《红字》---对清教主义的怀疑【EnglishAbstract】TheScarletLetterbyNathanielHawthorneisaclassicalnovelinAmericanliteratureinthe19thcentury.SincethefirstChinesetranslationofTheScarletLetterappearedinthe1950sscholarsandreadersinthiscountryhaveshownanever-increasinginterestinhisworks.ItsimmortalenchantmentliesinnotonlyitscondemnationofthenegativeimpactofPuritansocietyonpeoplesspirit,butalsoitsaffirmationofgoodness.ThenovelaimsatcriticizingseverelyPuritanicalasceticism,suggestingHawthornesfurtherthinkingovertheoriginalsingoodandevilsoulsalvationtotaldepravitybyanalyzingthefourmaincharactersinthenovel.Thenovelconcernstheconsequencecausedbythesinandpeoplesattitudetowardssinratherthanthesinitself.Hebelievesmancandogooddeedstogetridofevilinhisheart.【KeyWords】Puritanism;Humannature;Prynne;Dimmesdale;Roger;Pearl;thescarletletter【中文摘要】《《红字》》是十九世纪美国作家霍桑的成名作.自从本世纪五十年代被译介到我国以来,一直倍受读者的喜爱.其不朽的魅力在于它不仅无情的鞭挞了清教法规对人性的践踏,更重要的是作者对人性的善的肯定.本文旨在通过小说中四位主要人物的分析,阐明作品所表现的深刻思想内涵:通过与邪恶的搏斗，人可以获得道德上的完善，从而批判了清教主义所倡导的原罪善恶拯救灵魂彻底堕落的说法：小说作者主要关心的是原罪导致的后果及人们对待原罪的态度，而不是罪孽本身，他认为由于爱而犯下罪过可以得到忏悔拯救。【关键字】清教法规；人性；白兰；丁梅斯代尔；齐灵沃斯；珍珠；红字A1．IntroductionTheScarletLetterisafamousAmericannovelwhoseauthor,NathanielHawthorne,isconsideredtheleadingAmericannativefictionistofthe19thcentury.HawthornewasborninSalem,Massachusette,ofaprominentPuritanfamily,onJuly4,1804.In1850hebroughtouthismasterpieceTheScarletLetter,thestoryofatriangularloveaffairincolonialAmerica.InthisnovelHawthornecondemnedthePuritanphilosophyoflife[1]P49Hisstoriesdisplayapsychologicalinsightintomoralisolationandhumanemotion.Hedistrustedtheclaimofobjectivereasontobeabletoarriveathumanlyrelevanttruth[2]P53Hisshortstoriesandnovelincludes:TheMinistersBlackVeil,TwiceToldTales,MossesfromanOldManse,TheHouseofTheSevenGables,TheMarbleFaun,amongwhichTheScarletLetteristhemostfamous.Thenovelisshortbutverymoving.Prynne,ayoungandbeautifulwoman,cametoNewEnglandtwoyearsbeforehishusband,anold,uglymanwhocannotgivePrynnelove.Prynne,thenfallsinlovewithDimmesdale,ayounghandsomeclergymanandthenhasababy,Pearl,becauseshecannotgetanynewsfromherhusband,thinkingthathehasdied.Whenheradulteryisdiscovered,sheispunishedtowearascarletletterAonherchestallherlife.Herhusband,Roger,trieshisbesttotormentDismmesdale.AndDimmesdale,sufferingfrombothphysicalandspirittorment,announceshissinatlast,hediesanhonestman.Roger,withersatlast,Prynne,restructuresherlifeandwinspeoplesrespect,Pearl,leavesforEurope,marriesanoblefamily,leadingahappylife.Hawthornesthoughtwasfullofcontradictions.Inhisdays,Americancapitalismwasdevelopingrapidly,andthesocialstructurewaschangeable.Hecouldntunderstandthischange,andtriedtoexplainitbydiscoveringthehiddenevilineveryonesheartbecauseoftheinfluenceofPuritanism.Heusedsymbolismandimagination,whichmadehisworksfullofmysticalcolor.Inthisresearchpaper,IanalsizethemaincharactersofthenovelaimingatdiscussingthenovelisaskeptictothePuritanThought.2．PuritanisminAmericanPuritanismwasentirelyEnglishinitsorigin,yetthemovementachieveditsgreatestinfluenceinAmerica.The17thcenturycoloniesinNewEnglandrepresentthefullestdevelopmentofthemovement.[3]P22PuritanismisthepracticesandbeliefsofthePuritans.ThePuritanswereoriginallymembersofadivisionoftheProtestantChurch,whocameintoexistenceinthereignsofQueenElizabethandKingJamesI.ThefirstPuritanstoarriveinAmericawereSeparatists.AnewgroupofSeparatistsfledEnglandin1607---1609,tothenorthofPlymouth,intheareaaroundBoston,otherPuritansbeganarrivingin1628---1630.TheycameoverundertheauspicesoftheMassachusettsBayCompany,acorporationwithrightstotheareaoflandlyingbetweentheCharlesandtheMerrimackrivers.TheycametoAmericaoutofvariousreasons,butitshouldberememberedthattheywereagroupofserious,religiouspeople,advocatinghighlyreligiousandmoralprinciples.Theybelievethatthechurchshouldberestoredtocompletepurity,theyacceptedthedoctrineofpredestination,originalsinandtotaldepravity,andlimitedatonementthroughaspecialinfusionofgracefromGod.Puritansliveswereextremelydisciplinedandhard.Asacultureheritage,PuritanismdidhaveaprofoundinfluenceontheearlyAmericanmind.AmericanPuritanismalsohadaenduringinfluenceonAmericanliterature.Ithadbecome,tosomeextent,somuchastateofmind,somuchapartofthenationalculturalatmosphere,ratherthanasetoftenets.