Mistress Hibbins‚ a characterin Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter‚ is a widow who lives with her brother‚ Governor Bellingham‚ is his mansion. She often shows up when Hester is in a time of crisis. She is a secondary character‚ but she is an important one because she is sort of an all knowing character and shows things that no one else does. Mistresss Hibbins shows how the forest is outside of the town both literally and figuratively. The townspeople believe the forest is where evil takes place‚ but
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Church‚ his perspective is balanced by his recognition of their hypocrisy. As John Winthrop described‚ the Puritan society was to be a city upon a hill — a place where the eyes of all people are upon us‚ but‚ as Hawthorne acknowledges with this novel‚ this ideology was overshadowed by their tendency to condemn the sinner‚ rather than forgive and uplift. Accordingly‚ Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter in order to expose the hypocrisy of judgment in general. He uses the Puritan society to illustrate
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Nathaniel Hawthorne chose such a controversial topic as adultery for The Scarlet Letter‚ his nineteenth century novel of "seventeenth century sexual repression and hypocrisy"‚ demonstrates a delicate yet changing climate with regard to infidelity. Historically‚ carrying on an adulterous affair back in such an era of Puritanism and traditional values was not taken lightly; in fact‚ by today’s standards‚ such horrific treatment for what is now considered an everyday occurrence was harsher than murders
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green “A” as a deliberate test of her mother because she does not know why her mother is shunned and wants an explanation. The best explanation Hester has for her daughter is to tell her that she has indeed met the “Black Man” and that the scarlet letter is his mark‚ as the old woman has said. The discussions in the last four chapters of the identity of the “Black Man” suggest a profound confusion among the characters about the nature of evil‚ the definition of which is an important theme in this
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marriage. A reported 95% of Americans today have had premarital sex. In today’s society‚ premarital sex is not considered a sin to most people. In the 1800s‚ it was a different story. In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ Hester Prynne was found guilty of adultery‚ branded with a scarlet A‚ and shunned by the town--an extreme punishment by modern standards. This A that Hester was forced to embroider onto all of her clothing symbolized not only her sin‚ but the A also held meaning for
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happens to make a mistake. Chris Herren and Hester Prynne both made a great mistake in their lives but it does not make them awful people. When Hester committed her sin she had to be punished. Wearing the letter A presented the symbolism of adultery. At first she felt uncomfortable wearing the letter A”. .I happened to place it on my breast....It seemed to me then‚ that I experienced a sensation not altogether physical‚ yet almost so‚ as of a burning heat” Pg 31. Hester soon accepted the fact that she
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Scarlet Letter Composition The Puritans’ beliefs in the 17th century were different than most of the citizens that live in this modern day society. The Puritan beliefs are based on the of the Church of England‚ but they purified the religion. The Scarlet Letter is based off the Puritans’ beliefs and the story of society that the Puritans lived in; some other critics observe that Nathaniel Hawthorne criticizes the Puritans society and their beliefs. When The Scarlet Letter was written the Author
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The role of Pearl in the Scarlet Letter This essay will be analysing the significance of the selected passage as well as emphasizing how this passage helps give the reader a more vivid insight to the lives of the protagonists of the Scarlet Letter as well as developing the plot further. The passage‚ taken from Chapter 16‚ “A Forest Walk‚” is illustrative of the role Pearl plays in the text. It is also an insight on the significance of the scarlet letter as a symbol. Pearl is aware of things that
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Many characters go through transformations in The Scarlet Letter‚ and one of those characters is Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne writes of a puritan society‚ and it is the laws of that society‚ both written and unwritten‚ that Dimmesdale breaks and which causes the changes to occur. He commits the sin of adultery‚ and by sleeping with Hester Prynne‚ breaks the laws that he is supposed to represent. He cannot admit his sin because he is a holy man‚ and admitting his sin would
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The Scarlet Letter‚ Pearl is endowed with the proclivity to unveil the truth that shrouds the sinners of the Puritan society‚ especially those of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl‚ a product of two sinners’ passion‚ is cast aside from the harsh Puritan society‚ which envelops her in the utmost freedom that is neither confined by Puritan laws nor thinking. In truth‚ Pearl is able to induce philosophical insight into human nature through her connection and fascination with the scarlet letter
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