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LukeMazzaferro
LaurenAughenbaugh
English12
12February2015
PsychoanalyticAnalysisofTheScarletLetter
Whenreadingliterature,analyzingthecharactersid,ego,andsuperegoassistsin
understandingwhythecharacterbelievesandbehavesashedoes.SigmundFreud,thefatherof
psychoanalysis,analyzednumerouspiecesofliteratureinordertoaidhiminthedevelopmentof
hispostulationsaboutthedifferentpartsofhumanpsychology.Oneofthemostimportantpieces
Freudusedtodevelophisideaswas
TheScarletLetter
byNathanielHawthorne.Nathaniel
Hawthornewasoneofthemostfamousandwellknowntranscendentalistauthorsofthe19th
century.Hismostfamousnovel,
TheScarletLetter
hasbeenpraisedhighlyforoveracentury
andisconsideredbysomethegreatestAmericannovelofalltime.Thecharacterswithinthe
novelshowthevariousqualitiesoftheid,ego,andsuperegothroughoutthebook.Sigmund
Freudsvariousconceptsabouttheid,ego,superego,andtheunconsciousmindareperfectly
exhibitedin
TheScarletLetter
throughthevariousactionsandemotionalupheavalsportrayedby
thecharacters.
NathanielHawthornewasbornonJuly4th,1804inSalemMassachusetts.Whenhewas
onlyfour,hisfather,WilliamHawthorne,diedofyellowfeveratseain1808.Losinghisfather
devastatedhim,andheneverquitehadthesamedemeanorafterthetragicoccurrence.

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Hawthornespentmostofhischildhoodandteenageyearslivingwithhismotherandtwo
sistersinMassachusettsandinMaine.Attheageofnine,hewasinjuredplayingballandspenta
verylongperiodofrecoveryathome.Thoughhedidinfactsustainsomesortofinjury,itis
believedthatheactuallyspentaconsiderableamountoftimeinthisperiodgrievingovertheloss
ofhisfather.Becauseofstayingathomeallday,oftenwhennobodywasaround,Hawthorne,to
adegree,livedinastateofisolationforanextendedperiodoftime.Itwasduringthisperiodof
nearisolationthatHawthorneobtainedanaptitudeforreadingandcriticalthinking.Thisnewly
acquiredtraitwouldstaywithHawthornethroughouttheentiretyofhislife.
Withtheassistanceofhisaffluentuncles,HawthornebeganattendingclassesatBowdoin
CollegeinBrunswick,Maine.HeattendedclassesatBowdoinfrom1821to1825.Someofhis
classmatesconsistedofHoratioBridge,oneofhisbestfriends,futurepresidentFranklinPierce,
futurecongressmanJonathanCilley,andpoetHenryWadsworthLongfellow.
AftercompletionofcollegeHawthornebeganwritingstories.Duringthistime,hewrote
hisfirstnoveltitled
Fanshawe:ATale.
Betweenthistimeandaround1850,hewrotenumerous
fictionalshortstories,mostofwhichwereromanticnovels.Hawthornereceivedrelativesuccess,
butwhatheearnedwasnowherenearenoughforhimtosupporthimselfandhisfamily.Being
firedfromhisnewlyacquiredjobattheSalemCustomhousemademattersevenworse,as
workingtherewashisprimarysourceofincome.
WhenHawthornebeganwriting
TheScarletLetter
,hewasinmajorfinancialdistress.
Hawthornehadbeenwithoutajobforanextendedperiodoftimeandwasindesperateneedof
moneytosupporthimselfandhisfamily.Hawthornesoriginalintentionforthenovelwasforit
tobeanotheroneofhisromanticshortstories,itwastobepublishedquicklyduetohisfinancial

