Bring out the elements of transcendentalism and anti-transcendentalism from The Scarlet Letter.

• Bring out the elements of transcendentalism and anti-transcendentalism from The Scarlet Letter.

What is Transcendentalism?

Transcendentalism began as a religious concept rooted in the ideas of American democracy. It is a Philosophical movement which developed in the 1830s and 1840s in the eastern religion of the united States as a protest to the general state of cultural and society. The Romantic Movement gave rise to the New England Transcendentalism. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a leading figure of this movement. In the Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel “Scarlet Letter”, we can also find transcendentalist elements. The movement is entirely opposed to puritan’s so called morality.

What is Anti-Transcendentalism

Anti-Transcendentalism was an opposition movement to the Transcendentalist. The Transcendentalist were writers who supported the beauty of Nature, the kindness of Humans and a distrust in government.



In the novel Immediacies is priest of church and most of people have beliefs priest means divine soul. Author describes nature in the difference way and man it means Dimmesdale show priest so society have perception like Dimmesdale is priest and as man he is good person. Idealists best example of society in the novel society described as ideal like puritan society and set different kind of rule like if anybody committed adultery then punished society. Hester committed adultery so society give punishment forceful wearing 'A' scarlet letter. Novel most of scene is in church Dimmesdale speech like he know everything and reading books as like he has intuition.

Through the novel author may be shown real image of society. And Roger Chillingworth character is example of indifferent human nature. Because Chillingworth motif to take revenge with wife and her lover for this reason he killed one innocent person so his character portrait as evil. While Dimmesdale show as priest and give moral speech to society but actually he is not follow his own speech because he has hidden relationship with Hester. When Hester became pregnant at that time Dimmesdale not ready for serving her responsibilities. So it is dark side of man which is shown by author. Spirituality of society based on puritan morality therefore people follow puritan rules and regulations it is like only blind beliefs.