Elements of Transcendentalism and Anti-Transcendentalism in "The Scarlet Letter"

About The Scarlet Letter Novel :- 

Hester is new in town and every one looking her with spy eyes because she decided to live alone until her husband comes. After some time she saw a sexy  and handsome man swimming in a forest pool. Later she knows that he is the town's new pastor Arthur Dimmesdale. When they meet each other both are  attracted to each other. They also attracted to each other physically. Hester allowed herself to built physical relationship with Arthur. Hester never felt guilt for her decision because she heard that her husband has died. Then she turns up pregnant by Dimmsdeal. The society jailed her until the child is born. Then society asked her about her child father but she can't say anything about him. If she told name of Hester, society kill him. Then suddenly her husband come into town, than she face so many problems.


What is Transcendentalism in literature?

A movement in nineteenth-century American literature and thought. It called on people to view the objects in the world as small versions of the whole universe and to trust their individual intuitions. The two most noted American transcendentalists were Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau

Followed their inner feeling rather than what society say :-

This is one of the characteristics of transcendentalism. In the novel The Scarlet letter heater lives her life when she know the news about her husband death. She meet a handsome man Dimmesdale.
Here we see the roll of society :-
                                                   After death of husband women didn't  allow marry to any other person. But Hester never followed that rule made by society she regularly meet Dimmesdale and both attracted to each other.

Here we clearly see that Hester listen to her inner voice and she don't care about society. She also know that if society know the relation of her and Dimmesdale, society would punish and kill both of them.

Again Hester take a decision against society and listen to her inner voice. Society ask her name of the father of her child but she don't say any word.

What is Anti-Transcendentalism in literature? 

-The Gothic Movement and literature is very similar to the Anti-Transcendentalist movement.
- Movement and style of the 1800s that focused on the dark side of human nature.

The effects of sin and guilt :-

Sin and guilt when society punishment to Hester to wear A on her dress. At that time Dimmesdale feel guit and he see all this without saying any word. He is priest of the town and he know who is he. He and Hester never think about society. They both had made sin.

Dimmesdale was feeling guilt and he could not accept it. Because he was priest in town. Or we can say that because of power position. He knows that Hester is innocent. He feel guit for his wife and his daughter.

Dimmesdale known that he also make sin so he punished himself. He carved 'A' on his chest and he suffer more pain than Hester.