The Scapegoat of Puritanical Society Hawthornes free essay sample

AlanMichael Sonuyi Mrs. Dickinson English Ill AP 12 November 2013 The Scapegoat of Puritanical Society Through his condescending tone towards the early contemporary American past, Nathaniel Hawthorne exposes many hidden truths previously unknown during the time of the Salem witch trials. Hawthorne, in his novella of The Scarlet Letter, highlights the woman-like frailty of Hester Prynne as she undergoes public ignominy. Hester is portrayed to be the Romantic hero as Hawthorne illustrates the side of Hester that longs to return to the once innocent maiden she was in England. During the span of seven years the readers can see the transformation of Hester, as time and nature heal the wounds inflicted by 17th century Puritan society as a whole. Hawthorne opens up his novella depicting the grimness of the setting. Hawthorne illustrates the heavily timbered with oak and iron spiked door (39) to send an overbearing image to the readers so that the sad-coloured garments and bearded throng of men (39) are more apt for the scene. We will write a custom essay sample on The Scapegoat of Puritanical Society: Hawthornes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hawthornes purpose of setting up a solemn exposition of the Puritan community is to expose the readers to the already egative side of the rigid commune. Hawthornes indirect purpose of the initial setting is to contrast societys cohesive character from the individuality that Hester exerts. Hawthorne wants everyone to see the lack of moral values that a society has when not one of its individuals has a sense of uniqueness. The Good wives sit idle near the Prison Lane (40) only to give Hester their scorn. One of the wives, a hard dame of fifty, (41), exclaims that she [Hester] has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die for it (42). The fact that the wives of the community show such a high evel of contempt towards Hester when they have not even seen her yet proves Just how quick to Judge the Puritan society was. However, the most convincing proof of the communes harsh wrath comes when a man passing by overhears and comments on the wives foul remarks. Mercy on us good wife, pleads the stranger, that is the hardest word yet! Hush (41). The Good wives represent the Puritan society as a whole because these women are the most secure in their society. These women lead Christian lives where they have husbands, children, and abide by the way of the ord- all of which are things that entrap them in societys grip. The fact that a stranger could stand up and tell the already anchored women of this Puritan settlement that their words were harsh depicts the magnitude of their lack in empathy. Also, the fact that the women are criticizing one of their own sisters in Christ during a time of need when the situated governors and men deem fit illustrates the low level of authority that women of this period exerted compared to their counterparts in our latter modern day. After Hawthorne makes known his disdain for the Puritans and their unbending eason for censure of the religiously rooted society. Hawthorne draws pity from his intended audience when they see Hesters internal conflict. Hester undergoes a tremendous amount of suffering when she, the woman of perfect elegance, converts her agony to a haughty demeanor (45). Secretly, Hester suffers agony in every footstep as if her heart was flung into the street when she boldly approaches the scaffold (45). The fact that Hawthorne describes Hester with such awe and reverent respect shows that Hester was once admired in the community but uddenly became displaced. Hesters indiscreet betrayal by her people illustrates how dysfunctional the Puritan commune was. In fact, the society was so dysfunctional that Hesters torment gave the youthful schoolboys a half-holiday (44). Even though the youth had little understanding of Hesters predicament, they still enjoyed watching her struggle with the cumbersome scarlet letter on her bosom. Hawthorne places the Puritan children in the scene to indicate the oppression that the Puritan society put forth to any kind of distinctiveness. The fact that mere children were llowed to mock Hester in the midst of adults without receiving any kind of unusual punishment signifies the callous tendency that the Puritan society blatantly displayed towards human transgression. Although Hester committed a sin, the fact that Hester undergoes so much pain from alienation and earthly scorn instead from purely Gods judgment is contrary to many Christian beliefs; for the wrath of God comes solely from heaven and vengeance is mine [God] (Romans 1:18). In fact, even the poor and the wretched rebuke Hester, with her hands full of labor, (79) as she does her best o provide for them with the little that she has. The poor, thought to be the most positively impacted by Hesters good deeds, readily bit the hand that fed them. Ultimately, Hester, without a friend on earth and incurring no risk of want, (Hawthorne 64) gives up so much that she renounces her greatest attribute of all being a full and complete woman. While Hesters keen eye for luxurious things is still evident, that is the only thing that Hester is allowed to exert as a woman. Hesters rich and luxuriant hair, the sole symbol that characterizes her feminineness, has een hidden by a cap (125) † unable to be cleansed by the suns merciful rays. Although Hester uses needlework to fill the empty void that ridicule and societal pressure brought upon her, she forgets that at any moment, she could become a woman again with the magic touch to effect the transformation (125). But Hester, wanting to accept her punishment on earth, (69) relieves herself from all earthly desires such as intimate relationships with others and a voice within her community all in the name of atoning for her ignominy. Hawthorne promotes Hester as the Romantic hero to serve primarily as the trophy for public ignominy. Even though the Puritan society was heavily plagued by sin and private corruption, Hawthorne exposes all of those faults through putting Hesters sole transgression out for all to see. Hawthorne also uses Hester to illustrate to the readers the situational irony of how un-God like the Puritan commune was even though its own settlers claimed to live and breathe in the word of God. Hawthorne bestows upon Hester, an uncanny ability to sense the sins of those in her Puritan community. In fact, Hester is aware hen peoples sins are as dark as her own (132).