The Scarlet Letter of Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) is a masterpiece that represents the seventeen century through the skillful use of symbols. The Scarlet Letter “A”, the forest, Red and Black, Pearl, the Scaffold and the rose bush are the most remarkable symbols of The Scarlet Letter.
The rosebush in The Scarlet Letter represents kindness and forgiveness. Since the prison is a place of darkness and sin, the beauty of a wild rose bush growing in such an unexpected place symbolizes God’s grace.
More Notes: The Scarlet Letter
Again, from the analytical point of view experts symbolizes the rose bush as a symbol for Hester. Its flowers not surprisingly are red. Red roses are known for their great beauty, but they are also difficult to control like Hester. As a long-lived plant that comes back year after year, roses are known to be able to survive even through the most difficult conditions. That ability to overcome difficult circumstances is also reflected in Hester’s character.
Again, throughout The Scarlet Letter, a wild rose bush is used as a symbol of freedom, romantic aspiration, and all the things that Puritan society is not. From the upper discussion, it becomes quite clear that in The Scarlet Letter the rose bush is very significant that symbolizes the characteristics of Hester Prynne and God’s grace.
