Nathaniel Hawthrone’s Transcendental Ideas in The Scarlet Letter

In the Scarlet Letter, there are many elements of transcendental beliefs and values present because of Nathaniel Hawthrone, the author of the Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne affected the structure of transcendentalism through his experience on the Brook Farm. He has also been involved in the belief system of transcendentalism. As a result, he lived in a transcendentalist community and used its practices in the development of the Scarlet Letter.

Among scholars as well as the general American public, it has long been acknowledged that the Transcendentalists have contributed to environmental religiosity. The purpose of transcendentalism is to highlight the belief that people are the most confident when they are focused on themselves. “What we now know as transcendentalism first arose among the liberal New England Congregationalists, who departed from orthodox Calvinism in two respects: they believed in the importance and efficacy of human striving, as opposed to the bleaker Puritan picture of complete and inescapable human depravity; and they emphasized the unity rather than the “Trinity” of God (hence the term “Unitarian,” originally a term of abuse that they came to adopt.)” Transcendentalists believed in many organizations regarding religion and political parties corrupted the purity of one's being. In their opinion, God was not needed in their lives. They were independent people and strived to do everything on their own. They also thought to be able to form a clique with the same beliefs could grow together. This helped them save themselves through action, rather than the power of God’s salvation.

Transcendentalism began in the early 1800s. It arose in New England. As the years advanced, many locations such as the Brook Farm, Walden, and Fruitlands became a social aspect to transcendentalists. Transcendentalism came across congregationalist before anyone else. Congregationalists left the Calvinistic church because they believed in human endeavoring over human depravity.

The author of the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthrone, was born on July 4, 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts. According to background information, Hawthorne’s father passed away when he was four years old. Hawthorne’s mother, Elizabeth, could not take care of three children all on her own, so she moved back in with her parents. The death of Hawthrone’s father left Elizabeth in a depressing state. Eventually, the three children had to move in with their uncle. When he reached of age, Hawthrone moved out and went to college at Bowdoin in Salem, Massachusetts. During that time, Hawthorne published his very first book. He did not like his writing and despised his work. He even told the people he knew, if they ever found his books to burn them. The books were so sappy and gloomy even publishers wouldn’t take it. In addition, Hawthorne’s real name was Hathorne. He changed it because of the shame the name brought and he did not want to associate himself with his family.

In 1838, Hawthorne met Sophia Peabody of Boston, and they went gaga for one another (Lynch, 2010). They got furtively drew in view of the dread of objection from their families. Nathaniel and Sophia were hitched in 1842. As a result of the assurance to wed, Hawthorne required a vocation and accepted a position at the Boston Custom House, however, it was short enduring just a half year. Hawthorne joined a visionary network called Brook Farm, remaining only a year. The visionary idealistic network had numerous aspirations of individual opportunity and empathetic connections. Everything was set to be for the prosperity and the wellbeing of every person. They accepted that work was elevating and whatever you did as an occupation, regardless you needed to participate in something that necessary you to accomplish something with physical exertion. Brook Farm had a parity of work and unwinding to cooperate to propel the bigger network. Individuals could pick what they needed to work in or whatever they discovered fascinating, while all getting a similar compensation. Benefits originated from selling things that were made or by the school that numerous individuals, from all around, came to visit. There was training for pretty much every age. The involvement with Brook Farm helped demonstrate that his compositions could be fruitful in time. While scanning for work Hawthorne started writing. His family was in a tough situation since he had no occupation and Sophia sold works of art leaving minimal expenditure. Someone donated over $500 to Hawthrone after learning about his problems. The money was able to help one of his best works, The Scarlet Letter. The Scarlet Letter made so much profit, he could raise his daughter without any obstacles. Hawthorne turned out to be sick over a little girl who was extremely debilitated, having a fever that about executed her. His wellbeing kept on debilitating, and he passed away in his rest. Hawthrone's thoughts on transcendentalism and predestination led to the outcome of so many beliefs in his book.

“But, on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him.” The rose bush symbolized transcendentalism. The author thought of this because the rose bush was so appealing. It was beautiful and brought hope.

Eventually, as the story continues, Dimmesdale finds his health beginning to deteriorate. He helps himself to remember his wrongdoing, destroying himself. His self-dispensed torment and caused himself to endure in light of the fact that everything he could see was his transgression and in the transcendental network the more you concentrated on the awful, it would keep on being so. Referring to Chapter 11, he would hit himself with a whip, starved himself, and essentially tormented himself. He would put out candles and remain alert during the late evening dwelling over his transgressions.

Chillingworth's wellbeing additionally went down. His awful expectations made him keep on being cruel. 'Ever and anon, as well, there came a glare of red light out of his eyes; as though the elderly person's spirit were ablaze and continued seething gloomily inside his bosom… '. Pearl even considered him a dark man symbolizing Satan. In Chapter thirteen, Hester was viewed as a tough lady. The 'A' she had on her chest did not define her anymore. It was viewed as a token rather than a sin. She looked passed her wrongdoings and held her head high. She saw the great and it created better musings.

Nathaniel Hawthorne played a memorable part in the transcendental network and keeping in mind that being a piece of this network Hawthorne shaped and had a major influence on transcendentalism. The Scarlet Letter incorporates a couple of instances of this type of convictions and method for living. Through finding out about The Scarlet Letter and transcendentalism, it is fascinating to perceive how things have changed after some time.