The Great Hopelessness

In pursuit of happiness. Everyone in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic “The Scarlet Letter” is pursuing happiness in their own way. Hawthorne presents the two great themes of Happiness and Love in this work, and manages also to touch on the question of what is pure. I think this book matched all of my personal requirements for a “Great Work”.

1. It is written in noble language (flowing, poetic old English)
2. It touches upon subjects that are eternal (Happiness, Love and what is pure)
3. It has the ability to speak to us through the ages.

Firstly, Hawthorne raises to us the question of what is pure and good. Very often we see the “man-made” contentment of a structured community in this book. But I constantly was reminded of the image of a certain rosebush presented in the very first chapter of this book. Hawthorne makes mention to the rosebush’s “sweet moral blossom”. I think this is to say that what is wild, and perhaps created by God or nature alone is pure. Humankind cannot create a pure thing, or make a Godly code in their own image. Also, Hawthorne constructs a powerful scene in which Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale find a moment of happiness in the forest. Again, this pure moment is found away from the community, and in a “natural, wild” place. Pearl might also be considered wild, and perhaps this is why we never see her do anything wrong or questionable like other characters. She has yet to be corrupted by the world removed from the most basic nature.

Happiness is essential for all of these characters. But none of the main characters ever appear to get what they want. I was strongly reminded of Albert Camus’ “The Myth of Sisyphus” when reading about the individual pursuits of happiness here. Sisyphus, the Greek immortal, was condemned to a life of futility by the Gods. It seems as though the characters here are doomed to the same fate. They have dreams and desires, but the world is indifferent to those desires. Roger Chillingworth is a man who cannot accept this absurd relationship between himself and the world, and so his every action is in resentment of this. He represents the first possibility for our response to the absurd. Rev. Dimmesdale attempts to deny the existence of the absurd, and so he runs from it. But this is also an exercise in futility. It is similar to the three-year old child who keeps asking “why” to his parent. The parent is always bound to run out of answers before the child runs out of “whys”. The same happens to poor Arthur. He is unable to run any longer. Hester finally gives us hope for dealing with the absurd relationship between ourselves and the world. She returns to her punishment after years of freedom. This is because, as Camus suggests, life is purposeless. But this makes life all the more enjoyable. And so Hester throws herself into her work and we must imagine her as happy.

By far, I preferred Pearl to all the other characters in this book. She is a beautiful example of one who simply makes the best of a bad situation. I imagine Pearl as a heroine who has overcome the absurd in her life, or at least has accepted it.

As to love, I listened to a particular song in Italian while reading this book. It is called “Che Coss`e L`amor”. The lyrics reminded me of the hopelessness Hawthorne sees in love and hate.

“What is love?
It is like a pebble in your shoe
That stings with each lazy step
Of the bolero.”

I don’t know why I thought of this song, but it works.

I found this to be one of my favorite books thus far. The language spoke to me and enveloped my whole being in the intricate web of lies, love and tragedy.