The Scarlet Letter

     In The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are many examples of American Romanticism. This topic covers the use of imagination, and one of those examples from the novel is the detailed description of the prison door. The prison door is described when the narrator introduces the readers to Hester Prynne, the main character of the story, and a sinner. "The rust on the ponderous iron-work of its oaken door looked more antique than any thing else in the new world" (Hawthorne 41). This describes a gothic aspect of the door. The door is described as old, dark, and worn out. The reader can make a connection from this part of the novel, to romanticism gothic literature.
     Because there is such a deep connection between romanticism and gothic ideas, another perfect example of romanticism in the novel is "The penalty therefore is death. But in their great mercy and tenderness of heart, they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only at a space of three hours on the platform of pillory, and then and therefore, for the remainder of her natural life, to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom" (Hawthorne 54). Because Hester Prynne committed a sin, she was punished by being branded and wearing the letter "A" for adultery on her chest. This is a sign of shame. They want her to realize her mistake and never forget it. This can be connected to the idea of romanticism in novels (which is not similar to romance, in today's terms). These are two examples of the American Romantic era that are discussed in The Scarlet Letter.