How does the public nature of Hester's sin affect her
punishment and treatment by the community?
The public nature of Hester's sin affects her punishment and treatment by the
community in significant ways throughout the novel. The Puritan society of
17th-century Boston, in which the story is set, is highly religious and highly
regulated, and it emphasizes the high importance of public morality. Hester's
adultery is seen as an offense against the entire community's moral fabric,
calling for public shaming.
Hester's punishment is to wear the scarlet letter 'A' on her chest, a symbol of
her adultery, and stand on a scaffolding in front of the entire community for
public humiliation. The letter serves as a reminder of the sin of adultery that
Hester committed, and the letter "A" itself represents the word "adultery." As
the novel progresses, Hester becomes more comfortable with her punishment,
and the scarlet letter becomes a symbol of her ability to survive public
shaming.
The public nature of Hester's sin and punishment also affect her treatment by
the community. The Puritan society views her as a sinner and a moral outcast,
and she is often criticized and shunned by the community. However, as the
novel progresses, Hester's commitment to her daughter and her willingness to
help others in need earn her some respect and admiration. The community's
attitudes towards Hester's "sin" slowly shift, and she ultimately becomes
something of a legend for her strength and perseverance.
Overall, Hawthorne uses Hester's public punishment to show the negative
effects of a society that is overly obsessed with public morality and how it can
be corruptive and oppressive.
References:
- Hawthorne, N. (1850). The Scarlet Letter. Boston: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields.
- Ryskamp, C. (1986). The Scarlet Letter: The Development of Hester Prynne. In The Scarlet
Letter: Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism. Boston: Bedford Books.
- Waggoner, H. (1963). Hawthorne: A Critical Study. Harvard University Press.