抗争中的坚忍_妥协中的坚持_红字_海斯特_白兰性格解读
女性主义视角下对小说《红字》的解读
女性主义视角下对小说《红字》的解读【摘要】小说《红字》用象征的手法，揭示清教伦理道德对人性的压制，宣扬人性的张扬，赞美对幸福的强烈追求。
从女性主义视角下对小说《红字》进行解读，更能明晰作者的创作意图。
【关键词】女性主义；《红字》；霍桑一、小说《红字》的内容简介霍桑作为19世纪美国最具有影响力的浪漫主义作家之一，他的作品《红字》无论是对当时还是现在都产生了重大影响。
女主人公海斯特·白兰因为通奸被佩戴红色“A”字标志，她勇敢地接受了谴责和惩罚，用自己的行动诠释了“A”的含义，彰显了女性主义。
该小说的故事发生在十七世纪中期，时代背景是加尔文者派统治下的波士顿，当时是政教合一的体制，殖民地时期社会非常黑暗，当局和社会对人们精神、心灵和道德进行残酷的摧残。
霍桑从社会现状入手，描写了一个少妇——海斯特·白兰的爱情故事悲剧，她年轻貌美，却在婚姻上遭到不幸，嫁给了身体畸形而且多病的术士齐灵沃斯，根本没有爱情可言。
后来齐灵沃斯在海上失踪，杳无音讯，在这种生活状况下，海斯特·白兰不愿受不合理婚姻的束缚，与有气魄的青年牧师丁梅斯真诚相爱，并生下了女儿小珠儿。
她也因此犯了加尔文教派所严禁的通奸罪，被戴上了象征“罪恶和耻辱”的红A字[1]。
《红字》是一个爱情悲剧，作者运用象征手法，挖掘人物微妙的内心世界，使普普通通的人和事在特定的环境中散发出奇妙的色彩。
二、女性主义视角下对小说《红字》的解读（一）“红字”象征传统和清教的愚昧陈规《红字》第一章序曲简述了故事发生的地点和历史背景，波士顿小镇的刑台和监狱象征性地告诉读者，这是一个清教思想异常浓厚的时代。
在《红字》中，海斯特·白兰是一个坚定而神奇的女性，她由于和牧师丁梅斯代尔通奸，犯下了基督教“十戒”中的一戒，即通奸罪，因此她被投入监狱之中，法庭判她有罪，她被惩罚在刑台上站立三个小时当众受辱，而且被要求终身佩戴代表通奸的红色的字母A，这是对海斯特·白兰的羞辱，是一个女人罪恶的体现和证明。
从女性角度看霍桑的《红字》
从女性角度看霍桑的《红字》作者：孙丽萍来源：《文学教育·中旬版》2015年第12期内容摘要：从19世纪开始，美国开始掀起了一轮又一轮热烈的女权运动，女权运动如火如荼，对女性的尊重成为了有识之士所共同认可的观点。
而要提起女权主义写作，我们不得不提起一个名字—纳撒尼尔.霍桑。
在《红字》中，霍桑都通过塑造独立而坚强的女性形象，来对女性的地位进行宣扬，对美国当时存在的男女不平等现象进行批判。
关键词：女性角度霍桑《红字》一.霍桑与《红字》在霍桑的经典作品《红字》中，作为女主角的海斯特·白兰是一名勇于突破教条束缚，不顾他人眼光的传奇女子。
白兰被认为与人通奸，与牧师生下了孩子，最终因为在他人眼中缺乏道德，而被扣上了红色A字的通奸帽子。
这篇小说的名字就是“红字”，从这里我们可以看出，在霍桑看来，“红字”可以说是某种意象的代表。
而说起《红字》一书的创作根源，来自于霍桑先祖的一段经历。
霍桑的先祖是当地的一名官员，在职期间曾经对妇女进行不公平的惩罚，而高祖父更是十分“知名”的法官，在职期间的1962年，著名的塞莱坞女巫审判的结果就出自霍桑的高祖父之手。
霍桑认为，自己的先祖和高祖父都曾犯下了错误，做出了错误的判决，对女性十分不尊重，所以，通过《红字》，霍桑希望能够帮助自己的先祖和高祖父赎罪，希望自己的先祖和高祖父能够获得宽恕。
二.《红字》中的女性形象霍桑的《红字》发表于1850年，小说以两百多年前的殖民地时代的美洲为题材，但是实际上揭露的却是19世纪资本主义发展时代美利坚合众国社会典法的残酷、宗教的欺骗和道德的虚伪。
霍桑的写作风格是细腻的，他总是能够通过对人物内心的描述，通过人物细腻的心理反应和人物的语言，将人物的处境和人物的所思所想生动的呈现在读者的面前。
通过这样的表达方式，霍桑作品中的女性形象十分丰富饱满，读之也更加令人动容。
比如在《红字》中，白兰被当众惩罚，这个时候白兰对牧师说：“我们难道不能在一起度过我们永恒的生命吗？确确实实，我们已经用这一切悲苦彼此赎救了！你用你那双明亮的垂死的眼睛遥望着永恒！那就告诉我，你都看见了什么？”通过短短几句，我们可以准确的感受到白兰所想要表达的内容，感受到白兰在马上要被惩罚的时候的心理活动。
红字中海斯特的性格分析
AbstractAs one of the world’s most famous writers and “the Shakespeare of American” Nathaniel Hawthorne played a critical role in the highlight of romantic novel. As a trailblazer of writing romantic novel with psychology analysis, His representative work Scarlet Letter boosted him in the literary creation. And The Scarlet Letter has wined the world-wide attention. Especially the female protagonist Hester Prynne has attracted large numbers of scholars to analysis her characters. This paper is determined to detect the characters of Hester through three approaches which are her life experience, her daughter and the social environment she lives in. The result we get is that Hester is a pure, courageous, and kind-hearted woman whose spirit has enlightened a generation of women who lived in the dark corner of the world.Key words: pure; courageous; kind-heated摘要作为世界著名作家之一和“美国的莎士比亚”，霍桑在将浪漫主义文学推向了高峰。
《红字》中海丝特·白兰的多重性格特征解读
《红字》中海丝特白兰的多重性格特征解读
邹永丽
【期刊名称】《铜仁学院学报》
【年(卷),期】2006(008)005
【摘要】纳撒尼尔·霍桑的代表作《红字》的伟大之处离不开小说中美丽的女主人公海丝特·白兰.在这部小说中,女主人公海丝特·白兰具有多重性格:她既有可贵的反抗精神与独立自主精神,也有脆弱性与妥协性的一面.
