H.L. Mencken once defined Puritanism as "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy." While Puritanism certainly holds a high rank on the list of repressive societies, all societies are in some way repressive. Society is a repressive force. Few novels demonstrate this theme as forcefully and precisely as Nathaniel Hawthone's The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne acts as an example of the sinner, used to prevent others from deviating from the societal status-quo created by the puritanic church. The exhibition of Hester and her child on the platform of shame was used to show the town the results of defying puritanic stricture, thus invoking fear in the masses. Such fear was intended to stifle any thoughts of disobeying societal rules. The setting, symbols, and conflicts are all essential in properly conveying the theme of The Scarlet Letter.
Both setting and symbols played a major role in the expression of The Scarlet Letter's theme. The setting, puritan Massachusetts, allowsthe theme of repression to be extremely evident. By selecting one of the most repressive societies, Hawthorne evokesmore emotion from the reader. Also, as an American author who was likely to have a predominately American audience, Hawthorne thought it more effective to use a setting which the reader identifies as part of his own history. Employing sensationalism, Hawthorne is able to create outrage among readers who are subjected to a lesser degree of societal repression in their daily lives. Both setting and symbols are crucial to demonstrating the theme. The most important symbols are the title's namesake, the scarlet letter, and Hester's daughter Pearl. The scarlet letter, a sign of shame, is the mark of a sinner doomed to be ridiculed until the end of her days. The letter is used, just as yellow stars of david were used on the Jews, to make one's crimes apparent. The letter is the mark of a sinner, employed to stifle social interaction and descourage deviation from accepted morals. It symbolizes the repression of all people by society. The letter appearing on Dimmesdale's chest is even more significant than the one worn by Hester, because his own guilt was treating him more harshly than that which the town's citizens were capable. Just as the scarlet letter signified the repression caused by society, Pearl symbolized the stagnant, repressed human race. Pearl, as all humans, once accustomed to a behavior, object, or belief, found it nearly impossible to discard for another. When Hester shed the scarlet letter, freeing herself from its shaming influence, Pearl refused to walk with her mother until it was replaced(144). She did this because she was accustomed to the scarlet letter, had viewed it as a part of her mother, and did not know that it was a mark of sin. This is evidenced by her use of seaweed to construct her own letter A, imitating her mother as many children often do(122).
A conflict between passion and religion, of impulse and morality, is the focal point of The Scarlet Letter. Giving into temptations left a mental burden on Reverond Dimmesdale. While Hester Prynne is tried, convicted, and sentenced to shaming for adultery, Dimmesdale bears not only the shame of adultery, but the shame of allowing Hester to suffer while he was not under fire. The internal conflict between Dimmesdale's love of Hester and his morals causes him a great deal of pain. His job requires him to ridicule sinners in the name of god, though he has unconfessed sins. When meeting Hester secretly, and finally able to vent, he exclaims, "Happy are you, Hester, who wear the scarlet letter openly on your bosom! Mine burns in secret!"(131). He feels that by not revealing his crime, the burden on him is far more weighty. He cannot feel that he has properly repented until he reveals his sins. The hypocrisy causes him a great deal of pain, as evidenced in the following quote. "I have laughed, in bitterness and agony of heart, at the contrast of what I seem and what I am! Satan laughs at it!"(131). Dimmesdale is an enforcer of puritanical values, yet he is unable to enforce them upon himself. He feels that he has failed both as the preacher and a person. He is unable to prevent sinning in his community, and he is unable to prevent himself from sinning. Thus, society imposed moral standards make him feel inadequate not only in the workplace, but in the home. He is finally able to find peace, when he repents for his sins in public atop the shaming platform(174-175).
Conflicts, symbols, and setting are all crucial to the expression of the theme of The Scarlet Letter. As the Arch Vicar of the Holy Church of Belial says in Aldous Huxley's Ape and Essence, "If you want to have social solidarity, you've got to have either an external enemy or an oppressed minority". Hester Prynne plays the oppressed minority in The Scarlet Letter, and promotes adherence to the strictures of the puritanic faith. Using the strict, puritanical society, Hawthorne provides an extreme example of society as a repressive force. The infamous scarlet letter is adequate punishment for a sinner, as they are scorned by the public for the length of their life, and prove essential to maintaining a fear adequate to subdue the public to a point where they will follow such strict laws.
