What does books are the best of things well used abused among the worst mean?
When a book is used as a prompting for acts of violence or hatred, it is being abused. When books are abused, they are being bastardized of their original intent for good. Ralph Waldo Emerson could not be more correct when he claims that books, when abused, are among the worst of all things.
What is the difference between Transcendentalism and dark romanticism?
2) Romantics and Transcendentalists believed in optimism, while Dark Romantics tended to write in pessimistic and dark tones. 3) Whereas Romantics still believed in God, transcendentalists believed that the individual is part of God or the “oversoul” from which we originate and to which we return after death.
Why does Hester take off the scarlet letter?
For Hester, to remove the scarlet letter would be to acknowledge the power it has in determining who she is. Hester chooses to continue to wear the letter because she is determined to transform its meaning through her actions and her own self-perception—she wants to be the one who controls its meaning.
What is gothic dark romance?
Gothic romance, type of novel that flourished in the late 18th and early 19th cent. Gothic romances were mysteries, often involving the supernatural and heavily tinged with horror, and they were usually set against dark backgrounds of medieval ruins and haunted castles.
What are the functions of books according to Emerson?
While Emerson felt that the educative value of books was secondary to that of Nature and action, he still saw them as playing a vital role in inspiring moral power, spurring creative thought, stoking imagination, and shaping culture.
Is Hester Prynne an admirable character?
Although Hester Prynne is beautiful, her beauty barely compares to her strength of character. Even when she is punished for her crime of adultery and publicly humiliated by being forced to wear a scarlet A on her chest, Hester does not break. She remains exactly who she is: strong, kind, proud, but also humble.
What is the difference between romanticism and dark romanticism?
Dark Romanticism is distinguished from Romanticism in its emphasis on human fallibility and sin (they are pessimists), whereas Romantics believe in human goodness (they are optimists). The genre of “Dark Romanticism” is thought to have emerged from the Transcendental Movement in 19th century America.
What is a simple definition of transcendentalism?
26f. Transcendentalism, An American Philosophy. Transcendentalism is a very formal word that describes a very simple idea. People, men and women equally, have knowledge about themselves and the world around them that “transcends” or goes beyond what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel.
Is Hester truly penitent for her crime?
Is Hester truly penitent for her crime? Answer: Though Hester regrets the effect her crime has had on her child and on her position in society, she sees Chillingworth’s betrayal of Dimmesdale as an even greater crime. Ultimately, Hester learns to forgive herself for her sins while Dimmesdale does not.
What does Hester name her daughter?
daughter Pearl
Was Edgar Allan Poe a transcendentalist?
While Poe may have adopted a conciliatory attitude at times, he did not consider himself a Transcendentalist, nor was he sympathetic to the movement’s major views.
What does pearl symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
Pearl is a sort of living version of her mother’s scarlet letter. Yet, even as a reminder of Hester’s “sin,” Pearl is more than a mere punishment to her mother: she is also a blessing. She represents not only “sin” but also the vital spirit and passion that engendered that sin.
Why is the scarlet letter romanticism?
The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, reflects the ideals of American Romanticism by the use of the concept of Dark Romanticism, the evident appreciation of nature and innocent children, and the rejection of the standard rules of society and the influence of England, instead, answering to a higher moral …