【总页数】4页(P5-7,20)
【作者】邹永丽
【作者单位】南通职业大学,外语系,江苏,南通,226007
【正文语种】中文
【中图分类】I106.4
【相关文献】
1.抗争--评析《红字》中海丝特·白兰的性格特征 [J], 葛红
2.浅析《红字》中海丝特的人物性格特征 [J], 张春子;石于瀚
3.解读《红字》中海丝特·白兰的圣母形象 [J], 杨健林;金文宁
4.《红字》中女主人公海丝特·白兰性格特征探析 [J], 成程
5.《红字》女主人公海丝特·白兰性格特征探析 [J], 李儒寿
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浅析《红字》中海斯特的性格
浅析《红字》中海斯特的性格摘要作为世界著名作家之一和“美国的莎士比亚”，霍桑将浪漫主义推向了高峰。
他的《红字》是美国19世纪文学史上的经典作品，也是女性追求真爱，挑战清教社会中神权父权的代表作。
《红字》更是吸引了无数学者研究海斯特的性格，对她的各种分析也屡见不鲜。
本篇著作的背景是在波士顿的一个小镇上，介绍了这个地区的居民是如何被清教主义深刻影响的。
其中女主人公海斯特白兰和镇上受人尊敬的牧师丁梅斯代尔通奸并生下女儿珠儿。
作为惩罚，她被带上红字A-”Adultery”的象征。
同时，论文分析女主人公海斯特的性格。
例如勇敢坚强，叛逆，还有红字A 的转变对她性格的影响。
论文的主要目的是展现了清教法规的苛刻无情地刑法，在清教社会中，不管是谁犯罪都要接受惩罚。
本文还涉及了霍桑的清教价值观，他对清教值价值观和思想的肯定以及对其消极方面对人民思想控制的批判，这也是决定海斯特最后的命运是在通过自身的努力实现了对真爱的追寻并且自身也得到救赎，也改变了人们对红字的看法。
霍桑描写的海斯特的性格向人们展示了他的清教观，以及清教思想对他的影响。
海斯特最初是勇敢坚强的，最终却在清教社会的压迫下，承认了自己的罪过并通过救赎得到了社会的认可。
通过红字A的象征意义的变化也体现了海斯特的性格变化。
关键字；清教主义，海斯特，性格，通奸AbstractAN ANALYSIS OF HESTER’SPRESONALITY IN SCARLET LETTERAbstractAs one of the world’s most famous writers and “the Shakespeare of American” Nathaniel Hawthorne played a critical role in the highlight of romantic novel. The Scarlet Letter,Nathaniel Hawthorne’s representative work, is a classical novel in American literature in the 19th century. The novel is concerning how feminine pursue true love, challenge theocracy, patriarchy and political power in Puritan society. This thesis introduce how the communities in the town are deeply influenced by Puritanism. The heroine Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, the town’s reverend priest, engages in the act of adultery baby girl named Pearl. As punishment Hester forced to wear “Adultery”. And Scarlet Letter has wined the world-wide attention. Especially the female Hester Prynne has attracted large numbers of scholars to analysis her personality.Meanwhile, The novel describes the heroine Hester Prynne who shows us some personality such as strong , brave, rebellion, compromise and hypocrisy in the transformation of her. The thesis aims at presenting the harshness and the strict punishment in Puritan society. In puritan communities, no matter who commits a sin will be punished. On one hand, he appreciates the puritan thought and value; on the other hand, he condemns the negative impact of puritan society on people’s spirit. And this thought influences Hester’s final fate-to get salvation through self-improvement and hardworking. Hester is brave and strong but with the force of puritanism she admitted her sin. And with analysis the transformation of A’s meaning reflect Hester’s personality.Key words：Puritanism; Hester ; Personality; AdulteryCONTENTSCHAPTER I INTRODUCTION (1)CHAPTER II INTRODUCTION OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS WORKS (2)2.1 Author (2)2.1.1 Puritan Influence On Hawthorne...................................................................,.2 2.1.2.Hawthorne’s Own Thought on Puritanism (3)2.2 Works (5)2.2.1 His Main Works (5)2.2.2 Introduction of The Scarlet Letter (6)CHAPTER III ANALYSIS HESTER’S PERSONALITY (9)3.1 Hester’s Personality at the Beginning of the Novel (9)3.1.1 Personality of Graceful and Beautiful (9)3.1.2 Personality of Rebellious (9)3.2 Hester’s Personality after wearing “Adultery” (10)3.2.1 Personality of Fearless (10)3.2.2 Personality of Compromising being a Mother (11)3.2.3 Personality of Brave and Strong (13)CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS OF THE LETTER “A” -ADULTERY (14)4.1 Being Shamed for “Adultery” (14)4.2Transformation of A’s Meaning; Alone, Alienate, Able, Angel, Admirable (16)CHAPTER V CONCLUSION (18)5.1 The Summary of the Research (18)5.2 The Significance of the Research (18)5.3 The Limitations of the Research (18)REFERENCE (19)CHAPTER Ⅰ INTRODUCTIONThe Scarlet Letter represents Nathaniel Hawthorne’s most successful and popular novel, which was published in 1850. It is an outstanding work, which is full of profound intention, complicated plots and sincere emotion. It also shows its unique artistic charm and literary values. Hester Prynne is a famous figure in American literature. Hester Prynne is the main character of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter. This novel happened in Boston, which was a colony of England in 17th century. At that time and at that place, the doctrine of Puritans was looked as the rule of people’s daily life. Hawthorne was born in a puritan family, whose grandfather was an authority. That made him was deep influenced by Puritanism. On one hand, he received the doctrine of hard working and thrifty, on the other hand, He thought that the Puritan religion was too strict and harsh.Hester Prynne is a woman, who has great courage to pure the real love and a woman who experiences hard life and longs for freedom. She loves her life no matter how difficult it is. She tries her best to struggle against the adversity. She is a beautiful, virtuous, brave and tough woman. Because of adultery, she is forced to wear an “A” on her breast to shame her. She showed extreme strength and courage to resist the bias of the Puritanism by her good deeds and finally is received and being respected by the society and get salvation through hard working.CHAPTER II INTRODUCTION OF THEAUTHOR AND MAIN WORKS2.1 Introduction of the AuthorHawthorne was born on the fourth of July, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. Some of his ancestors