摘  要

纳撒尼尔•霍桑是美国十九世纪伟大的浪漫主义小说家。霍桑深受清教的影响，是一位象征主义大师。长篇小说《红字》既是霍桑重要的象征主义代表作品，同时也是美国浪漫主义小说的代表作。象征是一种典型的写作手法，它可以使文章立意高远，含蓄深刻。恰当地运用象征手法，可以将某些比较抽象的精神品质，化为具体的可以感知的形象，从而给读者留下深刻的印象。本文以象征主义作为切入点，重在分析小说中字母“A”，主要人物及场景的象征意义，目的在于试图通过对小说中象征寓意分析来探究作者在文中象征主义的巧妙运用，从而帮助读者理解整本小说。第一部分介绍字母“A”的象征意义，它不仅以各种形式出现，并且它的象征意义也不断变化着。第二部分阐述小说中的四个主要人物海丝特、丁梅斯代尔、齐灵沃斯及珠儿的象征意义。第三部分分析小说中场景的象征意义，例如监狱、绞刑台、玫瑰丛、森林及阳光等都极富象征意义。对《红字》中象征主义的研究可以使读者了解作者写作风格的同时，学习当时美国历史文化背景，同时有助于提高英语学习者对文学的研读兴趣。

关键词: 霍桑；《红字》；象征主义；清教主义
 
Abstract

Nathaniel Hawthorne is a great romantic novelist in America in the 19th century. He is enormously influenced by Puritanism. He is a master of symbolism. The Scarlet Letter is not only Hawthorne’s most important novel of symbolism, but also one of the masterpieces of American literature. Symbolism is a typical writing style, which can make an article aspirational, subtle and profound. Using symbolism appropriately can change some abstract spiritual qualities into concrete image, which may leave a deep impression on the reader. This thesis explores the topic of symbolism, focusing on the analysis of the symbolic meaning of the letter “A”, the main characters and the scene in the novel. It aims to analyze the symbolic meaning of symbols, and to examine the clever use of symbolism in the novel. This can help readers to understand the whole novel. The first part introduces the symbolic meaning of the letter “A”. Not only is the letter “A” displayed in various forms, but its symbolic meaning is also constantly changing. The second part explains the symbolic meaning of the four main characters in the novel, Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth and Pearl. The third part analyzes the symbolic significance of the scenes in the novel, such as prisons, scaffold, rosebush, forest and sunshine. The study of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter can help readers know the author’s writing style and the cultural background of the United States. It can also improve English learners’ interest in literature study.

Key words: Hawthorne; The Scarlet Letter; symbolism; puritanism

1  Introduction
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem in 1804. His family was closely related to Puritan church, so he was deeply influenced by it. Nathaniel Hawthorne was a great romantic novelist in America in the 19th century, and was a central figure in the American Renaissance. His novels were penetrating exploration of spiritual and conflicts. As a great romantic novelist, Hawthorne was outstanding in handling application of symbolism. The Scarlet Letter was Hawthorne’s best symbolic novel which made him known all around the world. In this work, he used symbolism so skillfully that it greatly enhanced artistic effects of his work.