The author of this novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne, is mostly known for his unique and descriptive writing style. In The Scarlet Letter, he describes his disapproval of the leading character’s morals clearly. For example, before Hester Prynne emerges from the cold and dark prison, she is scorned by a group of women who believe in a harsher punishment for Hester. Meaning, instead of being made to stand on the scaffold bearing the scarlet letter on her bosom, they suggest that she “she should be put to death or have it branded into her skin, precisely on her forehead.” Since early times, Puritans have had the reputation for strong discipline, their religious beliefs, and harsh punishment for those defying their beliefs. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel that portrays the Puritans as cold and unfeeling. The Puritan’s feelings were so lacking of compassion that ” they were stern enough to look upon her death…
without a murmur… but had none of the heartlessness of another social state.” This quote depicts that when the public is faced with a death of a sinner, they would absolutely have no reaction what so ever. These worries and concerns are focused on a passage in chapter one in which Hester is being nagged by a harsh group of women. The one woman, perhaps the ugliest of them all, goes too far in advocating the death of Hester due to jealousy Nathaniel’s tone reveals how he feels towards the Puritan society. He begins early in the novel by describing the Puritans as “being of the most intolerant brood,” stating the lack of understanding they had toward one another.
The Essay on The Scarlet Letter Puritans Vs Hester
The Letter A is a mark of punishment and humiliation. However , Hester Prynne carries the symbol upon her with a very different out look than the puritans intended. Hester and the Puritans both have strong feelings for this Scarlet Letter but both will not come to terms and define a universal meaning for this strong symbol. The Puritans intend this A to be a disgrace to Hester Prynne. To make the ...
Finding out about Hester and her beautiful baby Pearl, the town at once without any word from Hester filled their hearts with hatred towards the two. “Meager, indeed, and cold was the sympathy” that the Puritans offered against Hester in her vulnerable moments aloft the scaffold. Again, Hawthorne’s choice of words indicates his harsh tone towards Puritanism. Nathaniel Hawthorne shows again that the Puritan society as cold and unfeeling in his descriptions of Roger Chillingworth and his reaction to relationships. In his search for revenge, Chillingworth responds to his adultery prone wife by sacrificing his life in order to figure out her secret lover. He used be a scholar but now is disguised as a doctor who put forth his best years, “to feed the hungry dream of knowledge,” but now he is out for something else, revenge on the one man who made love to his wife.
Roger soon becomes too obsessed with his investigation; he forgets about everything else, and while suspecting Reverend Dimmesdale as the possible lover and parent; he puts every second of the day to become Dimmesdale’s personal doctor in the attempt to get his retribution. The only way Roger can truly corrupt and torture Dimmesdale and find out if he really seduced his wife is to live with him and to be at his side each and every day. His dream of revenge takes control of the man he used to be and eventually he dies one year after the Reverend died because Chillingworth now had nothing to live for because he got his so called revenge. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel that portrays the Puritans as cold and unfeeling. Puritans altogether were like a roller coaster always in a constant mood whether it be sorrow, anxiety, or torment throughout their lives even though they were once known as peaceful and loving. Until reading this novel, people of our society do not realize what the Puritan era was truly about.
Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne goes to detail on how revenge can be a powerful force. In conclusion, The Scarlet Letter is a novel the shows us how horrific revenge can be and the hardships that are made in the process.
The Term Paper on The Nature of Revenge in the Scarlet Letter
Hawthorne's masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter, has been interpreted and studied since it was first published in 1850. There is much conjecture on Hawthorne's intended meaning; both literally and allegorically. However, most critics support the theme of adultery in this work. Many critics also agree with the themes of revenge and guilt. Johnston believes the gist of this novel concerns the “ ...
