A Perception of Sin: Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist who wrote many novels and short stories who was born on July 4th, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. He originally had his last name as Hathorne - without the ‘w’ – but changed it due to not wanting to draw attention from his ancestor John Hathorne who was the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials. Nathaniel Hawthorne married Sophia Peabody in 1842 and had three kids. They ended up moving all around Massachusetts but then they finally decided that they’d settle in Concord, Massachusetts. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s first novel written is called Fanshawe in 1837. Hawthorne wasn’t sure how he felt about it, so he published it anonymously. Unfortunately, as it turned out, the novel was criticized heavily

In the Puritan society, the Scarlet Letter represents the Puritan’s view on the "sin of adultery" that Hester has committed in her life. However, Hawthorne shows throughout the novel that the Scarlet Letter evolved to be a potent symbol of Hester’s identity. The scarlet letter "A" again was originate to represents adultery, however it also represents rebellion against the puritan culture. Hester's attachment to the scarlet letter isolates her from the puritan’s society but it allows her to have freedom on her beliefs and actions as quote “She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom” (Hawthorne). Later when she believes her relationship with the town minister, Dimmesdale is pure base on her 'free will’; she separates her 'free will' against the Puritan definition of 'sin'. As a result, it is a symbol of Hester's pride and burden. Because of this, Hester was forced to carry the scarlet letter of which she later accept the letter and the identity that it has placed upon her as quote, “She had wandered, without rule or guidance, into a moral wilderness... Her intellect and heart had their home, as it were, in desert places, where she roamed as freely as the wild Indian in his woods... The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers—stern and wild ones—and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss” (Hawthorne). Overall, her sin teaches her a lesson while obstructs her at the same

Why is sin important? It is believed that sin is important to people because their deity places guilt on their wrongdoings to show that those actions are not to be repeated. In contrary to this belief, there are people with religious views that hold no importance with sin. Depending on the individual’s religious views, sin can be a conflict between oneself and a “higher” being or it can not affect the individual at all. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Arthur Dimmesdale is an ordained Puritan priest that had committed a grave sin in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He had committed adultery with a married woman, Hester, the woman that is married to Roger Chillingworth. After Chillingworth has heard about this news, he seeks

Nathaniel Hawthorne's bold novel, The Scarlet Letter, revolves around sin and punishment.  The main characters of the novel sharply contrast each other in the way they react to the sin that has been committed

In essence, there were three main sins committed in The Scarlet Letter, the sins of Hester, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Roger Chillingworth committed the greatest sin because he let himself be ruled by hatred and the consuming desire for vengeance.  The overpowering vengeance and hatred felt by Chillingworth caused his life to be centered on demeaning Dimmesdale and tormenting him until the end of time.  Both Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale committed sins for which they were deeply remorseful, Roger Chillingworth, however, committed the greater sin because he felt no guilt.

The Scarlet Letter as a Dynamic Symbol In the 17th century, Boston was home to a Puritan community whose ideals, values, and traditions were held in strict accordance to the teachings and laws of God. In order to maintain his or her public image, a Puritan man or woman would only dare to be seen or heard of doing religiously appropriate things. Those who failed to uphold the Puritan ideals were shamed, as is best shown by the enforcement of the “scarlet letter” upon Hester Prynne. However, as the story progresses, it can be questioned what the Puritans actually think of Hester and the Scarlet Letter, revealing to the reader the true nature of the Puritans. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, the scarlet letter ‘A’ is a dynamic

Many of us commit sins, yet won’t admit it due to the fact of people judging us for being imperfect. Nathaniel Hawthorne poses this statement in his novel The Scarlet Letter including valuable and important symbols. During the 17th century, Hester Prynne lives in a Puritan community in Boston, she is known for committing adultery and treated as an outcast. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the scarlet letter “A” to symbolise shame, torture, guilt and evilness to Hester's sin of adultery, who Puritan society thinks it's wrong; however, the meaning behind the scarlet letter changes throughout the novel. To inaugurate with the novel, the red letter “A” in Hester's bosom represents the “sin” that she commits when Chillingworth, Hester's husband, was captured

