ipl-logo

The Use Of Irony In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

647 Words3 Pages

Socrates, A great philosopher of the ancient era, gave explanation to life through the use of questioning, some of which ironic, contradicting what he had previously learned so that he could further develop the truth. This function of irony to develop thought is not used solely in the philosophical world, but also in the world of literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of these authors to do so. In his novel The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne utilizes irony to build up to and to explain the truths of the intertwining mysteries of his tale. The act of explaining truth in literature can be a challenging one, and there is many variations as to how to meet this confrontation, whence we see the use of irony in Hawthorne’s text. Where he uses irony as the most important means to describe his novel’s truth. Scandalous acts bring together communities, in narratives and life, together against a …show more content…

Dimmesdale is one such minister. He is spoken about early in the book as to how me must be grieved by such scandalous conducted performed by Hester Prynne.(30) And the community continues to hold on to this feeling of the correct conduct of the minister up until his great climax. All the while we are learnt of his involvement in this aforementioned dastardly deed, and we are weaned into the knowledge of the truth through the hypocrisy that Dimmesdale keeps up and does not admit to until he is at the brink of death. The challenge to depict the truth in a meaningful but also creative way can be achieved with the use of one of many idea structures. In Hawthorne’s text he uses irony to define the plot’s truth with different characters. Through objects, people, and their actions the reader and in some cases a character learn of reasoning of why things happened the way they did, and it can be reflected that this is done with the use of

Show More
Related

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Magnasoles Released By The Onion

    872 Words  | 4 Pages

    In constructing irony the reader sees it as

    Read More

  • Analysis Of How To Read Literature Like A Professor

    956 Words  | 4 Pages

    Kyle Guimarin Mrs. Mary Smith AP Literature September 20, 2017 How to Read Literature like a Professor In the novel “How to Read Literature like a Professor,” Foster gives insights on how to spot and pick up on many common literary terms such as irony and symbolism by using a very relaxing tone and referencing many common novels that most readers can identify and relate to. The novel is very educational and can leave the reader asking many questions, and by the end the reader should be reading books and literature in a very different way than they have before. To start off, Foster uses many examples to show the reader how to pick up on the different types of irony and what it really means in a story.

    Read More

  • Figurative Language In Scarlet Letter

    1180 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, reveals many aspects of human nature. One of Hawthorne’s prevalent themes is the way in which hidden sin affects the human soul. Through the progression of Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Hawthorne explores the dynamic way in which hidden sin ultimately induces more suffering than open ignominy, using figurative language and contrast to convey his message. Immediately before Dimmesdale gives an impassioned plea for Hester to reveal her partner in sin, Hawthorne indicates through imagery and contrast that Dimmesdale’s sin does not yet have a great impact on his livelihood. Hawthorne notes that Dimmesdale’s “eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence (46).”

    Read More

  • Hawthorne's Use Of Irony In Scarlet Letter

    736 Words  | 3 Pages

    When you think of a Puritan society, what comes to your mind? Perfect, flawless, and a religion based on following God? Well, that is what it says on paper, but is it really that perfect? Throughout the Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne jabs at the Puritans in an attempt to portray just how flawed they really are. After reading the book, you want to think that Hawthorne is telling the story of sinning in a Puritan society.

    Read More

  • Irony In The Minister's Black Veil

    1499 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Story Behind the Veil “The Minister’s Black Veil” is arguably one of the most famous short stories in the history of American Literature. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, is an extremely well known writer who is recognized for his many works. From The Scarlet Letter to The House of the Seven Gables, Hawthorne’s exceptional literary skills are portrayed in each and every one of his stories.

    Read More

  • How Does Nathaniel Hawthorne Use Biblical Allusions In The Scarlet Letter

    1458 Words  | 6 Pages

    However, he also uses these allusions to create a new side to his narrative as evident when he describes Hester’s resilience, and to create a new element in the plot as evident in his description of Dimmesdale’s penance and need for redemption. Therefore, Hawthorne demonstrates an effective use of allusions to craft a religious and detailed narrative for The Scarlet Letter by reviewing on parallels between the Bible and the novel’s main characters. There’s more to The Scarlet Letter than these allusions though, and there are many questions to answer about this book. These questions may never be answered fully, but by reading the novel itself, we might find the right places to start searching for answers and formulate our own opinions on the matter. What’s important from this novel is the realistic warning about what might happens when an individual place themselves too highly among others, a message Hawthorne writes to warn against the fervor of transcendentalism of his time.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of The Scarlet Letter

    534 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Prison Door In this Chapter from The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne introduces the setting of the book in Boston. He uses a gloomy and depressed tone in the beginning of the chapter. He is able to convey this tone using imagery while describing the citizens, the prison, and the cemetery. However, as he continues to discuss the rose-bush, he uses parallelism to shift the tone to be brighter and joyful. To create a gloomy and depressed tone, Hawthorne uses imagery.

