The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter challenges the general perception of Puritans. Through the issues of the story’s protagonists, Hawthorne is able to analyze the Puritans’ strengths and weaknesses from his social commentary of their lifestyle. Set in a New England colony during the seventeenth century, the novel explains how one infamous crime impacts the members of the community in very different ways. The Scarlet Letter honestly depicts the aspects of hypocrisy, required self reliance and obedience, and the influential beliefs within the Puritan society through irony.
In a Puritan community, society casts out on individuals whose ideas differ from the common value that is intended to provide pleasure but ultimately causes inner turmoil. The Puritans’ entire basis circles around religious enlightenment in which religion absolutely governs all. “The virgins of his church grew pale around him, victims of a passion, so imbued with religious sentiment that they imagined it to be all religion, and brought it openly, in their white bosoms, as their most acceptable sacrifice before the altar.” (Hawthorne, 131). The Puritans were taught to ignore human emotions and their own judgment. Love, care, and compassion were only recognized within the boundaries of religion. An underlying fear of God eliminates any open minded thoughts or creativity which left the congregation to remain faithful to the teachings of the church. In reality freedom of expression is a key point in maintaining a happy environment. For example, in Dimmesdale’s case silence isn’t golden at all. Instead of confessing himself he attempts to persuade Hester to disclose the truth. “ ‘Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life. What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt him.   Yea, compel him, as...