In Nanthaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter‚ Hester‚ the main character‚ is forced to wear the letter A’ on her chest symbolizing her act of adultery with an unknown person. Through his novel Hawthorne sought to demonstrate how‚ under certain circumstances‚ the personal consequences of a crime may serve as sufficient punishment. In early Puritan America‚ adulterer’s generally suffered execution. Yet‚ in Hester’s case‚ she was only required to wear the scarlet letter as her husband and her lover
Premium Suffering Adultery Punishment
Guilt If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it‚ did it make a sound? If a character does something wrong but no one knows that character can both gain and lose from what they have done. This happens multiple times in The Scarlet Letter. Characters commit evil deeds‚ some are caught‚ and some are not. For those that aren’t caught‚ they have a decision to make. To turn themselves in or to live their lives as if it never happened. For those that choose to live on as if it never
Premium The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne
The Scarlet Letter Analysis Throughout history‚ sinners and misfits have been alienated from society by the people of their community. Examples of people out casting others can be found in every day life from the odd peer at school to an adult who does not share the same opinions or ideas as the majority. In the 17th century‚ Puritans became an important part of American history. They had strict laws and punishments and wanted a government that could enforce public morality. In Nathaniel
Premium The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne
Damned if You Do‚ Damned if You Don’t: Contrast in the Scarlet Letter The Puritan society was known for it’s strict morals and religious piety. But despite these supposedly virtuous qualities‚ in the Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter‚ we are shown how twisted this model of society is. The people torment Hester‚ but refuse to see that their beloved minister carries the same sin in his heart; in fact‚ they revere him all the more for it. In his chapters‚ “Hester at Her Needle‚” and “The
Premium The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne Sin
There are many dichotomies that are found throughout the novel‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Many of the characters in the story present strong dichotomies like Pearl‚ Roger‚ and Hester who show two totally different perspectives of themselves. A dichotomy is the division of something or someone into two parts; it can be good and be bad at the same time. For example spiders‚ no one likes spiders around their house‚ but they can be a use for trapping and killing unwanted flies around
Premium The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne Hester Prynne
After reading the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne I came to believe that Adultery is a terrible thing and can have very bad repercussions‚ especially in the early to mid 1700s. Back then committing adultery was a very serious offense to not the just the community but to your family also. Adultery used to destroy family relationships and to this day it still does. Adultery is also more of a religious problem but also goes into social and legal consequences. When it talks about social consequences
Premium Law Marriage The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter Human Nature falls into two categories: logic and feelings. Humans can split half and half or fall on the extreme end of the spectrum as Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays. The Romantics value impulse and natural intuition. They do not hold any value to reasoning through thinking or through study of literature. The Scarlet Letter‚ shows that Roger Chillingworth‚ Pearl and Hester Prynne characterize the perfect personalities to show a Romantic and Realist point of view. Presented as
Premium Romanticism Nathaniel Hawthorne Short story
happens all around us. In your everyday life‚ in movies‚ on television‚ in literature‚ it’s everywhere! It can change you‚ someone you know‚ or someone you don’t know. It can even change the world! This axiom is shown in the American classic‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ in chapter 13‚ Hester Prynne was shocked by how different the clergyman had seemed. He had nearly lost his nerve. His moral strength had been reduced to that of a child. But then again‚ his mind was as strong as ever. Hester‚ with insight of
Premium English-language films Change Religion
Carl La Barbera The scarlet letter In the novel The Scarlet Letter‚ the author Nathaniel Hawthorne includes a series of meaningful citations‚ which are supported by examples. The quote that I chose to analyze and write about is; “No man for any considerable period can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which be the true.” The meaning of this quote is that you cannot be two different people in life. It is not possible to be a different
Free Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne
Even in today’s society they are still forms of ostracism and shunning due to undesirable actions of certain people. Much like in the Scarlet Letter as Hester is branded an outcast due to having a baby out of wedlock and out her current marriage to someone who could technically be dead. Similar to Hester‚ teen moms today face a similar form of ostracism due to have babies at such a young age and almost always out of wedlock. Of course‚ there will be snickering and gossip from the students around
Premium Mother Family Pregnancy