On Sublimity of The Scarlet Letter

The ancient Greek rhetorician Longinus' On the Sublime, an important literary and artistic theory, shows the sources of sublimity, which plays a great role in the western classic literary criticism. Based on his critical theory, it can be concluded that Nathaniel Hawthorne' s masterpiece The Scarlet Letter embodies Longinus' five principal sources of elevation: one is the author's elevated ideas and passion permeating in the novel; the other is his artistic skills that well convey his profound theme. "Sublimity is the echo of a great soul" and "our soul is uplifted by the true sublime". The Scarlet Letter is a great work that purifies people's soul and nurtures noble humanity.