were men of prominence in the Puritan theocracy of seventeenth century New England. One of them was a colonial magistrate, notorious for his part in the persecution of the Quakers, and another was a judge at the Salem Witchcraft Trial in 1692. Gradually the family fortune declined . His father, a sea captain, died in Dutch Guiana, leaving the widow and the child behind to shift for themselves. Young Hawthorne was intensely aware of the misdeeds of his Puritan ancestors, this awareness led to his understanding of evil being at the core of human life , to “that blackness in Hawthorne ”.In 1821 Hawthorne went to Bowdoin College, where he had Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as a classmate. He also developed a friendship with Franklin Pierce who was to become the fourteenth President of the United States. In 1825 to 1837 Hawthorne lived in solitude and seclusion. He was, during the four years (1853-1857) when President Pierce was in office, the United States consul in Liverpool, England and later traveled in Italy. He died in 1864.2.1.1 Puritan Influence On HawthorneThe story tells about the life of the resident under the surrounding of persecution derived from the ineradicable religion in Massachusetts of Boston in New England in public. Boston, which was a colony of England at that time, the local Boston people was the representative of puritans. From the political authorities to the kids playing before the church, their characteristics are the same. The thesis aims at any differences from others are hereto. At the early cultures of Boston, ages and experience are emphasis; there is no culture of younger. That’s why Hawthorne makes the story happens there. To the puritans, any person or thing which is different from them will be punished or be banished. To the puritans, the laws are sacred; anyone who breaks the law should be punishedstrictly, that’s the special environment which Hester lived in.All his life, Hawthorne seems to be haunted by his sense of sin and evil in life. Reading his tales and romances, one cannot but be overwhelmed by the “black”vision which these works reveal. Evil exists in the human heart as is evident, for instance, in the short story, “Earth’s Holocaust,”which tells us that, though all symbol of tradition and the past have been burned in the bonfire of the life of the New World, the source of evil—the huAman heart—remains intact. Everyone seems to cover up his black veil (“The Minister’s Black Veil”). Evil seems to be man’s birthmark (“The Birthmark”). A. H. Quinn perceptively states that Hawthorne is at his best when dealing with sin, the supernatural, and New England past, The Scarlet Letter is set in the seventeenth century. （Barlow，2000,3）It is en elaboration of a fact which Puritanism ruled. Hester was sinned adultery, which cannot be forgiven and must be punished at that time, this reflects Hawthorne’s thought of sin, everyone has sin and they must use their whole life to expiate themselves. But he also thought the punishments are too harsh. Thus why he made Hester sinned, but didn’t admit her sin.2.1.2 Hawthorne’s Own Thoughts on PuritanismIn this novel, Hawthorne uses the repressive, authoritarian Puritan society as an analogue for humankind in general. The Puritan setting also enables him to portray the human soul under extreme pressure. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, while unquestionable part of the Puritan society in which they live, also reflect universal experiences. Hawthorne speaks specially to American issues, but he circumvents the aesthetic and thematic limitations that might accompany such focus. His university and his dramatic flair have ensured his place in the literary canon, tolerant and cruel. He thinks that the Puritan religion was too strict and harsh. Readers can see how he disliked them by the way people act, talk, and live.Meanwhile, he also shows how he thought the Puritan people would react to the manner in which Hester stitched the “A”, and he d oes not make them look very pleasant. By showing them as being ruthless, and evil, Hawthorne is able to reveal his views of the Puritan people, and how he dislikes them through thetownsfolk (the woman in particular). He makes them come across as people you would love to hate. Throughout the entire book, Hester is looked down upon though slightly less as the story progresses, and is treated like a second class citizen. Hawthorne shows his distaste of the Puritan culture by expressing himself through the characters and their actions. Not one person in this novel is truly good, and all the characters sins. It is impossible to have a perfect society, and Nathaniel Hawthorne explains to us in The Scarlet Letter, that one is ruled by the Puritan religion, proves this true.