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need.Thenovelendedupbeingmuchlongerthanitwasoriginallyintendedandwaspublished
in1850.OneofthebiggestinfluencesonHawthornewhenwritingthisnovelwashisfamily
ancestry.Thenoveltakesplaceinthemid1600sinPuritanMassachusetts.Hawthornes
ancestorslivedthroughthistimeperiodandwerealsostrictPuritans.Hawthornes
greatgreatgrandfather,JohnHathorne,wasoneoftheleadingjudgesduringtheSalemWitch
Trials.Hewastheonlyofallpresidingjudgestonotrepentforhisactionsthatledtothe
executionsoftwentyaccusedwitches.NathanielHawthornewasrepulsedbytheactionsofhis
ancestors,andspentagreatportionofhislifedenouncingtheactionsandbeliefsofhisancestors
andPuritansocietyingeneral.Heevenchangedhisnametodistancehimselffromthem.
ThebookopensupwiththenarratorexplaininghowhecametotellthetaleofHester
PrynneandArthurDimmesdale.ItdetailsthatthenarratorworkedasasurveyorattheSalem
CustomHouseandthattheyfoundamanuscriptandascarletletterAwithit.Thenarratortells
thestoryoftheeventscontainedwithinthemanuscript.
ThestorybeginswithHesterPrynnebeingmarchedtothescaffoldofaPuritan
settlementlocatedinpresentdayBostonwithherchildPearl.Shewearsagoldembroidered,
scarletletterAonherchest.Hesterisaccusedofcommittingadulteryandisbeingpublicly
shamedforhercrimes.HerassumeddeadhusbandRogerChillingworthisinthecrowdand
learnsofhiswifesadultery.HeisindisguiseandonlyrevealshisidentitytoHester,heswears
revengeonherandherlover.
Severalyearslater,HesterandPearlresideinasmallhouseoutsideofthevillage,asthey
havebeenshunnedbythecommunity.Highrankingofficialswithinthecommunityattemptto
takePearlfromhermotheronmultipleoccasions,butthecommunitysminister,Arthur

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Dimmesdale,preventsitfromhappening.Dimmesdale,despitebeingratheryoung,suffersfrom
hearttroublesandseverepsychologicalanguish.ChillingworthsuspectsDimmesdaletobethe
secretloverofhiswife.Chillingworth,posingasaphysician,tendstotheminister.Hegivesthe
ministeraseriesoftests,andquestionshimaboutwhathethinkscouldbecausingthedistress.
Whiletheministersleeps,ChillingworthdiscoversaselfinflictedwoundoftheletterA
engravedintotheministerschest.Chillingworthssuspicionsarenowconfirmed.Hesterand
PearlencounterDimmesdaleonthescaffold,attemptingtopunishhimselfforhissins.Hester
returnstoChillingworthanddemandsthatheceasetormentingtheminister,butherefuses.

HesterarrangesaprivatemeetingwithDimmesdaleintheforestandthetwoplantoset
outforEuropetostartanewlifeasafamily.Thedaybeforetheyaretoleave,Dimmesdalespots
HesterandPearlontopofthescaffoldandjoinsthem.Hepubliclyconfesseshissinsofadultery,
revealingthescaronhischest,anddiessoonafter.HesterandPearlleaveBoston.
Hesterreturnsaloneaftermanyyears,wearingherscarletletter.Pearlhasmarrieda
wealthyaristocratandremainsinEurope.WhenHesterdies,sheisburiednexttoDimmesdale
andengravedontheirgravestoneistheletterA.
SigmundFreudarguedthatthehumanpsychehadmorethanjustoneaspect.Freud
believedthatthehumanmindwasstructuredintothreeparts,allofwhichdevelopedatdifferent
stagesinlife.Freudcalledthesethreepartsofthehumanmindtheid,ego,andsuperego.
Theidischaracterizedasthemostbasicandinstinctivepartofonespersonality.It
consistssolelyofbiologicaltraitsofhumanpersonalitysuchassexualandsurvivalinstincts.The
idisimpulsiveandseekstosatisfybasichumandesiresandneeds.Theidhasnoperceptionof
logicandtherealityofeverydaylife.

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Thesecondpartofthehumanpsyche,theego,functionstosatisfythedesiresandneeds
oftheidbutachievesthemthroughreasonablemethodology.Theegodevelopswhenoneis
exposeddirectlytotheinfluenceoftheworld.Theegodoesnothaveanyconceptofrightand
wrong,assomethingisviewedasgoodonlyifitsatisfiestheidsneeds.
Thesuperegofunctionstocontroltheidsimpulsesandmakestheegoachievegoalsthat
maynotsatisfytheidsdesiresbutthataremoralandethical.Itconsistsoftwoparts,the
consciousandtheidealself.Theconsciouscausesthefeelingofguiltiftheegogivesintothe
idssociallyforbiddengoals.Theidealselfisessentiallyonesownideaofwhattheyshould
strivetobe.
In
TheScarletLetter
,therearenumerousinstanceswheretheactionsofthecharactersare
beingdrivenbytheid,ego,andsuperego.Therearealsoinstanceswherethecharacters
unconsciousmindsindicatethereasonforvariousactionsdonebythecharacters.
ArthurDimmesdale,Hesterslover,isamanwhoisconstantlylosingthefightwithhis
ownmind.He,asthetownsminister,isfullyawarethatthecrimeofadulteryisstrictly
forbiddeninthePuritansocietyheisapartof.Despitethis,Dimmesdale,givingintothe
demandsofhisid,engagesinanadulterousrelationshipwithHesterPrynne.Hesterhasachild
anditissoonfoundoutbythepeopleofthePuritancommunitythatthechild,Pearl,isnotfrom
Hestershusband.Hesterispubliclyhumiliatedandforcedbyofficialsinthecommunitytowear
ascarletletterA,whichrepresentsadulteryandforcedtowearitforever.Dimmesdale,upon
witnessingwhathappenedtoHester,immediatelyfeelsfeelingsbothofremorseandguilt.
ArthurDimmesdalesdownwardspiralbeginshere.

