What is the purpose of Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”?
This is an essay for A-Level English Literature (A Grade). As well as a full essay, I have included my annotated essay plan.
What is the purpose of Pearl in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”?
Pearl is a symbol of a new future, and Hawthorne uses her character as
a tool to criticise the Puritan system. She represents a diversion from society’s
rigidity and is the natural form of man. This challenges the Puritan beliefs held
regarding religion.
Pearl and the scarlet letter are described very similarly. The scarlet
letter has “fantastic flourishes of gold” and the fictive creates a similar effect to
the metaphor of Pearl as a “little bird of scarlet plumage”. This is the reason
why Pearl becomes emblematic of Heste’s shame as Pearl is a symbol of sin
in God’s punishment. Pearl is described as “the scarlet letter endowed with
life”, and the metaphor suggests that Pearl is a punishment for Hester’s sins.
This is reiterated by “God gave me the child!”, where the exclamation
highlights Pearl as a heavenly punishment and reiterate how the Puritans
have no right to interfere or to punish. Hawthorne challenges the attitudes of
his ancestors, who took the act of punishment upon themselves in the witch
trials.
Pearl’s beauty highlights the potential of good within sin, and this
counteracts the Puritan belief that acts of sin were unforgivable. Pearl is
described as being “worthy to have been brought forth in Eden”, where the
religious imagery challenges societal belief surrounding inevitable damnation.
Even Pearl’s name links her to the kingdom of Heaven, through the parable of
the pearl of great price, challenging the Puritan belief that only the “elect” may
be saved, as “thou mayest wear in thy bosom the pearl of great price”. Pearl
saves Hester from damnation, as “the child had saved her from Satan’s
snare”. The sibilance enhances the image of evil conveyed through the
religious metaphor, highlighting Pearl’s importance to her mother.
Pearl is also significant as she exposes the hypocrisy of Puritan society,
evident when she repetitively recognises Dimmesdale as her father. She
claims that the “Old Black Man… hath got hold of the minister already!”.
Hawthorne uses this metaphor to highlight Pearl's perceptive nature, to the
point where she appears to be omniscient. This is supported by the
description of Pearl’s “sprite-like intelligence”. The supernatural simile allows
her to transcend the Puritan society in which she lives. This is so that
Hawthorne may criticise its hypocrisy through her. Pearl also highlights the
cruelty of Puritanism via her harsh treatment. This is clear when the narrator
describes how “destiny had drawn an inviolable circle about her”. This
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