(Gao,2000,4)Nevertheless, although he is shocked by the Puritan injustice, he is convinced that there is both good and evil in Puritanism. He thinks a lot about the conflict of God as omniscient and omnipotent on one hand, and vengeful and cruel on the other. He sees that religion is able to produce evil. Things like the witch trials, where innocent people have to die, can happen in his Puritan hometown of Salem, which leads him to the opinion that the fusion of religious dogma and political authority is the worst evil. His ancestors and all the other Puritans maybe think to have found the devil when prosecuting witches, but Hawthorne is of a different opinion. Hawthorne’s answ er is that devil existed in everybody. It makes people blind so they are not able to recognize the evil in themselves.In a whole, Hawthorne’s attitude towards Puritanism is split. There are things he is absolutely in favor of and things he condemns from the depth of his heart. And to some extent, Hawthorne is a Puritan because of his Puritan origin. It is Puritanism that has led to today’s American achievement oriented society. But Hawthorne describes the Puritan society of the 17th century as narrow and relentless. He does not share the dogmas and delusions of the people who are condemned, because he has little interest and less belief in doctrines and theological debate. His imagination is repeatedly drawn the subjects of temptation, guilt and shame. He seeks the depth of the human things.Of course Hawthorne’s point of view is that of the 19th century, not that of 17th century, where his short stories are settled. He is aware of his roots and history, but he questions these roots and history from his modern point of view. Back to his attitudes towards the Puritanism of ancestors, when Hawthorneread the accounts about his first American ancestors, he was reported to have readthem with fascination and horror. He was different from his ancestors.The way Hawthorne makes Hester’s fate goes with the Puritans. She sins, isforced to wear a letter “A”on her breast, is isolated by the townspeople, butfinally is respected because of her kind-hearted. This can be assigned the origin toHawthorne’s experiences that he has isolated from the outside after he graduatesfrom university. Hawthorne has ever said to Longfellow, the most fearful thing isthat you can not share your happiness or sorrow of your daily life to others. Onewho is deprived the right of join the society, is an audience but not a participant,Max said that one is a social man because man has to live in the society, or hewill lose the meaning of exiting. （Chang，2009,76）Hawthorne thinks Hestershould resign the punishment of Alienation, which is seen as the cruelest one.Hester should turn over a new leaf by expiating herself.Hester’s fate is designed; she has no choice because she lives in a puritansociety and Hawthorne’s puritan thoughts also determine her fate.2.2 Works2.2.1 His Main WorksThe House of the Seven Gables is an appalling fictional version Hawthorne’sbelief that “the wrong-doing of one generation lives into the successive”, and thatevil will come out of evil though it may take many generation to happen.ColonelPyncheon takes by force the land of Matthew Maule, and condemns him as awizard. He builds a house on the land while Matthew Maule is sent to thescaffold. Before he dies, the “wizard” curses the colonel, saying “God will givehim blood to drink”. Retribution does come. The house seems to be haunted. Thescion of the colonel wither and die out, and eventually it is the descendant of thepersecuted wizard who gets the upper hand. The curse does, in time, materialize.It is true that the book concludes on a happy note, and that good triumphs overevil.The Marble Faun i s a good illustration. A young Italian nobleman, Donatello byname, falls in love with a beautiful Miriam whose happiness is, however,threatened by a monk and eventually gives himself up to a life-imprisonment while Miriam is resolved to lead a life of penance. Donatello lives through the tragic experience and attains maturity as a man.2.2.2 Introduction of the Scarlet LetterThe story begins in seventeenth-century Boston, then a Puritan settlement. A young woman, Hester Prynne, is led from the town prison with her infant daughter, Pearl, in her arms and the scarlet letter “A” on her breast. A man in the crowd tells an elderly onlooker that Hester is being punished for adultery. Hester’s husband, a scholar much older than she is, sent her ahead to America, but he never arrived in Boston. The consensus is that he has been lost at sea. While waiting for her husband, Hester has apparently had an affair, as she has given birth to a child. She will not reveal her lover’s identity, however, and the scarlet letter, along with her public shaming, is her punishment for her sin and her secrecy. On this day Hester is led to the town scaffold and harangued by the town fathers, but she again refuses to identify her child’s father.The elderly onlooker is Hester’s missing husband, who is now practicing medicine and calling himself Roger Chillingworth. He settles in Boston, intent on revenge. He reveals his true identity to no one but Hester, whom he has sworn to secrecy. Several years pass. Hester supports herself by working as a seamstress, and Pearl grows into a willful, impish child. Shunned by the community, they live in a small cottage on the outskirts of Boston. Community officials attempt to take Pearl away from Hester, but, with the help of Arthur Dimmesdale, a young and eloquent minister, the mother and daughter manage to stay together. Dimmesdale, however, appears to be wasting away and suffers from mysterious heart trouble, seemingly caused by psychological distress. Chillingworth attaches himself to the ailing minister and eventually moves in with him so that he can provide his patient with round-the-clock care. Chillingworth also suspects that there may be