Themes of The Scarlet Letter

p Themes in The Scarlett Letter

Name

Date

Class

Professor

Semester The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an enthralling tale set in 17th century New England . The story revolves around Hester Prynne and the suffering she endures at the hands of her community , government , and herself . Hester is forced to marry a man she does not love and then is set to New England alone to prepare a home for husband when he arrives While doing her wifely duty she becomes infatuated with a priest and they

fall in love . She is a woman who stands accused of one of the worse crimes - adultery . She is guilty , proved by her pregnancy , and Hawthorne describes the effects of guilt . Her punishment is banishment from the community and , again , Hawthorne examines the effects of isolation . Evil is also a clear theme throughout the text and Hawthorne asserts that true evil comes from the coupling of both love and hate The themes in The Scarlet Letter include the examination of evil , growth through guilt , and identity through isolation

The story of Hester and Dimmesdale is similar to the story of Adam and Eve . Both sets of couples knowingly participate in a forbidden act . By committing a sin , both couples were banished from their 'perfect ' worlds and forced to suffer alone in the world . Hawthorne asserts that it is sin , isolation and the subsequent guilt that defines the human condition . For example while Hester suffers through the guilt of her acts , it is that guilt and her punishment which allow her to experience things that most women never get the chance to . In chapter 18 Hawthorne comments about Hester

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

Similarly , Dimmesdale , through sin , is able to connect with his flock much more . He is better able to understand what it means to sin , have guilt , and seek forgiveness . Dimmesdale comments sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind , so that his heart vibrate[s] in unison with theirs ' Hester and Dimmesdale must deal with their guilt daily and the elders within the community believe that sin and , therefore , knowledge is a threat to society . Hawthorne believes that the human values of growth , empathy , and understanding come from making mistakes and dealing with growth . However , these values are mutually exclusively with being pure

Evil is an important theme this book . There is a great deal of inquiry about The Black Man ' who is , essentially , the devil . Several of the characters are involved in one way or another with the Black Man including Dimmesdale , Hibbins , Pearl , and Chillingworth . It is also suspected that...