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Dimmesdalesguiltworsensthroughouttheyearsandhefindshimselfconstantlybattling
himself.EnduringthevengeanceofRogerChillingworthdoesnothelpthesituation.
DimmesdalelongstoexposehimselfofhissinstothemembersofhisPuritancommunity,buthe
cannotfindthecouragetodoso,becauseheholdsaprominentpositionasministerofthe
communityandhasmadewellforhimself.Inthissituation,Dimmesdalessuperegoisunableto
prevailinthefightagainsthisego.Heknowsitwouldbeethicalforhimtocomeforthand
revealhisimmoralactionstothecommunity,yethecannotbecausehefearshewilllosehishigh
statuswithinthecommunity.Dimmesdalecontinuouslytriesto,throughbattlinghisown
conscious,butcannotovercometheguiltthathasbeeninflictedonhimbyhisownimpulsive
actionsthroughtheshallowdesiresofhisid.
RogerChillingworthistheantagonistinthenovel.Heisdepictedasavengefulman
filledwithangerandresentment.Throughouttheentiretyofthenovel,Chillingworthis
influencedbyandactsoutofhisid.HebelieveshiswifeHesterbetrayedhimandthatsheand
herlovershouldbepunished.He,filledwithbitternessandresentment,tormentsDimmesdale
whenitisapparentthatheisHesterslover.ChillingworthdoesthisbyprobingDimmesdales
mind,essentiallytorturinghimbyrecurringlyforcinghimtospeakofthesinthathecommitted
thattormentshimendlessly.WhenDimmesdaletriestoclearhisconscious,whichremindshim
ofhissinfulactions,Chillingworthavertshimfromhispathtopeaceofmind.Inasense,
ChillingworthservesasarepresentationofDimmesdalesconscious,orhissuperego.Theselines
fromthestorygivethisideabackingThusRogerChillingworthscrutinizedhispatient
carefully,bothashesawhiminhisordinarylife,keepinganaccustomedpathwayintherangeof
thoughtsfamiliartohim,andasheappearedwhenthrownamidstothermoralscenery,the

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noveltyofwhichmightcalloutsomethingnewtothesurfaceofhischaracter.Hedeemedit
essential,itwouldseem,toknowtheman,beforeattemptingtodohimgoodSoRoger
Chillingworththemanofskill,thekindandfriendlyphysicianstrovetogodeepintohis
patientsbosom,delvingamonghisprinciples,pryingintohisrecollections,andprobing
everythingwithacautioustouch,likeatreasureseekerinadarkcavern.(Hawthorne145146)
HesterPrynne,themaincharacterinthenovel,isacomplex,dynamiccharacterthat
continuouslystrugglestocontrolherdesires.Shelongsforameaningful,lovingrelationship,
somethingsheneverhadwithherhusbandRogerChillingworth.Likeherlover,Arthur
Dimmesdale,Hestergivesintoheridsdesiresandhasanadulterousrelationship.Eventhough
sheisfullyawarethatadulteryisstrictlyforbiddeninthestrictPuritansocietythatsheisapart
of,sheactsimpulsively,drivenbytheid,andpursuesanadulterousrelationshipwith
Dimmesdale.Asresultofthis,Hesterhasachild,Pearl.Itbecomesapparenttothecommunity
thatPearlwasnotthechildofHestershusbandashehasbeengone,suspectedtobelostatsea,
foranextendedperiodoftimeanditisimpossibleforPearltobehis.Hesterispublicly
humiliatedbyofficialsinthecommunityisforcedtowearascarletletterAacrossherchestto
symbolizehersinofadultery.Hestersegowasunabletocontroltheoverwhelmingdesiresof
herid.
BythetimethatHesterisshunnedbythecommunityandisforcedtoliveinasmall
homeoutsideofthevillage,shebeginstofindasenseofbeautyinthenewlifeshelives,andshe
expressesthisnewfoundbeautythroughherexceptionalsewingskills.Hestersewingdresses
revealsahidden,subconsciouspassionshehasthatisstrivingtomakethebestofthenewreality
ofherlife.Itwastheartthen,asnow,almosttheonlyonewithinawomansgraspof