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis Essay On The Crucible

    630 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the text, Irony is used to really create a lot of the conflicts in the

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Devices In Frederick Douglass

    631 Words  | 3 Pages

    For example, in chapter three,3 Douglass uses irony to describe the excessive attention his master, Colonel Lloyd, pays to his horses. Because they were his prized possession, Lloyd would beat the slaves in charge of taking care of them if the horses misbehaved in any manner. Obviously, it was not the slaves fault, but the horses. Douglass uses irony here to show that Lloyd treats his animals better than he treats the human slaves. What Lloyd did not realize was that slaves were not animals but men, with thoughts and emotions of their own.

    Read More

  • How Does Harper Lee Use Irony In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1131 Words  | 5 Pages

    In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses characterization, symbolism, and irony to express the cloud in judgment prejudice causes when examining the morals of others. Scout is able to understand more about the town folk in Maycomb County through studying her teacher’s ironic and corrupted views of life around her. Lee uses Miss Gates, Scout’s teacher, to allow Scout a chance to understand the complexity of the adult world. While teaching the class about the Holocaust, Gates expresses the injustice being done to the Jews. She teaches the children that the town does not “believe in persecuting anybody” (Lee 329) because of the U.S. democratic government.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Devices Used In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    437 Words  | 2 Pages

    In chapter one of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many rhetorical devices are used. Hawthorne uses this language to create mystery and wonder throughout the book. His writing is precise; obviously to cause readers to feel a certain way. Nathaniel's use of imagery, mood, and symbolism is what makes The Scarlet Letter so interesting to those who read it.

    Read More

  • The Cask Of Amontillado Dramatic Irony Analysis

    484 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” irony is applied throughout to help foreshadow future and give more of an insight to the readers, all while adding some humor. Irony is divided into three main types: dramatic, situational, and verbal. Poe uses dramatic irony when he has Fortunato dress as a jester, “a tight-fitting parti-striped dress and his was surmounted by the conical cap and bells” (Poe). The get-up makes Fortunato looks foolish and foreshadows his actions of following Montresor into the catacombs to taste some wine. Montresor even compliments the outfit and says “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met” (Poe), but it was not Fortunato who was in luck, but Montresor who would gain profit of their meeting.

    Read More

  • Use Of Irony In The Hunger Games And The Lottery

    1446 Words  | 6 Pages

    Irony is often used in literature to illustrate certain situations to the audience. In some pieces of literature that might be pointing out an unjust system, in others that might be to add a comedic effect, but whatever situation the author wants to illustrate, irony is very beneficial. Through small and witty, one-liners, or a bigger dramatic irony situation contrasting two very different situations, irony can be very beneficial for the reader to understand the story. Both “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins have a corrupt dystopian society. Through the use of irony, the author can portray the corruptness to the audience.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Dramatic Irony In Lamb To The Slaughter

    393 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Roald Dahl’s riveting short story “Lamb to the Slaughter” dramatic irony is used to build tension. Dramatic irony is defined as a literary device where the reader knows more about a situation than the characters in the story. The main character Ms. Maloney, a devoted and tender wife, suddenly turns into a reckless murderer as her husband tells her he wants to leave. Throughout the narrative a prominent example of dramatic irony is when the policemen eat the leg of lamb. " ‘That's why the weapon should be easy to find.’

    Read More

  • Essay On Literary Devices In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    499 Words  | 2 Pages

    Literary Devices in The Scarlet Letter Literary devices are often used to capture a reader’s attention in a text. Nathaniel Hawthorne used many different types of literary devices in his book The Scarlet Letter. He uses symbolism to give hidden meaning to elements in the story, conflict to make the story interesting, and allusion to make references to historical events (ex. biblical references). While reading The Scarlet Letter, the literary devices did not jump out at me, but now as I reflect upon them they help me understand the book well. Literary devices can make a passage have a whole different meaning.

    Read More

More about The Use Of Irony In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Open Document