The Courtship of Hester Prynne…Part I
The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 2-4
I. The Ritual of Courtship: OR Love, Puritan Style
You know this story: boy meets girl, boy hands girl a flower, girl blushes
her “thank you,” both giggle and before you know it the happy couple is
tooling away from the chapel dragging several strings of tin cans behind
them….
The story would have been exactly the same for Hester and Roger, just
minus the flower, the giggle and the tin cans (and the whole “happy” thing,
of course!)….
Let’s give our couple a little compatibility test, shall we??
Bullet Points Below are taken from Henry Smith's A Preparative to Marriage and Two
Other Sermons from 1591 and Wm. Gouges Of Domestical Duties 1622
There be certain signs of [moral] fitness, and godliness, both in the
man and the woman. Thou must mark five things, which are like
the pulses that show whether we be well or ill.

The first mark is the report. A good man commonly hath a
good name, because a good name is one of the blessings
which God promiseth to good men. But a good name is
not to be praised from the wicked, that is, when evil men speak
well of you, because this is a sign that you are of the world.
“…you must needs be a stranger…in our Godly New
England…”
Strike One.

The next sign is the look. That one saith well, a modest
man dwells at the sign of a modest countenance, and
an honest woman dwelleth at the sign of an honest
face. A modest countenance does commend a chaste wife.
Modesty should be learned before marriage, which is the dowry
that God addeth to her portion.
“…a writhing horror twisted across [Chillingworth’s]
features…”
“[Hester] stood…with a burning blush and, and yet a
haughty smile….”
Strike Two (twice).

The third sign is her speach (sic.) or her silence. He
should be the teacher and she the hearer. By the speech we
might know what aboundeth in the heart as the echo answereth
but one word for many which are spoken to her; so a maid’s
answer should be a word, as though she hold her breath.
“Never!” replied Hester Prynne…I will not speak!”
“Ask me not!” replied Hester Prynne… “Thou shalt
never know!”
If Puritan courtship were baseball, these two would
definitely be “OUT!” already…

The fourth sign is the apparel. A modest woman is
known by her sober attire. Look not for better within than
thou seest without. If the face be vanity, the heart is pride. And
therefore Paul saith, fashion not yourselves like unto the world:
as though the fashions of men did declare of what side they are.
“…[Chillingworth] was clad in a strange disarray of
civilized and savage costume.”
“[Hester’s] gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an
elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold
thread…”
“…[Hester’s] attire…expressed the desperate recklessness
of her mood, by its wild and picturesque peculiarity.”
“Sober attire”? Methinks not.

The fifth sign is the company. For birds of a feather will fly
together, therefore choose such a companion of thy life as
hath chosen company like thee before.
“What had I… a man already in decay…to do with youth
and beauty like thine own?”
“Nay, from the moment when we came down the old
church steps together, a married pair, I might have
beheld the bale-fire of that scarlet letter blazing at the
end of our path!”
Hester, Roger, if you could stop rolling around in eternal
fire for a moment… I’ve got Dr. Phil on the line…
The “Court”ship of Hester Prynne…Part II
The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 2-4
II. The “Court” of Public Opinion:
OR The Right to “Affair” Trial ??
Amendment 5 - Trial and Punishment
No person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness
against [her]self.
Amendment 6 - Right to speedy trial, confrontation of witnesses
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district
wherein the crime shall have been committed; to have compulsory
process for obtaining witnesses in [her] favor, and to have the
Assistance of Counsel for [her] defence.
Amendment 7 - Trial by jury in civil cases
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed
twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no
fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of
the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment 8 - Cruel and Unusual punishment
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed,
nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Heights/9417/punish.html
Let’s check out some other “portion[s] of [the Puritan] penal
machine”!
http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/Spring03/branks.cfm
http://www.angelfire.com/darkside/forgottendreams/bridlebrank.html
http://www.the-night.net/torture/branks.htm