Light at Play in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book Light at Play in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter' by Michael Helten, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Michael Helten ISBN: 9783638515672
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: July 1, 2006
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Michael Helten
ISBN: 9783638515672
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: July 1, 2006
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Freiburg, course: HS American Classics of the 19th Century, 13 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: When he was engaged to marry Sophia Amelia Peabody, a painter who copied the works of famed contemporaries with 'widespread praise', Nathaniel Hawthorne was awaiting two pictures she had produced 'expressly for him.' (both GOLLIN 2001: 114)1 In a letter he assured her: I never owned a picture in my life; yet pictures have always been among the earthly possessions (and they are spiritual possessions too) which I most coveted. (...) I have often felt as if I could be a painter, only I am sure I could never handle a brush;- now my Dove will show me the images of my inward eye, beautiful and etherealized by her own spirit. (GOLLIN 2001: 115) This essay will first try to outline whether these lines are just flattery or in how far the visual arts really played an important role in Hawthorne's life, and since Hawthorne was of course quite able himself to lay out before the world the images of his inward eye with great success, it will then try to show what visual techniques Hawthorne incorporated in his work, particularly in his classic The Scarlet Letter. It will be seen that, rather than creating a colorful tableau, as Hawthorne was also capable of doing in other tales (GOLLIN 1991: 53)2, he creates an atmosphere in The Scarlet Letter in which 'the color pattern (...) is essentially a contrast of red against black' (MATTHIESSEN 1945: 265)3, while the truly dominant technique Hawthorne puts to use is chiaroscuro, the application of light and shade.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Freiburg, course: HS American Classics of the 19th Century, 13 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: When he was engaged to marry Sophia Amelia Peabody, a painter who copied the works of famed contemporaries with 'widespread praise', Nathaniel Hawthorne was awaiting two pictures she had produced 'expressly for him.' (both GOLLIN 2001: 114)1 In a letter he assured her: I never owned a picture in my life; yet pictures have always been among the earthly possessions (and they are spiritual possessions too) which I most coveted. (...) I have often felt as if I could be a painter, only I am sure I could never handle a brush;- now my Dove will show me the images of my inward eye, beautiful and etherealized by her own spirit. (GOLLIN 2001: 115) This essay will first try to outline whether these lines are just flattery or in how far the visual arts really played an important role in Hawthorne's life, and since Hawthorne was of course quite able himself to lay out before the world the images of his inward eye with great success, it will then try to show what visual techniques Hawthorne incorporated in his work, particularly in his classic The Scarlet Letter. It will be seen that, rather than creating a colorful tableau, as Hawthorne was also capable of doing in other tales (GOLLIN 1991: 53)2, he creates an atmosphere in The Scarlet Letter in which 'the color pattern (...) is essentially a contrast of red against black' (MATTHIESSEN 1945: 265)3, while the truly dominant technique Hawthorne puts to use is chiaroscuro, the application of light and shade.

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book The Use of GPA in Initial College Screening by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Emma's 'Awakening' and its Timelessness by Michael Helten
Cover of the book When should an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) remanufacture? by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Scandinavian-American English - Tracing Influences of the Scandinavian Immigrants Languages on English in the United States by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Der systematische Risikomanagementprozess in der Straffälligenhilfe by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Corpus Linguistics: Lexicography and Semantics: Introduction to Concordance and Collocations by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Ein kleiner Einblick in die Geheimnisse von Turgenevs ,,Senilia' by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Critical Summary of Guns, Germs, and Steel - The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond by Michael Helten
Cover of the book 'You have no choice but to live in your time' - A Deconstruction of Martin Harrison's poetry collection 'Summer' by Michael Helten
Cover of the book A Business Model For The 21st Century by Michael Helten
Cover of the book The value of a firm by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Leasing - 'It is the use of equipment, not the ownership, that generates profit' by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Das Sortiment an Marktbedingungen anpassen - Unterrichtsstunde für eine Berufsschulklasse von Groß- und Außenhandelskaufleuten by Michael Helten
Cover of the book Janice Galloway's protagonists: Women in Foreign Parts discover that The Trick Is to Keep Breathing by Michael Helten
Cover of the book The Use of Social Media within the Recruitment and Selection Process by Michael Helten
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy