The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne can be considered a tragic story due to its exploration of profound suffering, the consequences of human actions, and the presence of tragic elements within the narrative.
- Tragic Heroine: Hester Prynne, the protagonist of the novel, can be seen as a tragic heroine. She endures immense emotional and psychological suffering as a result of her sin and the public shaming she faces. Hester’s inner turmoil, isolation, and constant reminder of her transgression create a sense of tragic fate that befalls her.
- Fatal Flaws: Tragic stories often involve characters with fatal flaws that lead to their downfall. In “The Scarlet Letter,” Arthur Dimmesdale’s fatal flaw is his inability to openly acknowledge and confront his guilt. His internal struggles and the weight of his hidden sin ultimately lead to his tragic fate.
- Suffering and Redemption: The novel delves into the characters’ experiences of suffering and the possibility of redemption. The characters in “The Scarlet Letter” undergo intense emotional and psychological pain as a consequence of their actions and the societal judgment they face. Their suffering contributes to the overall tragic tone of the story.
- Irony and Dramatic Irony: Hawthorne employs irony, including dramatic irony, to enhance the tragic elements of the story. The reader is often aware of information that the characters are unaware of, creating a sense of impending tragedy. The gap between what the characters believe and what the reader knows adds to the tragic atmosphere.
- Sense of Fate and Inescapability: Tragic stories often involve a sense of fate or inevitability, where characters seem bound by their circumstances and unable to escape their tragic outcomes. In “The Scarlet Letter,” the characters’ actions and the societal expectations of the time create a sense of inescapable fate, heightening the tragic nature of their situations.
Through its exploration of suffering, fatal flaws, and the consequences of human actions, “The Scarlet Letter” can be seen as a tragic story. Hawthorne’s portrayal of characters grappling with their sins and the tragic outcomes that befall them contributes to the overall tragic tone and themes present in the novel.