Shakespeare once said, “If it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul.” In the 1850 novel, The Scarlet Letter, a young woman named Hester Prynne was just that. Nathaniel Hawthorne tells a story of a young woman named Hester, who commits adultery, and how she struggles to raise a daughter, and keep her lover from judgement. In the Puritan society, honorable sin was not a possibility. Throughout the book, characters deal with consequences for their actions that change their views on how they should deal with problems. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingsworth, the main characters, all have consequences for their sins. In the book sin changes the characters’ personalities, choices, and actions.

English classes throughout the United States study various types of literature. One novel in particular that has been and still is interpreted is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. This novel has reason to be such a strong piece of literature throughout history, specifically being that it includes many different themes. One of the messages that is useful and understood in our world today is the subject matter of sin. Today , we take sin less serious than the puritans in The Scarlet Letter; but one sin/mistake can not define who we are.

Human beings are a fascinating anomaly, for they are the only creatures that feel the need to give their existence a sense of purpose. Many often find this purpose in the form of religion as a way to explain their presence in this world as well as justify the actions of others. But when do the morals of religion and society cross the boundary into hypocrisy and blind intolerance? In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, he discusses the shortcomings of the Puritan mindset and their potentially toxic effect on other human beings. In Puritan New England, Hester Prynne, a beautiful young seamstress, is forced to bear the shameful burden of a scarlet letter, a symbol of her adultery,

In The Scarlet Letter, author Nathaniel Hawthorne examines the moral consequences of “sin”, or an offense against religious or moral law. In addition, Hawthorne poses the question to his readers; if possible, can individuals be redeemed for their sins? The two central characters in the novel, Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, commit the sin of adultery and they deal with their wrongdoing in opposite ways. Initially, it seems that Hester Prynne’s sin is worse than that of Reverend Dimmesdale because her sin is visible to all. Even though she becomes alienated by society, Hester uses the alienation to find an independence that gives her strength.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter the puritanical society of Boston is conveyed as one in which both religion and government are valued and intertwinedーthe people of Boston are devoted to their faith, and their beliefs are strictly enforced. Therefore, committing a sin is seen as also committing a crime and breaking the deeply entrenched social norms. However, through Hester Hawthorne conveys that a sin, like adultery, is not always detrimental. Sins can be beneficial, not deleterious, when they aid in the individual’s growth and strength. Furthermore, the effects of sinning, while detrimental, can have unintended positive effects.

Symbolism, Sin, and The Scarlet Letter Symbolism supplies many authors with the ability to add greater impact and power to their literary work. This holds especially true for The Scarlet Letter, a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter holds within its pages many examples of symbolism, which provide for a more sophisticated and compelling plot than that of a simple novel. In The Scarlet Letter, symbolism exists as an important element utilized to reveal deeper meanings and ideas behind seemingly ordinary, hollow actions, objects, or people.

In his classic literature piece, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne shows readers how sin can affect people and their lives significantly. In the Puritan town of Boston, Hawthorne uses his characters to convey the theme of sin within the story. To punish wrongdoers and discourage further sinning, the Puritan community publicly shames offenders for their sins, often changing their roles within society significantly. The Scarlet Letter is based around the public humiliation and growth of the character Hester Prynne. Hawthorne represents how sin can change people using Hester Prynne as an example, whose identity within society, physical appearance, and mentality all change as a result of her sin.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, main character Hester Prynne was disgraced and condemned for having a child with a man other than her husband. In the beginning of the novel, Hawthorne uses the letter “A” to symbolize shame; Hester was forced to wear the letter on her chest for the rest of her life to label her as an adulterer. Hawthorne also uses this symbol to reveal Puritan beliefs and ideas. In the novel’s Puritan society, any woman who committed adultery was viewed as a criminal, as demonstrated by Hester.