丁梅斯代尔的自我分裂与《红字》主题的模糊性

Dimmesdale's Self-disintegration and the Ambiguity of the Theme of "The Scarlet Letter

丁梅斯代尔在《红字》中有很多对立表现 ,这些对立表现源于他自我的分裂。在他与海丝特·白兰的六次会面过程中,他的自我总在清教主义思想观念和生命情感冲动之间徘徊。一旦清教主义思想观念占了上风 ,他的虚伪、软弱、怯懦就表露无遗 ,而一旦生命情感冲动占了上风 ,他就变成了一个勇敢、坚毅、燃烧着热情的人。尽管丁梅斯代尔自我中分裂的两端最终融进了同一个行动 ,但是同一行动却并不能弥合他自我的永恒断裂。丁梅斯代尔自我的分裂应证了霍桑内心的困惑、焦虑、矛盾。霍桑本人一方面对清教主义思想持批判和反抗态度 ,另一方面又深受清教主义思想的影响。他在《红字》中揭示了清教主义思想的虚伪性和落后性 ,但同时又展现了人的“灵魂罪恶” 。

In 'The Scarlet Letter' Dimmesdale displays on many occasions his self-contradictions originating from his self-disintegration. During six meetings with Hester Prynne his ego wanders between his beliefs of Puritanism and vital emotional impulsion. Once his Puritan beliefs dominate him, his nature of hypocrisy, flabbiness, cowardice is completely uncovered. Once his vital emotional impulsion controls him, he acts as a brave, persistent, and passionate man. Either of the ends from his self-disintegration will lead to the same action, which can not close his eternal rupture. Dimmesdale's self-disintegration represents Hawthorne's delusory, worrying, and contradictory inner world. On the one hand Hawthorne criticizes and resists Puritanism, on the other hand he is deeply influenced by Puritan ideas. In 'The Scarlet Letter' he exposes the hypocritical and unenlightened nature of Puritanism. Meanwhile he reveals human ' spiritual sins', which shows the ambiguity of the theme of the whole novel.