a connection between the minister’s torments and Hester’s secret, and he begins to test Dimmesdale to see what he can learn. One afternoon, while the minister sleeps, Chillingworth discovers a m ark on the man’s breast, which convinces himthat his suspicions are correct.Dimmesdale’s psychological anguish deepens, and he invents new tortures for himself. In the meantime, Hester’s charitable deeds and quiet humility have earned her a reprieve from the scorn of the community. One night, when Pearl is about seven years old, she and her mother are returning home from a visit to a deathbed when they encounter Dimmesdale atop the town scaffold, trying to punish himself for his sins. Hester and Pearl join him, and the three link hands. Dimmesdale refuses Pearl’s request that he acknowledge her publicly the next day, and a meteor marks a dull red “A” in the night sky. Hester can see that the minister’s condition is worsening, and she resolves to interv ene. She goes to Chillingworth and asks him to stop adding to Dimmesdale’s self-torment. Chillingworth refuses.Hester arranges an encounter with Dimmesdale in the forest because she is aware that Chillingworth has probably guessed that she plans to reveal his identity to Dimmesdale. The former lovers decide to flee to Europe, where they can live with Pearl as a family. They will take a ship sailing from Boston in four days. Both feel a sense of release, and Hester removes her scarlet letter and lets down her hair. Frustrated in his revenge, Chillingworth dies a year later. Hester and Pearl leave Boston, and no one knows what has happened to them. Many years later, Hester returns alone, still wearing the scarlet letter, to live in her old cottage and resume her charitable work. She receives occasional letters from Pearl, who has married a European aristocrat and established a family of her own. When Hester dies, she is buried next to Dimmesdale. The two share a single tombstone, which bears a scarlet “A.”CHAPTER III ANALYSIS OF HESTER’SPERSONALITY IN SCARLET LETTERHester’s entrance is an attractive and graceful lady like a lady of quality, which makes her different from people. Although she sins, she acts brave and dare to admit her sin, dare to get salvation through her acts.3.1 Hester’s personality at The Beginning of The Novel3.1.1 Personality of Graceful And BeautifulHester is attractive when she appears. She is a slender lady who herself with a deliberate grace. She has a beautiful face with deep black eyes. To most people, she looks more like a graceful lady from the upper class. But Hawthorne’s female characters tend to fall into two broad categories, the blond and effete, and the dark-haired and sensual Oriental type. To the latter belongs Hester Prynne, attractive, appealing, and mildly aggressive, she represents sexual guilt as love with her is fatal, but she is really pure and innocent. Young Hester borders on being licentious. Her drive is sexual. One needs to take just a casual look at her luxuriant head of black silky hair to understand this of her. But she lives a rigorous life; only once does she let loose her lovely hair. (Barlow, 2000, 21)3.1.2 Personality of RebelliousThe heroine in The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is a beautiful and competent woman. Even though she is reduced to a prisoner, she is still “very slim with black silky hair. Her face is fair and charming which looks more moving with her moon-like eyebrow and deep black eyeball. She belongs to the group of noblewoman even if she is measured by temporary female style”. It is this young and beautiful woman that is married to an old and ugly scholar, Chillingworth. At that time, Hester is very young just like a newborn moss. Although the scholar is anile, he always accompanies her when she is down and out. It is hard to say whether there is love between them. But Hester and Chillingworth live harmoniously. In later years Chillingworth sends Hester to New England to settle down there and asks Hester to wait for him. Since then he has never been heard of since. Having heard that her husband has died, Hester and the priest, Dimmesdale, falls in love with each other and later Heater gives birth to a child named Pearl.Although the judge doesn’t put her to death out of mercy, she is still punished to wear a scarlet letter A with her three-month old baby in her arms in the scaffold. No doubt this punishment is a torture to her. The scarlet letter A on her breast is a symbol of evil. And the baby is a vivid evidence of the crime. What makes her feel shameful is other’s abuse and spurn. This rebellion against the world is sinful especially in the puritan society. Hester’s love to her husband is somewhat a betrayal, but her love toward Dimmesdale is sincere. There is no true love between her and her husband, but there exists between her and Dimmesdale. When the relation with Dimmesdale is revealed, she is brave to bear the accusation to maintain Dimmesdale’s reputation. When she is publicly exposed in the scaffold, Hester is forced to point out her lover. But she resolves not to do it. She says that “she wants to bear the pain of him like she does in herself”. In fact, she herself alone bears the crime for seven years. When she knows that Chillingworth has used various kinds of means to revenge on the unaware Dimmesdal and the latter has suffered a