The Not so Puritans Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne presents his negative attitudes towards Puritans and their views. In the first chapter, Hawthorne describes the Puritans in a dark and gloomy light and projected civilization, in general, in a dark manner by referring to the prison as a “black flower” (Hawthorne, 477). Hawthorne projected his negative attitudes by assembling situations, in which the reactions and actions taken by the Puritans portray them as judgmental, which was essentially physically and emotionally destructive to those being persecuted; however, Hawthorne additionally presents the Puritans rationale for their harsh judgments and discredits their perspectives. Puritans possess prominent views against sin and are known as an exceptionally religious group of
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Due to Dimmesdale’s highly respected position and little evidence that he was the co-adulterer. He is forced to internalize his sins and watch Hester openly deal with her “punishment.” The internalization of Dimmesadale’s sin had a tremendous effect on his physical and psychological being. Hawthorne implies that Dimmesdale’s internalization of not accepting his sins and continuing his profession of ministry has largely affected his physical being by saying that his joints “stiffen with rheumatism,” and that mucus “clogs his throat” and elicits a “cough” (Hawthorne, 531). Hawthorne then continues to call attention to the hypocrisy of judgment by choosing to describe his future sermon and prayer as “defrauding” his peers (Hawthorne, 531). By reinforcing the fact that Dimmesdale is a minister, and responsible for leading the community to a pure life, Hawthorne demonstrations that sin is a part of human nature and it could happen to anyone. This rationalizes and humanizes Hester’s sin, thereby further discounting and showing error in the judgment and rationale of the Puritans judgment and
Due to Dimmesdale’s highly respected position and little evidence that he was the co-adulterer. He is forced to internalize his sins and watch Hester openly deal with her “punishment.” The internalization of Dimmesadale’s sin had a tremendous effect on his physical and psychological being. Hawthorne implies that Dimmesdale’s internalization of not accepting his sins and continuing his profession of ministry has largely affected his physical being by saying that his joints “stiffen with rheumatism,” and that mucus “clogs his throat” and elicits a “cough” (Hawthorne, 531). Hawthorne then continues to call attention to the hypocrisy of judgment by choosing to describe his future sermon and prayer as “defrauding” his peers (Hawthorne, 531). By reinforcing the fact that Dimmesdale is a minister, and responsible for leading the community to a pure life, Hawthorne demonstrations that sin is a part of human nature and it could happen to anyone. This rationalizes and humanizes Hester’s sin, thereby further discounting and showing error in the judgment and rationale of the Puritans judgment and