ONLINE YOUTH LITERARY MAGAZINE

Youth literary magazine

The Elysian Muse

Youth literary magazine

The Elysian Muse

Youth literary magazine

The Elysian Muse

Photography by Silja Pietilä, 18, Finland

Photography by Safia Henniche, 16, Boston

Photography by Safia Henniche, 16, Boston

Dear Readers and Contributors,

 

I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank you all for the continuous love and support, especially through the pandemic. In just under 6 months, we’ve come so far; the magazine has been featured on Publish YOUth Writing and Poets & Writers, and the editorial team reached a whooping milestone of 100+ Advice Articles written! As we continue grow our global outreach, we’ve published over 280 creators from 25 U.S. States, 25 countries, and 6 continents across the world! 

 

It’s been a pleasure growing this community over the past three years, so I know I speak for the entire editorial board when I say we hold this magazine and our contributors close to our hearts. It takes a tremendous amount of research and effort to manage the magazine, which is why we're so thankful for all of your support. We encourage you to share our publications and Advice Articles to help our other young creators who may be interested in pursuing their craft.

 

Cheers,

Lori Khadse

Founder, Nonfiction Editor in Chief

The Elysian Muse Youth Literary Magazine

Dear Readers and Contributors,

 

I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank you all for the continuous love and support, especially through the pandemic. In just under 6 months, we’ve come so far; the magazine has been featured on Publish YOUth Writing and Poets & Writers, and the editorial team reached a whooping milestone of 100+ Advice Articles written! As we continue grow our global outreach, we’ve published over 280 creators from 25 U.S. States, 25 countries, and 6 continents across the world! 

 

It’s been a pleasure growing this community over the past three years, so I know I speak for the entire editorial board when I say we hold this magazine and our contributors close to our hearts. It takes a tremendous amount of research and effort to manage the magazine, which is why we're so thankful for all of your support. We encourage you to share our publications and Advice Articles to help our other young creators who may be interested in pursuing their craft.

 

Cheers,

Lori Khadse

Founder, Nonfiction Editor in Chief

The Elysian Muse Youth Literary Magazine

Photography by Safia Henniche, 16, Boston

Editors' Choice Works

 

Puritan Beliefs in American Literature

Written by A Friend (Anon)

 

The description of Hester Prynne’s creation of the scarlet letter is used as a symbol of the ease of disobeying Puritan beliefs in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Despite its inherent meaning of bringing shame to its wearer, Hester “artistically” creates the letter with “fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy” (46). Hester embraces the disgraceful symbol, showing the weak power of Puritan values over the lives of its people. While the main goal of Puritans is to purify society, they have no way to control the actions of others, as proven by Hester’s sin of adultery. Punishment is used to attempt to keep in line, but Hester demonstrates that even punishments are limited in their effectiveness By “artistically” making the symbol, Hester alters its meaning to the opposite of the intended purpose, as it can now be admired for its beauty rather than used for humiliation. Additionally, designing it as a “luxuriance of fancy” causes a difficulty in using it to look down at someone, since fancifulness and luxury are normally respected. Clearly, the description of Hester’s creation of the scarlet letter represents the struggle Puritans face in achieving conformity to their morals.The description of Hester Prynne’s creation of the scarlet letter is used as a symbol of the ease of disobeying Puritan beliefs in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Despite its inherent meaning of bringing shame to its wearer, Hester “artistically” creates the letter with “fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy” (46). Hester embraces the disgraceful symbol, showing the weak power of Puritan values over the lives of its people. While the main goal of Puritans is to purify society, they have no way to control the actions of others, as proven by Hester’s sin of adultery. Punishment is used to attempt to keep in line, but Hester demonstrates that even punishments are limited in their effectiveness By “artistically” making the symbol, Hester alters its meaning to the opposite of the intended purpose, as it can now be admired for its beauty rather than used for humiliation. Additionally, designing it as a “luxuriance of fancy” causes a difficulty in using it to look down at someone, since fancifulness and luxury are normally respected. Clearly, the description of Hester’s creation of the scarlet letter represents the struggle Puritans face in achieving conformity to their morals.