Roland Joffe's The Scarlet Letter

In 1995 director Roland Joffe released the movie call “The Scarlet Letter” on October 13. “The Scarlet Letter” presented the story about a young woman named Hester who comes from England, into the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the 17th century. Hester went to Massachusetts Bay to established life while awaiting for the arrival of her husband to join her. While waiting for him she established independence, fixing up a house, befriending other Quakers and other Puritans. While she waited for her husband, she learns that her husband was killed by Indians. She then begin to start falling in love with a young pastor. Hester then has a child by the pastor, but refuses to name the father, the puritan community forces her to wear the letter A, for adulteress, and be publicly humiliated in front of the whole community. Hester husband then suddenly reappears after a year with Indians. He then seeks revenge, searching out Hester’s baby father. “The Scarlet Letter” was created to make a portrayal of the writer ancestors as hypocrites. The writer/director included elements of Puritan society in general, their beliefs, customs, …show more content…
The most common crime in New England were sex crimes. Any sexual activity beside husband and wife were considered a crime, and for committing these crimes women were either sent to jail or sometimes given a severe whipping at a public post and also another whipping at where the crime was committed. Some women were also made to wear the letters “AD” on their clothing; like Hester in the Scarlet letter was made to wear the letter “A”. Also like in the movie this crime was punishable by death, from my research there were many women who were sentence to death for this crime. For an example in 1631 Mary Latham was executed for committing adultery with 13 males, she willing went to her execution, she viewed it as a fair punishment for her