Scarlet Letter: A difference between Film and Novel

On 26th July we have watched the film "Scarlet Letter" directed by Roland Joffe(1995) in our Department of English..

We have studied the novel first and after that watched the film. So we have pointed out the following difference between the novel "Scarlet letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the film version:-

i) Difference in the beginning scene

The very first scene of the film is totally different than the novel. The novel begins with the scaffold scene where Hester was standing in the middle of the crowd. But in the film the situation was totally different. The scaffold scene was comes in middle of the film. The film beguns with the scene of jungle where there are many tribal peoples who are celebrating something.

ii) Tribal people: more civilized

In the film the tribal people helps Arthur Dimmesdale and they seems more civilized than the other people of society. This kind of helping nature of tribal people we didn't find in the novel.

iii) One cunning fellow

In the film there is one man who is from beginning tries to get Hester but was not succed in his evil attemp and brutally murdered by Roger Chillingworth. Roger suspects him as Arthur Dimmesdale and in anger he murdered him. This is a totally new turn in the film. However in novel we didn;t find this man who attempted unsuccesful rap on Hester.

iv) Portrayal of Pearl

Pearl, the daughter of Hester was portrayed as a strong character in the novel, but in film she was not given much importance. The focus was remains on Hester and Arthur only. In novel Pearl was mature enough who knows what is good and what is bad. In film she is totally unaware about the fact and about her father.

v) Happy ending

In film all things get setteled and Arthur, Hester along with Pearl lives happily. Even the fallen health of Arhtur was not shoown in the film. whereas in novel there is no happy ending. The health of Arthur Dimmesdale was fallen down day by day in guilt of his sin, and in the end after accepting Hester in Public as his beloved, he dies.

Other observation

i) Mindset of Priest

In the film one elderly priest doesn't shake hands with pearl, this shows his narrow minded nature and also represent the inferior position of women in society, who never get same respect back after performing sin. The mindset of higher authority get refelected in the film, what they feel about woman also get uncovered.

ii) Women without man

It was always difficult for women to live without her man. Same thing happens with Hester whose husband was not with her. All women are gossiping about her character.

iii) Slave girl

By portraying the bad condition of slave girl, the film throws light on the system of colonization. Here the slave girl Mituba seems colonized and Roger, Hester seems as a colonizer. She is just following each and every ordered of her master without raising voice or without going against of them. Roger again shows his power here on Mituba and conspired to murder her.

iv) Interpretation of the wheel struck in the mud

In one of the scene from the film, the wheel of cart got struck in the mud and then there is entry scene of Arthur Dimmesdale who tries to get that wheel out. But that remain as it is and Hester's mind got struck in the dream of Arthur. Then the problems beguns. Therefore 'Wheel' symbolized the life of Hester and 'Mud' symbolized the society.

v) Symbol of Swords

When Arthur went in prison to meet Hester, there is Swords in cross position in between them, which symbolize the barrier of society, which never allows them to unite.