Parallelism And Romanticism In The Scarlett Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hidden Elements: Romanticism and Puritanism Dark. Light . Bland. Spontaneous. Restricted. Free. Puritanism. Romanticism. Those characteristics are comparing two major beliefs in the nineteenth century: Puritanism and Romanticism. Characteristics such as "dark, bland, restricted" describe the authoritarian principles of Puritanism. In contrast, "light, spontaneous, free" depict the more liberal beliefs of Romanticism. As witnessed in his novel, Hawthorne’s root as a Puritan allowed him to comprehend Puritan's strict teachings and successfully corporate that into his writing. For example, Puritans' oppressive lifestyle prohibits an individual to turn to human intercourse for lust and enforces the fact that God is everything;
Hester Prynne, in the eyes of the Puritans violated her religion's principle: turning to sex for lust. By doing so, she defies “Puritanic code of law” (Hawthorne 50); therefore, as a punishment, she must wear an embroiled scarlet letter "A" on her bosom to mark her sin. However, Hawthorne contrasts the Puritan beliefs by using Romantic philosophy. Hester is portrayed as a young and beautiful woman who committed adultery but eventually earns the respect of most villagers. Not only Hester, but also the supposedly shameful scarlet letter- from “Adultery” to “Able”- is described as a majestic symbol when Hester wears it. A sinner is usually being viewed as a loathsome and ill-favored figure in society; however, Nathaniel Hawthorne contrasted the belief of Puritanism by showing how a sinner can earn back a place in society. Pearl, the child of sin is supposed to be ugly, evil, and shameful, but Hawthorne depicts her as a young, free-spirited child. Pearl's gentler action “here [the forest] than in the grassy-margined streets of the settlement, or in her mother’s cottage” (Hawthorne 194) shows Romanticism; Puritanism believes everything in the forest is wicked. In the “evil” forest, Hester is able to relax and escape her troublesome life. Hester and Pearl, even though both were Puritans, represent Romanticism through their actions and
To Dimmesdale, admitting one’s sin to the public is less painful than letting his own conscience eats him inside out. Beginning a devoted Puritan, Dimmesdale followed Hester’s request of concealing the secret even though it was killing him, for he believes that is the will of God. He views his suffering as God’s punishments for committing adultery. He fears that his action has proven to God his insincerity for salvation; and in hope of it, he torments himself. But since these punishments were carried out in private, they do not satisfy Arthur Dimmesdale’s purpose. Dimmesdale is the perfect example of Puritanism for he strictly followed the rule and set God as the meaning of his life. This protagonist is Hawthorne’s way of ridiculing the strictness of Puritanism; Dimmesdale is a bland person who follows Puritan’s ascetic rules but found no happiness until he betrays his own belief and confessed his