lot because of this, Hester makes up her mind to expose Chillingworth’s true identity and leave for other place with Dimmesdale. She gives a lot of comfort and support to him. Her female gentility, virtue and positive spirit have made their full expression in the people around her. She bravely faces the hardship in her life, and at key moment she can protect her baby Pearl from being taken away by puritans. As a mother and lover, Hester is sincere.3.2Hester’s Personality after Wearing “Adultery”3.2.1 Personality of FearlessHester Prynne leaves a deep impression to the readers. Hester is a woman, who has great courage to devote to real love and a woman who experiences hard life and longs for freedom. She loves her life no matter how difficult it is. She tries her best to struggle against the adversity. She is a beautiful, virtuous, brave and tough woman.Hester marries an unloved ugly old man, nothing but having great knowledge admired by all fools. However, when Hester goes to Massachusetts of Boston,She falls in love with Dimmesdale who is her true lover. It should be a good matter, so to speak, if she could divorce from the oldest Chillingworth and then marry Dimmesdale it would be a romantic love story. Unfortunately, it is disgraceful of a married woman to love another man even if that is her beloved one in that abnormal time. So, what a disgraced thing it is that she has to be set up to public shame and wore a mark of shame upon her bosom letter A stands for adultery that makes her bring sermon against sin, until the ignominious scarlet letter be engraved upon her tombstone .But that does not impact on her life even if all dwells give a wide berth to her and use the most incautious words to aggress her later. Because of her benevolence, the inhabitants accept her gradually though they insult her sometimes. Hester does not mind it, because what she concerns is Whether Dimm esdale’s life is good or not.3.2.2 Personality of Compromising Being A MotherHester is deeply influenced by the society. Although she is rejected by the society, she tries to return to it. She has distinctive characters of contemporary feminist. “The y have strength and virtue, but there are also shortcomings and evil. On the one hand they learn to obey and do something good; on the other hand, their minds remain independent and keep fighting. For Hester, she has to get close to Puritanism’s idea about human nature and its values. On the other hand, she refuses to repent and insists on true love. Maternal love plays an important role in Hester’s psychological process. In the society where religious theocracy dominates, although Hester knows she has the right to pursue love, she is still conscious that her betrayal of marriage offends the law. As a woman, she can alone bear all punishments and misfortunes. But as a mother, she worries about the cruel punishments will fall into Pearl. “Everyday she observes the child’s personality closely, for the fear that it may develop some gloomy or wired manners. She has suffered so much pain and loneliness, so she hopes her child not to recommit the same error, but to integrate into the society and live a happy life. Therefore, she silently endures the pain and maintains contact with the society through the needlework to gain comfort. As Pearl’s name suggests, she comes from sin, but she is pure. She is also a constant reminder to Hester and totownspeople of Hester’s sin. Hester dresses her with bright color and named her pearl, and that shows her love to her baby. Though Pearl is regarded as the result of Hester and Dimmesdale’s adultery, she is still a pearl to Hester. Hester give all hope to Pearl. She is still a brave mother.The compromise of Hester Prynne is related to Hawthorne's ideology. Hawthorne was born in New England dilapidated aristocratic family. There are two generations of his ancestors were in colonial politics and religion and authority figures, who persecuted by fanatical Puritan heresy. When Hawthorne was a child he lived in Salem town which was a famous place in American history. He deeply influenced by Calvinism, a region suffering from the infiltration of religious and cultural. Then in Hawthorne's later year he face the American capitalist economy of rapid development, social structure, the scene of major changes, it shows a very complicated ambivalence of his mind. On the one hand he dared to criticize Calvinism poisoning people's religious fanaticism and stifle the religious dogma in the pursuit of an abstract thought in the United States. In The Scarlet Letter, on the one hand, he criticized religious bigotry destroy people's position. He focus on the performance of the bravely and rebellion of Hester Prynne. On the other hand, and most importantly, he concept of original sin and Calvinism affirmed the seriousness of early Puritan, digestion of the Hester's courage and sense of resistance, so that to search for compromise in the Hester's life from the original sin in access to spiritual self-rescue. Hester Prynne of The scarlet letter, consciously or unconsciously reinforce compromise, this is the result of Hawthorne's religious contemplation. Compromise of Hester Prynne is began with the crimes. She gradually forced to compromise on the way to redemption. She and Dimmesdale's love sown the seeds of evil, therefore, she spent seven years to