Tenses correct now?
Both setting and symbols played a major role in the expression of The Scarlet Letter's theme. The setting, puritan Massachusetts, allowsthe theme of repression to be extremely evident. By selecting one of the most repressive societies, Hawthorne evokesmore emotion from the reader. Also, as an American author who was likely to have a predominately American audience, Hawthorne thought it more effective to use a setting which the reader identifies as part of his own history. Employing sensationalism, Hawthorne is able to create outrage among readers who are subjected to a lesser degree of societal repression in their daily lives. Both setting and symbols are crucial to demonstrating the theme. The most important symbols are the title's namesake, the scarlet letter, and Hester's daughter Pearl. The scarlet letter, a sign of shame, is the mark of a sinner doomed to be ridiculed until the end of her days. The letter is used, just as yellow stars of david were used on the Jews, to make one's crimes apparent. The letter is the mark of a sinner, employed to stifle social interaction and descourage deviation from accepted morals. It symbolizes the repression of all people by society. The letter appearing on Dimmesdale's chest is even more significant than the one worn by Hester, because his own guilt was treating him more harshly than that which the town's citizens were capable. Just as the scarlet letter signified the repression caused by society, Pearl symbolized the stagnant, repressed human race. Pearl, as all humans, once accustomed to a behavior, object, or belief, found it nearly impossible to discard for another. When Hester shed the scarlet letter, freeing herself from its shaming influence, Pearl refused to walk with her mother until it was replaced(144). She did this because she was accustomed to the scarlet letter, had viewed it as a part of her mother, and did not know that it was a mark of sin. This is evidenced by her use of seaweed to construct her own letter A, imitating her mother as many children often do(122).
A conflict between passion and religion, of impulse and morality, is the focal point of The Scarlet Letter. Giving into temptations left a mental burden on Reverond Dimmesdale. While Hester Prynne is tried, convicted, and sentenced to shaming for adultery, Dimmesdale bears not only the shame of adultery, but the shame of allowing Hester to suffer while he was not under fire. The internal conflict between Dimmesdale's love of Hester and his morals causes him a great deal of pain. His job requires him to ridicule sinners in the name of god, though he has unconfessed sins. When meeting Hester secretly, and finally able to vent, he exclaims, "Happy are you, Hester, who wear the scarlet letter openly on your bosom! Mine burns in secret!"(131). He feels that by not revealing his crime, the burden on him is far more weighty. He cannot feel that he has properly repented until he reveals his sins. The hypocrisy causes him a great deal of pain, as evidenced in the following quote. "I have laughed, in bitterness and agony of heart, at the contrast of what I seem and what I am! Satan laughs at it!"(131). Dimmesdale is an enforcer of puritanical values, yet he is unable to enforce them upon himself. He feels that he has failed both as the preacher and a person. He is unable to prevent sinning in his community, and he is unable to prevent himself from sinning. Thus, society imposed moral standards make him feel inadequate not only in the workplace, but in the home. He is finally able to find peace, when he repents for his sins in public atop the shaming platform(174-175).
Conflicts, symbols, and setting are all crucial to the expression of the theme of The Scarlet Letter. As the Arch Vicar of the Holy Church of Belial says in Aldous Huxley's Ape and Essence, "If you want to have social solidarity, you've got to have either an external enemy or an oppressed minority". Hester Prynne plays the oppressed minority in The Scarlet Letter, and promotes adherence to the strictures of the puritanic faith. Using the strict, puritanical society, Hawthorne provides an extreme example of society as a repressive force. The infamous scarlet letter is adequate punishment for a sinner, as they are scorned by the public for the length of their life, and prove essential to maintaining a fear adequate to subdue the public to a point where they will follow such strict laws.
Tenses correct now?