversthetrueidentityofhiswife’slover,hespendsmostoftherestofhislifetryingtogetrevengeonDimmesdale.Pryingaway,piecebypiece,atDimmesdale’salreadyguilt-troddensoul,Chillingworthisalargefactorintheminister’sillnessanddeath.BypretendingtobeDimmesdale’sdoctorandfriend,ChillingworthisabletoaskDimmesdalemanyquestionsthatmakeDimmesdalespirituallyandphysicallyill.

Tosumup,mostofHawthorne’sworksarechieflystudiesofsinanditsexpiation.Hetakesuptheproblemofsinandjudgmentand

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關于霍桑作品的基本主題

showsthetorturingeffectofsinintheminditselfratherthaninoutwardpunishment.Unfortunately,allthismakeshisbasicthemeblackandbleak.

Ⅲ.WhydoesHawthornechoosesuchabasictheme?

W.J.LongpointsoutthatHawthorne“sawthedarkersidesteadilyenoughbutthelightandhopeinwhichwemostlylive,orhopetoliveisnotreflectedinhispages.”(W.J.Long406)Thisisabsolutelytrue.Nevertheless,whatonearthisitthatgivesHawthorne“greatpowerofblackness”toride“hisdarkhorseofthenight”,or,toportraythedarklandscapeofthehumanmind?InmystudyofHawthorne,Ihavefoundseveralreasonsforthis.

Firstofall,HawthorneisadescendantofthePuritansandlivesinaPuritantown,sothePuritanheritageplaysalargepartinHawthorne’slifeandliterarywork.HishometownSalemisinMassachusettsofNewEngland,thelivingplaceofthefirstbatchofBritishimmigrantsaftertheycrosstheocean.MostofthoseimmigrantsarePuritanswhobelieveinCalvinism;therefore,lifeofNewEnglandpeopleatthattimeischaracterizedbythegloomyreligiouscolor.ThosePuritans’religiousbeliefissofirmandtheirzealissostrongthattheydomanyunreasonablethings.Suchaplace,undoubtedly,wouldleavesomeinfluenceuponlatergenerationtowhichHawthornebelongs.Forinstance,thescenehepresentsin“YoungGoodmanBrown”isjustlaidinSalem,hisownhometown.AcriticnamedNormanHolmesPearsonmakesthismentonHawthorne,“therewasnotruerofthereligiousmoodandtheculturalheritageofNewEngland.”(Pearsonvii)

However,byHawthorne’stime,thetheologyofCalvinismhaslargelydisappeared.HawthorneisnotaCalvinist,notevenachurch-goer.OncehisdearestfiancéeurgeshimtoattendtheservicesofFatherEdwardTaylor,thefamousandpassionatepreacher,butheletsherdown;henevergoes.Inspiteofthis,hestillhasthePuritaninstinct,whoseelementspervadeshischaracterandguideshisefforts.HestudiesthehistoryoftwohundredyearsbeforetosearchoutwhatPuritansbroughttoAmerica,andheestounderstandthePuritanmind.PuritansbelieveintheDevil,whoseessentialwickedness,lurkingwithineveryhumanheart,isboundtosweeppeopleintodeservedandlastingtormentiftheylackdivinehelp.AlthoughPuritanismisnotHawthorne’sreligiousbelief,itbearsalongstandinganddeepinfluenceonhisliteraturebecau

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關于霍桑作品的基本主題

sePuritanismisHawthorne’stheoreticalweapontounderstandhumanbeingsandsociety.HerejectsEmerson’sphilosophyofuniversalgoodnessandinsiststhatevilexistsandcouldnotbeavoided,andthatevilisthebasicpartofhumannature.Thus,inagenerationthatputsawayPuritanism,hestillunderstandswhatPuritanismis.Inacenturywhichdismissesthesenseofsinasold-fashion,hemakesmostofhisworksoutofnothingelse.

ThesecondreasonthatdeterminesHawthorne’sthemeistheinfluenceofhisfamilylifeaswellashisownhermitlife.Hisfatherdieswhenheisonlyfouryearsold.Afterthat,hismotherlivesisolatedfromnearlyeverybody.Sheeveneatsaloneinherownroom.Hiseldestsister,bornsevenmonthsaftertheirparentsgetsmarried,isverygloomybynature.Thefamilylifeiscoveredwithgreycloudsandsadatmosphere.WhenHawthorneisnine,heishurtonthefootandhastostayathomealldaylongforquitealongtime.Afterhisgraduationfromcollege,helivesapletelyrecluselifeinhislittlechamberfortwelveyears,reading,thinkingandwriting.Inaword,hegrowsupwithashadowoverhimthatisneverdispelled.Suchanearlylifehelpsformhispersonality.Heisintrospective,withalltheself-searchinginstinctofhisPuritanancestry.Heissolitaryandpermeateswithasenseofmysteryoflifeandsin.Byponderingoverthem,hetendstoexaggeratethemmoreandmore.Graduallyheformsanddevelopshisoriginaltheme.IquiteagreewithmanyauthorsofthesesonHawthorneabouthowhishermitlifegiveshimastyleandasubject,justasW.J.Longsays,“l(fā)eftsomuchtohimself,broodinginhisownroomorbythelonelysea,hediscoverscertainlawsandimpulsesofthehumanheartwhichhedeterminestouseasthemotiveforhisstories.”(W.J.Long393)

Thirdly,thefrequentrecollectionofhissinfulancestorsurgesHawthornetosetsuchagloomybasictheme.WhenimmigrantsfromEuropeancontinentarriveatthenewmainland,theykeepthescrupulouslivingstyle.TheactionandideaofpeopleinNewEnglandisstrictlyinspected;therefore,thosebehaviorsnormalintoday’slifeandthosefarfromcrimewouldreceiveharshpunishmentatthattime.Moreover,differentideasfromcreativepeopleareconsideredasheresyandthemostruthlesspenaltiesallovertheworldareexploitedthen.Hisgreatgrandfather,actingasoneofthethreejudges,playsanimportantp

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關于霍桑作品的基本主題

artintheSalemwitchtrialinthe17thcenturyandcondemnsmanyinnocentpeopletodeath.Afterthen,arumorisspreadthatthedeadwitchcursesHawthorne’sfamily,disastersbefallingontoeveryoffspringofthefamily