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Pursuit and Hindrance: The Self-Identity of Mistress Hibbins in The Scarlet Letter and Cristina in Lives of the Saints

Jialu Song
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21013/jems.v20.n2.p5
Abstract
In The Scarlet Letter (1850) by the famous American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mistress Hibbins, a character recognized as a witch in society, not only demonstrates a strong spirit of religious resistance but is also a forerunner of feminist thought. Similarly, in the Italian-Canadian novelist Nino Ricci’s debut and masterpiece Lives of the Saints (1990), Ricci succeeds in portraying Cristina, a woman with a rebellious spirit. These two female characters, though in different time and space backgrounds, have shown persistent pursuit of self-identity. Therefore, the objective of this essay is to delve into the relentless quest for self-identity and the obstacles encountered by Mistress Hibbins and Cristina within the context of alienation. Drawing on the theoretical framework of identity, this analysis aims to illustrate that despite their hardships and tragic endings, both women ultimately achieve a recognition of their own identity.
Keywords
The Scarlet Letter, Lives of the Saints, self-identity, alienation
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