The Consequences of a Culture of Shaming
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne develops the dynamic characterization of Hester Prynne from a beautiful, innocent girl into a somber, hardened woman to showcase the evils and hypocrisy of Puritan New England’s culture of shaming. Hawthorne employs rhetorical devices such as metaphor and juxtaposition to further develop the characterization of Hester and his critique of Puritan society. When initially describing Hester, Hawthorne emphasizes her incredible beauty, and juxtaposes this with the other ugly, judgmental Puritan women, adding to the hypocrisy of her being shamed. Hawthorne emphasizes the verbal assault on Hester by employing metaphor and imagery in its description. After the community …show more content…
In the wake of the other people’s insults, Hester “had fortified herself to encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public contumely” (Hawthorne 49). The use of the word “fortified” implies defending oneself in a war or battle, emphasizing the harshness of the others’ attack on Hester. By describing their comments as “stings and venomous stabs”, Hawthorne is showing the harsh, even deadly, consequences of words on people. Also, by comparing the Puritans to animals, Hawthorne furthers his characterization of them as savage, and separates them from the purity of Hester. The savagery and danger of shaming is employed by Hawthorne to show the evils of its use in any society but specifically Puritan society which nurtures …show more content…
The shame and its consequences on Hester, show Hawthorne's purpose of showcasing the evils that come from a society that deems it acceptable to use public shame as a method of justice. Although the events of the novel take place in the seventeenth century, Hawthorne is making a timeless case against shaming in any time period. He not only is appealing to the readers of his own day, but also to contemporary readers and the readers of the future because the dangers of shame and its effects in a small community like New England are not only relevant in the 17th century, but have have implications in all centuries, even
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne develops the dynamic characterization of Hester Prynne from a beautiful, innocent girl into a somber, hardened woman to showcase the evils and hypocrisy of Puritan New England’s culture of shaming. Hawthorne employs rhetorical devices such as metaphor and juxtaposition to further develop the characterization of Hester and his critique of Puritan society. When initially describing Hester, Hawthorne emphasizes her incredible beauty, and juxtaposes this with the other ugly, judgmental Puritan women, adding to the hypocrisy of her being shamed. Hawthorne emphasizes the verbal assault on Hester by employing metaphor and imagery in its description. After the community …show more content…
In the wake of the other people’s insults, Hester “had fortified herself to encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public contumely” (Hawthorne 49). The use of the word “fortified” implies defending oneself in a war or battle, emphasizing the harshness of the others’ attack on Hester. By describing their comments as “stings and venomous stabs”, Hawthorne is showing the harsh, even deadly, consequences of words on people. Also, by comparing the Puritans to animals, Hawthorne furthers his characterization of them as savage, and separates them from the purity of Hester. The savagery and danger of shaming is employed by Hawthorne to show the evils of its use in any society but specifically Puritan society which nurtures …show more content…
The shame and its consequences on Hester, show Hawthorne's purpose of showcasing the evils that come from a society that deems it acceptable to use public shame as a method of justice. Although the events of the novel take place in the seventeenth century, Hawthorne is making a timeless case against shaming in any time period. He not only is appealing to the readers of his own day, but also to contemporary readers and the readers of the future because the dangers of shame and its effects in a small community like New England are not only relevant in the 17th century, but have have implications in all centuries, even