living shame.3.2.3 Personality of Brave And StrongHester is the only person who wears the “A” in the whole article. Puritan authority’s power forces her to wear it all day long after the punishment of three hours standing on the scaffold. Hester can leave the Massachusetts colony, but she does not flee. She regards the place as her home living as the type of shame.It is love, which is the only reason for her to live in that place. The kind of love is declared guilty according to the puritan religion, which takes the asceticism as the local law at that time. “There trod the feet of one with whom she d eemed herself connected in a union would bring them together before the bar of final judgment, and make that their marriage-alter, for a joint futurity of endless retribution (Hawthorne, 2009,489 ). Maybe at that time, Hester’s choice seems a little innocent. Just for the faith for love, which can also be regarded as the passion in a short while though wild nature as she has, she restrains her be behavior from then on for she thinks herself commit an offence. She swears of keeping the secret of the relationship between her and her husband Chillingworth shows that she is in blame at that time and puzzled with her love.When being put into prison, Hester refuses to confess who the father of the baby is, she protect Dimmesdale though Dimmesdale is too recreant to admit the sin. After Hester commits the sin, the Puritan society immediately enforces its law against her. “Hester betrayed her husband and went against the principle of honesty on Puritan, so she must accept the severe penalty in the Puritan society at that time.” Apart from wearing the red letter “A”, she has to suffer public shame on the scaffold.Though the love between Hester and Dimmesdale is true, Hester is a woman who is married. Both of them sin, they have to be punished and get salvation through their acts.CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS OF THE LETTER “A”-ADULTERYIn puritan’s doctrine, one should get salvation by hard working, Hester must be tortured until she receives forgiveness from God, and all that she can do is to bear until she gets salvation.。
《红字》读后感
《红字》读后感《红字》读后感1《红字》中我最喜欢的角色是海丝特・白兰，她由于被认为犯了通奸罪而受到审判，并要永远佩带那个代表着耻辱的红色A字。
当地的法律很严格，大家让站在审判台上的她说出孩子的父亲是谁时，为了捍卫爱人的名誉和纯洁的爱情，她宁愿受罚也毅然决然的独自承担了后果而没有说出来他的名字。
他就是阿瑟・丁梅斯代尔，一位受过良好教育、文雅而持重的牧师，在教区有极高的声誉。
与海丝特相比，他显得怯懦。
于是海斯特接受了惩罚――在绞刑架上抱着孩子示众两个小时，并且终生穿着一个胸前有鲜红的A字的衣服，代表“通奸”，并且直到死，也要把A字刻在坟墓上。
她像一个被钉在耻辱柱上的天使。
然而这个勇敢的天使用自己孱弱的身躯把一切承受，像一朵荒芜丛中开出的野玫瑰一般，狂风暴雨，也不低下天使的头。
对于永佩在她身上的A字，她也丝毫没有畏惧，而是把字母A非常漂亮地绣在自己的胸前。
从那之后，虽然每个居民都排斥她，不与她交往，仿佛这个城市要与她隔离一般，但她仍然对每一个人都献出自己的爱心，尽一切所能的帮助别人。
她可以面对所有人的唾弃与鄙视，但无法面对她与阿瑟的女儿──珠儿。
就像她所说“珠儿是我的幸福！──也是我的折磨！是珠儿叫我还活在世上！也是珠儿叫我受着惩罚！她就是那个红字，只不过也具有千万倍的力量来报应我的罪孽！”珠儿像一个众目睽睽之下的有生命的“红字”来惩罚海斯特，时时提醒着她那段往事的不堪回首，珠儿一生下来就扮演着嘲笑、攻击、质问她胸前可疑红字的角色。
然而这个勇敢的女性，着意打扮她的小珠儿，不仅出面捍卫自己教养她的`权利，而且尊重孩子狂野的天性，努力培养她成人。
七年之后，阿瑟决定面对自己的错误，与海斯特一起在群众面前承认了自己的罪恶，最终以袒露胸膛上的“罪恶”烙印，完成了道德的净化与灵魂的飞升。
红字在他们的身上冉冉生辉。
最后，她的A字耻辱渐渐的被人们遗忘，反而很多人都认为A字代表的是“天使”“能干”“可敬佩的”“前进”“艺术”“爱情”等等。
《红字》读后感
《红字》读后感《红字》读后感《红字》读后感1《红字》中我最喜欢的角色是海丝特·白兰，她由于被认为犯了通奸罪而受到审判，并要永远佩带那个代表着耻辱的红色A字。
当地的法律很严格，大家让站在审判台上的她说出孩子的父亲是谁时，为了捍卫爱人的名誉和纯洁的爱情，她宁愿受罚也毅然决然的独自承担了后果而没有说出来他的名字。
他就是阿瑟·丁梅斯代尔，一位受过良好教育、文雅而持重的牧师，在教区有极高的声誉。
与海丝特相比，他显得怯懦。
于是海斯特接受了惩罚——在绞刑架上抱着孩子示众两个小时，并且终生穿着一个胸前有鲜红的A字的衣服，代表“通奸”(adultery)，并且直到死，也要把A字刻在坟墓上。
她像一个被钉在耻辱柱上的天使。
然而这个勇敢的天使用自己孱弱的身躯把一切承受，像一朵荒芜丛中开出的野玫瑰一般，狂风暴雨，也不低下天使的头。
对于永佩在她身上的A字，她也丝毫没有畏惧，而是把字母A非常漂亮地绣在自己的胸前。
从那之后，虽然每个居民都排斥她，不与她交往，仿佛这个城市要与她隔离一般，但她仍然对每一个人都献出自己的爱心，尽一切所能的帮助别人。
她可以面对所有人的唾弃与鄙视，但无法面对她与阿瑟的女儿──珠儿。
就像她所说“珠儿是我的幸福！──也是我的折磨！是珠儿叫我还活在世上！也是珠儿叫我受着惩罚！她就是那个红字，只不过也具有千万倍的力量来报应我的罪孽！”珠儿像一个众目睽睽之下的有生命的“红字”来惩罚海斯特，时时提醒着她那段往事的不堪回首，珠儿一生下来就扮演着嘲笑、攻击、质问她胸前可疑红字的角色。
然而这个勇敢的女性，着意打扮她的小珠儿，不仅出面捍卫自己教养她的权利，而且尊重孩子狂野的天性，努力培养她成人。
七年之后，阿瑟决定面对自己的错误，与海斯特一起在群众面前承认了自己的罪恶，最终以袒露胸膛上的“罪恶”烙印，完成了道德的净化与灵魂的飞升。
红字在他们的身上冉冉生辉。
最后，她的A字耻辱渐渐的被人们遗忘，反而很多人都认为A字代表的是“天使”（angle）“能干”（able）“可敬佩的”（admirable）“前进”（advance）“艺术”（art）“爱情”（amorous）等等。
《红字》读后感
《红字》读后感《＜红字>读后感》读完《红字》这本书，我的内心像是被投入了一颗巨石，掀起了层层波澜。
故事发生在 17 世纪的波士顿，那是一个充满宗教压抑和道德禁锢的时代。
女主人公海丝特·白兰因为犯了通奸罪，被迫在胸前佩戴着一个红色的“A”字。
这个“A”字，仿佛是一把利剑，时时刻刻刺痛着她的心灵，也刺痛着周围人的眼睛。
海丝特，她本是一个美丽、善良且勇敢的女子。
当她独自站在刑台上，接受众人的唾弃和指责时，我仿佛能看到她那坚定又略带绝望的眼神。
她的长发在风中凌乱，却依然掩盖不住她那美丽的面容，然而此时，这份美丽却成为了她的罪过。
她胸前的红字，在阳光下显得那样刺眼，仿佛在灼烧着她的灵魂。
那红色的“A”字，做工精细，用红色的丝线刺绣而成。
每一针每一线，都像是对她的一种审判。
周围人的目光，像一把把利刃，割在她的身上。
有人愤怒，有人嘲笑，有人冷漠，而她，却挺直了脊梁，默默地承受着这一切。
她的衣服虽然破旧，但却整洁干净，仿佛是她在这无尽的羞辱中，唯一能保持的一点尊严。
随着故事的推进，我看到了海丝特在困境中的挣扎与坚持。
她带着女儿珠儿，住在郊外的小茅屋里。
那屋子虽然简陋，但却被她收拾得温馨而舒适。
她用自己的双手，种植蔬菜，纺织布料，努力地维持着母女俩的生活。
珠儿，这个活泼而又有些任性的孩子，是海丝特生活中的一抹亮色。
珠儿的笑声，就像春天里的黄鹂鸟，清脆而动听。
海丝特看着珠儿一天天长大，心中既充满了欣慰，又有着无尽的担忧。
有一次，海丝特带着珠儿去镇上买东西。
路上，她们遇到了一些调皮的孩子。
那些孩子围着海丝特和珠儿，大声地喊着：“红字女人！红字孩子！”珠儿生气地捡起石头，想要扔向那些孩子。
海丝特赶忙拉住珠儿，温柔地说：“孩子，不要这样。
他们不懂事，但我们要有自己的尊严。
”珠儿睁着大大的眼睛，不解地问：“妈妈，为什么他们要这样对我们？”海丝特蹲下身子，轻轻地抚摸着珠儿的头发，说：“因为他们心中没有爱，宝贝。
《红字》中女主人公海丝特·白兰性格特征探析
（三）对清教社会的反抗 海丝特为追求真爱幸福而反抗无爱婚姻，同时也 反抗着当时的清教社会。在清教主义和男权主义的 统治下，女性受到不平等待遇，她们的身心都受到严 重伤害，不管是身体还是心灵，都没有得到自由和解 放。海丝特和丁梅斯代尔相爱是无法发展成合法的 婚姻关系的，并且严重挑战着宗教权威，犯下不可饶 恕的“通奸罪”，从这也能看出海丝特对清教社会和宗 教教义的反抗。 犯下“通奸罪”要在胸前佩戴象征着耻辱的红字 Ａ，海丝特坦然戴上红色 Ａ字，也不觉得这是耻辱的 象征，甚至用金线镶在红字 Ａ的四周，在走出监狱面 对他人的目光时，她丝毫没有羞愧和局促，反而扬起 自信的微笑，坦然露出胸口处的红色 Ａ字。 除此之外，海丝特的女儿珠儿也是他们“通奸罪” 的证明，按照当时的宗教，海丝特不能承担抚养珠儿 并培养她成为清教徒的责任，但是海丝特不愿与珠儿 分开，不顾一切仍然坚持要和珠儿一起，甚至在珠儿 欲要受到惩罚时，公然反抗总督贝灵汉———正是因为 她这种反抗精神，她才和珠儿没有分开。 二、海丝特·白兰性格中的坚强 （一）坚强乐观的生活态度 即使承受着“通奸”罪名和红色 Ａ字的处罚，海 丝特仍然保持着坚强乐观的生活态度，勇敢地面对现 实和生活，忍 受 着 一 切 罪 名 和 折 磨。 离 开 监 狱 后，海 丝特带着珠儿生活，当时绝大多数女性都是靠男人生 活的，但海丝特没有，她靠做针线活儿来维持生计，即 使处处遭 受 他 人 的 歧 视 和 白 眼，她 没 有 寻 求 他 人 帮 助，以善良回报这个社会，竭尽全力地去行善救济，第 一个站出来去帮助别人，给他人带来温暖。海丝特坚 强地承受所有苦难，以乐观的心态，不畏惧他人的歧 视偏见和 苦 难 的 生 活，靠 自 己 的 双 手 将 女 儿 抚 养 长
