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Mike Hurst

Ms. Hunt 1

AP Language 11A

25 August 2009

The White Letter

In Nathaniel Hawthorne¶s novel, @



, gives an example of a puritan society

rather than a romanticism as argued by Hawthorn. A puritan society is one that is governed by

Puritans, religious men and women who settled at Plymouth Rock, founded Boston, and began

the experiment that grew into the United States of America. The Puritans left the Church of

England, which they felt was becoming too lax in its doctrines. The Puritan society is a

government based upon the Bible and implemented it with force. Hester is plagued to the force

of the puritan society when she committed the crime of adultery. The society then became more

involved in Hester¶s life. The adultery she committed caused her to be punished and tortured

harshly in public. The religious, governmental, and social design of the Puritan society guided

Hester¶s life due to her sin.

The novel shows the puritan beliefs through the act of making Hester not being able to fit

into society. The puritan beliefs through the society of Boston was based on that of the church.

The early government of the city of Boston treated the Bible as law. They believed that God used

the bible to establish a set of guidelines for the church and the government. . Those who

disagreed or committed crimes against the government were not only criminals but also sinners,

and they were sought to be punished severely. The Puritans stressed grace, devotion, prayer, and
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self-examination to achieve religious virtue. The Puritan culture is one that recognizes

Protestantism, a section of Christianity. Though a fundamental of Christianity is forgiveness for

one's sins, this aspect of the religion is forgotten when Hester has trouble fitting into the puritan

society with the women of the community as shown through the quote, "Morally, as well as

materially, there was a coarser fiber in those wives and maidens of old English birth and

breeding, than in their fair descendants" (Hawthorne 99). There is a concern for Hester's

acceptance within the Puritan community. The society forces Hester out of their lives due to the

crime she has committed. If the church was not the center of the government Hester would not

find trouble fitting in. Hester finds even more trouble fitting in within the women of the

community. Another quote that shows the puritan society not excepting Hester is shown through

the quote, ³But Hester Prynne, with a mind of native courage and activity, and for so long a

period not merely estranged, but outlawed, from society, had habituated herself to such latitude

of speculation as was altogether foreign to the clergyman. She had wandered, without rule or

guidance, in a moral wilderness´ (68). One result of her ³sin´ has been her profound alienation

from society. Hester being outlawed from society and the fact she was punished and tortured

show the puritan ideal in action.The religious morals in the Puritan society caused her much pain

long after humiliation. The humiliation and social distress shown in Hester was heightened even

more when she was branded for life. The Puritanism ideals are shown within the novel based on

the religious tolerance shown for people who have sinned or committed a crime. The novel

shows that the government is based off of the church which shows links to a puritanical belief.

Another example of the puritan society is the use of the µA¶ as a punishment. The puritan

society give the letter µA¶ sewn onto Hester ultimately became a symbol of sin within the

community. The puritans have social life, government, and religion all together which cause all
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the members of the community view social life, government and religion the same. Hester set

forth towards her social life, which she thought that God had appointed to her as punishment for

her sins. The punishment received by Hester in the novel was based on the puritan religious,

social, and governmental beliefs. The punishment of the scarlet letter is shown through the quote,

³As he spoke, he laid his long forefinger on the scarlet letter, which forthwith seemed to scorch

on Hester¶s breast, as if it had been red-hot. He noticed her involuntary gesture, and smiled.

¶Live, therefore, and bear about thy doom with thee, in the eyes of men and women,-in the eyes

of him whom thou didst call thy husband,-in the eyes of yonder child! And, that thou mayest

live, take off this draught¶´ (68). This quote shows that the µA¶ sewn upon Hester was a

punishment for her actions as an adulterer. This shows the Puritan ideals due to the fact that this

punishment came from the Ten Commandments. This proves that the society was and ideals

were based off of a puritan belief. Another example of the use of the puritan society and the µA¶

is shown through the quote, "'But mother, tell me now! Is there such a Black Man? And didst

thou ever meet him? And is this his mark?'....'Once in my life I met the Black Man!' said her

mother. 'This scarlet letter is his mark!'" (170). The puritan society shows that even being diverse

in religion is not diverse in culture. The sewn µA¶ may also be used as abolition. The black man

would be a slave and following the patron system set up by the colony which helps prove that the

society and beliefs is based off of puritan ideals.

Hester¶s life dramatically changes due to the act of adultery. Due to the fact that Hester

lives with puritan ideals within the novel her punishments and even crime is solely based upon

the Bible and the religion of the society. Her punishments are based off of the puritan society as

depicted by the sewn µA¶. In conclusion, the puritan society is based solely off of religion which

makes life more difficult for the black man and Hester. Hester came to accept the Puritan
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religion, and punishment of adultery. Hawthorne uses Hester's character to uncover the puritan

society. In the end Hester reveals the puritan elements within the novel and the ideals associated

within them.