| Acknowledgements | 第1-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第6-8页 |
| Abstract | 第8-11页 |
| 1. Introduction | 第11-16页 |
| ·Introduction to Hawthorne and The Scarlet Letter | 第11-13页 |
| ·Literature review | 第13-15页 |
| ·Layout of the thesis | 第15-16页 |
| 2. Analysis of Loneliness in The Scarlet Letter | 第16-28页 |
| ·The definition of loneliness | 第16-17页 |
| ·The loneliness of the three characters | 第17-20页 |
| ·Hester Prynne's loneliness in the pursuit of true love:self-redemption | 第17-18页 |
| ·Dimmesdale's loneliness in begging for God's grace:self-torture | 第18-19页 |
| ·Chillingworth's loneliness in revenging against the rival:self-destruction | 第19-20页 |
| ·The causes of the three characters' loneliness | 第20-28页 |
| ·The objective causes | 第20-24页 |
| ·The subjective causes | 第24-28页 |
| 3. Attitudes towards Loneliness and Their Destiny | 第28-41页 |
| ·Hawthorne's religious view as well as his family life and its influence on the characters | 第28-29页 |
| ·The three characters' attitude loneliness and their destiny | 第29-41页 |
| ·Hester Prynne's positive attitude and her rebirth | 第30-34页 |
| ·Dimmesdale's ambiguous attitude and his misery | 第34-38页 |
| ·Chillingworth's negative attitude and the destruction of both Dimmesdale and himself | 第38-41页 |
| 4. Conclusion | 第41-43页 |
| Bibliography | 第43-44页 |