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needlework.Sheboreonherbreast,inthecuriouslyembroideredletter,aspecimenofher
delicateandimaginativeskill,ofwhichthedamesofacourtmightgladlyhaveavailed
themselves,toaddthericherandmorespiritualadornmentofhumaningenuitytotheirfabricof
silkandgold,itwasshutup,tobemildewedandmoulderaway,inthecoffinsofthedead
herskillwascalledinaidtoembroiderthewhiteveilwhichwastocoverthepureblushesofa
bride.Theexceptionindicatedtheeverrelentlessvigorwithsocietyfrowneduponhersin.
(Hawthorne106107)
Eventually,HesterPrynnebeginsdecoratingthescarletletterA.ThisshowsthatHester
nolongerwearstheAbecausesheisforcedtodosobutbecauseithasessentiallybecomea
symbolofprideforher.Hesternolongerbelievesheractionsweresinful,asshebelievesthat
onecannotalwayscontroltheiremotionalimpulsesanddesiresandthatthereisnothing
supernaturalorotherworldlyabouttheseimpulsesanddesiresbecauseallpeoplesharethem
simplybecausetheyareofbasichumannature.ThisideaissupportedbytheselinesWomen
deriveapleasure,incomprehensibletotheothersex,fromthedelicatetoiloftheneedle.To
HesterPrynneitmighthavebeenamodeofexpressing,andthereforesoothing,thepassionof
herlife.Likeallotherjoys,sherejecteditassin(Hawthorne108)
Attheendofthenovel,Hesterseemstofindherselfinanothersituationinwhichherids
impulsivedesirescannotbecontrolledbyheregoandsuperego.Hestersdecisiontotravelto
EuropewithDimmesdaleandPearlwasalsoanimpulsivedecisiondrivenbyherid.Hesterwas
againtryingtoreceiveimmediategratificationbymovingawayfromtheplacethatbothshunned
herandpreventedherfromlivingfreelyandpursuingarelationshipwithherloverArthur
Dimmesdale.HesterknewthatitwouldnotbeeasyforDimmesdaletoleavethevillage,heheld

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aprestigiouspositionwithinthecommunityasminister,andmanylookeduptohim.Hesteris
unawareoftheconsequencesofherplan,asheregoandsuperegoareabsentinthissituation.
HeridsimpulsivedesiresessentiallyleadtothedeathofherloverDimmesdale,ashehasstill
notfullyfoundpeaceofmindwithhisdesiresthatareperceivedassinfulasHesterhas.
Dimmesdale,unabletocontainhisguiltanylonger,addressesthecommunityandprofesseshis
secretsinofadulterythathehaskepthiddensolong.Attheendofhisspeech,hefallsoverdead.
Dimmesdalediesofanillnessofhissoul,anillnessthatburdenshisspiritualitytosuchanextent
thatitcauseshishealthtofailandtoapointwhereheisunabletokeephissinbottledupinside
ofhimanylonger.WhenDimmesdaledies,hisconsciousfinallyprevails.
UsingSigmundFreudsideasaboutthehumanpsychewhenreadingliteraturehelpsus
betterunderstandwhythecharactersdowhattheydo.Italsohelpsusbetterunderstandboththe
personalityandthethoughtprocessofthecharacters.Whenapplyingknowledgeabouttheid,
ego,superego,andthemethodologyoftheunconsciousandtheconsciousmind,wenotonlyfind
outmorethanmeetstheeye,weobtainagreaterappreciationofthedelicatebeautyfortheart
thatallowsustodelveintotheunexploredpartsofourmind,anartthatoffersatemporary
escapefromrealitywhereprofoundinsightcanbeattained,anartknownasliterature.

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Humanthermodynamics.
InstituteofHuman

ThermodynamicsandIoHTpublishingLtd.2005.Web.06Dec.2015.

Hawthorne,Nathaniel.
TheScarletLetter.
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Heffner,Christopher.FreudsStructuralandTopographicalModel
AllPsych.
AllPsych,2015.

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Id,Ego,Superego.
SimplyPsychology.
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350.Print.

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DictionaryofLiteraryBiography.
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Volume1.Detroit:Gale,1978.224.Print.