红字读后感
红字中的道德观 念：以基督教道 德观念为基础， 强调诚实、善良、 宽容等品质
道德观念的表现： 通过主人公海丝 特·白兰的遭遇， 展示了道德观念 在社会中的重要 性
道德观念的影响： 红字中的道德观 念对读者产生了 深远的影响，促 使人们反思自己 的行为和价值观
道德观念的传承： 红字中的道德观 念在现代社会中 仍然具有重要意 义，值得我们传 承和发扬
人物的性格特点
动作描写：通过人物 的行为、动作、表情 等来展示人物的性格
特点
对比手法：通过与其 他人物的对比来突出
人物的性格特点
象征手法的运用
红字：象征 罪恶和耻辱
海斯特·白兰： 丁梅斯代尔： 珍珠：象征
象 征 纯 洁 和 象 征 罪 恶 和 纯洁和珍贵
善良
救赎
森林：象征 神秘和未知
绞刑架：象 征罪恶和惩 罚
主 要 人 物 ： 海 丝 特 ·白 兰 、 丁 梅 斯代尔牧师、珠儿
海丝特因通奸罪被惩罚，胸前 被烙上红字“A”
丁梅斯代尔牧师是海丝特的情 人，也是珠儿的父亲
情节梗概
故事背景：17 世纪美国清教 徒社会
主人公：海丝 特·白兰，亚 瑟·丁梅斯代尔
情节发展：海 丝特因通奸罪 被惩罚，亚瑟 因内疚而自首
01
02
03
04
个人道德观念
诚实守信：在红字中，诚实守 信被视为最重要的道德品质之
一。
勇敢面对：红字中的主人公在 面对困难和挑战时，展现出勇 敢面对的精神，这也是个人道
德观念的一部分。
忠诚爱情：红字中的主人公对 爱情的忠诚和执着，体现了个
人道德观念中的爱情观。
自我救赎：红字中的主人公通 过自我救赎，实现了道德观念
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摘要：《红字》是女性追求真爱，挑战清教社会中神权、父权和政权的代表作。
小说以红字为主线，刻画了海斯特·白兰在自我改造过程中所呈现出的双重性格：抗争性与妥协性。
小说的深刻意义在于体现了海斯特·白兰对社会的改造：她通过自身的努力实现了对真爱的追寻，改变了人们对红字的世俗看法，并赋予它更多反映女性精神的积极意义。
关键词：《红字》海斯特·白兰妥协性勇敢性文学作品通常是折射社会现实的一面镜子，小说《红字》以殖民地时期新英格兰的生活为背景，讲述了海斯特·白兰，一个敢于冲破畸形婚姻束缚的少妇，因犯通奸罪而不得不戴上象征耻辱与罪恶的“A”字以示众的故事。
长达七年的“赎罪”与炼狱成就了海斯特·白兰对爱情的坚持，更有意义的是她通过努力，改变了周围人对“A”字的世俗看法，最终实现了个人身份的蝶变。
海斯特·白兰的性格特征不是单一的，在清教主义的背景之下，为了生存，为了养育女儿，她的反抗表现出明显的妥协性，但在追寻个人尊严与自由上，她又有着突出的勇敢性。
一、孤独的挣扎，苦难的炼狱海斯特·白兰的孤独来自不幸的婚姻。
因家道中落，她受父母之命嫁给了老齐灵沃斯。
在父母看来，齐灵沃斯有丰厚的经济基础、渊博的学识，定会给海斯特带来幸福，但他们无法预料海斯特婚后的生活却“有如败在墙上的一丛绿苔，靠腐朽的质料来养育”。
［2］［P131］冷漠的婚姻无法满足海斯特对真爱的渴望，必然会导致注定的“叛逆”———大胆追求幸福生活。
在波士顿独居的日子，年轻有为的牧师丁梅斯戴尔激起了海斯特内心的波澜，两人最终暗中结合。
虽然当时的社会环境根本无法容忍这样的真爱，但海斯特深信真爱是神圣的，便向教会的信条、社会的法律，还有所谓的男权观念发起了挑战。
在男权社会中，女性对传统道德体系的反叛必会付出沉痛的代价。
海斯特被勒令佩戴上红色字母“A”（Adulteress：奸妇），站在邢台上示众。
在众人的注视下，“A”字有如鞭笞一般，不断抽打着海斯特流血的心。
她想用怀中的婴儿来遮掩胸前的“A”字，但遮掩只会欲盖弥彰。
海斯特毅然挑战、抗拒视觉权力。
她把“A”字化为美妙绝伦的艺术品———用细红布缝制，四周用金色的丝线精心刺绣。
鲜红的“A”字饱含了海斯特对艺术丰富而华美的想象，震撼着人们的视觉，但又大大超出了清教主义崇尚节俭的规范。
华美的“A”字是海斯特在服饰上的公然反叛。
在邢台之上，人们期待着她黯然失色的神情，但海斯特“依然光彩照人，竟把笼罩她的不幸和耻辱凝成了一轮光环”。
［3］［P6］她以自己勇敢的眼光压倒了世俗的眼光，坦然面对视觉权力所带来的精神煎熬。
甚至人们在看到刑台之上怀抱婴儿的海斯特时，竟会联想到圣母的形象。
华美的“A”字让海斯特成功地挑战了世俗的眼光，因此手中的针线活成为孤独的海斯特宣泄情感、表达自己、聊以自慰的有效手段。
她精心绣制的“A”字，恰恰是情人阿瑟·丁梅斯戴尔名字的首字母的缩写。
她一直把情人的名字戴于胸前，夺目且意义深远。
这“A”字不断地灼伤她的心灵，但又给她带来无限的动力，让她始终感觉到情人的陪伴。
珠儿，她真爱的结晶，她生活的全部，她用自己超群的技艺来张扬自己对珠儿这个世俗眼中的“罪恶结晶”的爱。
“在给孩子设计服装时呕心沥血，充分发挥了华丽的倾向……使她成为世上前所未有的活跳跳的一小团炫目的火焰”。
［3］［P36］珠儿抢眼的服饰是海斯特对社会的又一次抗争与反叛。
海斯特通过娴熟的针线手艺实现了经济的独立，她的针线活出现在“总督的皱领上、军人的绶带上、牧师的领结上”。
海斯特，这个社会边缘人的影子已经深入到清教社会上流阶层的生活中：他们一方面推崇清教主义的简朴与节俭，一方面却贪婪地享受着奢侈与安逸。
海斯特手中的针线对他们进行了极大的嘲讽，深刻地揭露出他们虚伪的本质。
经济上的独立使海斯特也赢得了思想的独立，刺绣不再是简单而枯燥的谋生技艺，而是她抒发生活激情、获得快乐的艺术创作。
她的作品，凝聚了她对美的感悟，对生活的热爱，对丰富的想象力的表达。
“A”字又有了“艺术”（Art）的意义。
经过长达七年的漫长而痛苦的自我改造后，海斯特产生了很大的变化：她用帽子遮住一袭美丽的黑色长发，身着朴素的外衣，尽力掩饰自己美丽的容颜。
镇上的人渐渐对这个不再张扬、有点亲和力的海斯特产生了好感。
“A”字被赋予了新的意义：能干（Able）。
当人们对她产生敬意、表示感谢时，她不会回头亦或是抬头来回应他人的招呼，她用自己的沉默来显示骄傲的性格。
在他人看来，海斯特是希望通过积德行善来赎罪，而实际上她只是在不断对生活进行思考，锤炼自己的心灵，挑战世俗的界定，默默地呈现出“罪恶之人”那最真实的善良与德行。
二、无奈的现实，分裂的性格根据弗洛伊德潜意识的论述，人的意识由“意识和下意识”两部分组成，下意识即是潜意识。
潜意识比较原始，接近本能，具有很强的模糊性，基本上是感觉不到的。
意识则是经过学习而成，因此受到社会伦理道德、礼教、风俗习惯的约束。
在《红字》中，面对内心与现实间不断的撕扯，海斯特、丁梅斯戴尔和老齐灵沃斯的性格都一步步地分裂了。
双重的人物性格更使小说平添几分悲剧的凄凉感。
海斯特深受社会的影响，虽然被排斥在社会之外，但她又竭力回归社会。
她带有同时期女权主义女性的鲜明抗争中的坚忍，妥协中的坚持———《红字》海斯特·白兰性格解读刘喜玲（河南教育学院外语系，河南郑州450014）23她们都有令人称赞的力量与美德，但也有缺点与的思想一直保持独立，并进行着反抗。
”［10］［P66］对海斯特而言，她一方面出于母爱，不得不向清教主义人性观与价值观靠拢，一方面又拒绝忏悔，坚持真爱。
母爱在海斯特的心理历程里发挥着重要的作用。
在宗教神权占统治地位的社会里，海斯特虽然知道自己有权追求真爱，但她还是意识到自己对婚姻的背叛触犯了戒律。
作为女人，她可以独自承担所有的惩罚与不幸；但作为母亲，她担心残酷的惩戒会落在爱女珠儿的身上。
“她每天忧心忡忡在观察着孩子逐渐成长的个性，唯恐发现某种阴郁或狂野的癖性，即那些更产生这个小生命的罪恶相一致的癖性”。
［3］［P35］她自己饱经孤独与痛苦，但渴盼女儿不要重蹈覆辙，希望她能融入社会，拥有快乐的世俗生活。
为此，她默默地忍耐，凭借针线活保持与清教社会的联系，通过多做善事来获得心理的慰藉。
珠儿的未来让海斯特愤怒的反抗之心平静了下来，让她倾向于用忍耐、博爱之心来服从社会的外在规则。
母爱使海斯特的反抗精神带有很强的妥协性。
但海斯特斗争的个性总会在矛盾激化时迸发出来。
在树木遮蔽的世界里，海斯特与情人丁梅斯戴尔相遇，并将久积心中的激情与思想袒露出来，又一次在灵魂上陷入“罪恶”。
她主动拥抱情人，并提议一同远走高飞，开始新的生活；她把红字摘下，抛在小河边，彻底地与所谓的清规戒律决裂；她摘下束发帽，垂下乌黑的长发，充分地展示自己的风姿。
然而，正当她沉浸于自由与释然当中时，珠儿拿回了扔掉的红字，又吵又闹，直到海斯特重新带上红字。
珠儿，磨砺海斯特的使者，又将她拉回了令人窒息的现实。
与海斯特直面神权、夫权的惩戒相比，丁梅斯戴尔则显得怯懦，但他同样也承受了沉重的心理折磨。
由于特殊的社会地位，他不得不承受来自世俗和神权的双重束缚。
丁梅斯戴尔比海斯特更为孤独。
他需要向别人倾诉心中的秘密，但他不可能相信别人，不可能吐露这致命的罪恶。
作为牧师，他可以拯救别人的灵魂，但却无法拯救自己失落的灵魂。
在海斯特站在刑台上接受审判时，他却要担负起“悔过自新，坦白招供”的职责。
“A”字的“罪孽”应当压在两个人的肩上，尤其在爱人海斯特在饱受煎熬时，他更应当挺身而出。
但这样的举动，无异于让他从“天堂”坠入“地狱”，最终他选择了沉默。
信徒的尊崇让他更加鄙视自己的人格，他只能通过苦修、鞭笞自己的身体来缓解心中的苦痛。
他一次次以手抚心，又何尝不是一次次的心灵破碎？此外，牧师学会了使用模棱两可的双关语来表达心声：“海斯特，虽然他将走下高位，与你一起站在这刑台上，但这要远远胜过藏着一颗犯罪的心苟活终生。
”［3］［P18］他努力向听众袒露他掩盖罪恶的事实，但又有意地把话语隐藏在另外的意义当中。
他渴望早日得到心灵的解脱，但信徒的“仰视”与信任，剥夺了他像寻常人一样犯错误的权利。
他心中有爱，但却要谈爱色变；他内心愧疚，但却要悄悄掩藏。
在“神的选择日”里，他勇敢地从“神坛”走向“刑台”，扯开法衣的饰带，袒露出象征罪恶的印记。
精疲力竭后，他瘫倒在邢台上，完成了灵魂的净化与救赎，成为“殉道者”。
老齐灵沃斯原本是“体谅他人”的学者，但对婚姻的错误认识，让他成为复仇的机器。
齐灵沃斯认为他的学识与智慧会掩盖自己身体上的缺陷，带给海斯特幸福。
而他仇的过程，海斯特和丁梅斯戴尔饱受精神折磨，而他自己也变得更加丑陋，既丧失了人性又违背了神性。
在情敌获得精神解放时，他却彻底崩溃了，形容枯槁。
原本是感情的受害者，到头来却沦为残忍的施暴者。
齐灵沃斯最终在爱与恨当中选择了前者，他把自己的财产留给了情敌的女儿珠儿，让自己获得最终的安宁———爱的和解。
三、人间的天使，精神的回归珠儿，吻了丁梅斯戴尔，泪珠滚落在父亲的脸颊上，她彻底地融入了人间的挚爱的情感中，不再是以前那个与世为敌的小精灵，“她将在欢乐与哀愁中成为一个正常的世间女子”。
［3］［P182］对海斯特而言，珠儿也不再是反复灼伤她心灵的红字。
珠儿长大后，正如海斯特所愿，终于拥有自己的幸福。
海斯特从牧师临终的遗言中理解了恋人临终前的忏悔，真正接受了他的对人性的理解和对上帝的敬畏。
“我们曾忘记了上帝的存在，我们亵渎了彼此的灵魂，所以从未奢望来世相见，也无法得到纯真、永恒的复合。
上帝知晓一切，但依然慈悲满怀。
他在我胸口烙下苦难的印记！……永别了！”［3］［P182］丁梅斯戴尔对海斯特道出了今生乃至来世的永别，显然是从灵魂深处承认了他们追求真爱，但违背上帝意愿的罪恶性。
在波士顿，海斯特与丁梅斯戴尔相识，获得真爱；在波士顿，海斯特经历了红字的炼狱；在波士顿，海斯特最爱的人长眠于此。
波士顿的生活是如此的真实。
经历暴风雨洗礼后的海斯特心如止水，最终她选择重新回到这个熟悉的城镇，自觉地戴起红字，忏悔过去。
海斯特的德行让红字不再是遭人厌恶的耻辱标志，而成为天使（Angle）的象征，很多人主动向她倾诉哀愁与困惑，恳请得到她的忠告。
海斯特的虔诚与博爱终于使她重新融入清教社会，实现了心灵的宁静。
小说最后，对海斯特坟墓的描述，更加淋漓尽致地刻画出她的精神境界：“这两座坟靠得很近，但又隔着一段距离……但这两座坟只竖了一块墓碑。
”［3］［P190］海斯特把对情人的爱恋深深埋在心底，始终铭记恋人临终的忏悔。
“在一片黑色的土地上，刻着血红的字母A”的墓志铭深刻地表达了两个相爱的人因爱而做出的永不相见的承诺。
红字给他们带来的痛苦与耻辱都已经烟消云散，记忆犹新的却是它所带来的幸福于爱情。