What does Nathaniel Hawthorne say about adultery in the Scarlet Letter?
But Hawthorne's novel presents a more complex vision of adultery, suggesting that adultery is not what we assume. Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter, tells the story of Hester Prynne, her long-lost husband, Roger Chillingworth, and the man Hester has an affair with, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale.
What happened to Hester Prynne in the Scarlet Letter?
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s the ‘Scarlet Letter’, Hester Prynne, a puritan woman; in the town of Boston, Massachusetts. Was found guilty of Adultery. Her punishment was being sentenced to prison, and being forced to wear the letter ‘A’ for adultery. When Hester Prynne got pregnant with her daughter, Pearl.
What is the plot of the Scarlet Letter?
Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter, tells the story of Hester Prynne and the punishment she endures for having committed the sin of adultery.
What is the punishment for adultery in the Scarlet Letter?
The Scarlet Letter Adultery and Punishment. For a modern reader, Hester's punishment for adultery, being forced to wear a scarlet letter as a mark of shame upon her breast for life, may seem harsh and unusual. But the punishment is extraordinarily lenient in comparison to the Biblical and legal punishments that were available at the time.
Who was the adulterer in Scarlet Letter?
Hester PrynneA young woman, Hester Prynne, has been found guilty of adultery and must wear a scarlet A on her dress as a sign of shame. Furthermore, she must stand on the scaffold for three hours, exposed to public humiliation.
How did people find out Hester committed adultery?
She was forced to wear this bright red “A” on her chest always so that everyone would know that she had committed the act of adultery. No matter where she went this embroidered “A” would tell the story of her sin to people she never even knew.
Who cheated with Hester?
Roger Chillingworth, husband of Hester Prynne leaves for two years and finds out that she had an affair with the minister Arthur Dimmesdale. Hester kept this a secret for seven years and when Roger found out about it, it changed him.
Where did Hester and Dimmesdale commit adultery?
Bigsby forces us to think about the sharp contrast between the jolly, dancing Christ-figure of the poem and the unforgiving, tyrannical Puritan society that condemns Hester Prynne. At sea, Hester falls in love with Arthur Dimmesdale and commits the first act of adultery that, later repeated, earns her the red "A."
Why did Hester cheat on Chillingworth?
Hester's unhappiness, due to a mismatched matrimony, leads her to become an adulteress. Chillingworth makes Hester to be unhappy. Her initial sadness, along with the three year absence of her husband, resulted in adultery.
Did Dimmesdale commit adultery?
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale commits a mortal sin by having an affair with a married woman, Hester Prynne.
Why was Hester charged with adultery?
Hester and her husband married in the Puritan religion. She then sinned by committing adultery. Hester had a baby that was not from her husband, which of course was wrong. She lied by not staying committed to her marriage and husband.
How does the scarlet letter represent adultery?
Does The Scarlet Letter stand for adultery? The scarlet letter ''A'' that Hester Prynne must wear on her chest for the rest of her life indicates that she has been found guilty of adultery in her Puritan society, set in Boston in the 1600s.
What is the punishment for adultery in The Scarlet Letter?
This factor of her punishment, the marginalization, is made apparent by the narrator: “that scarlet letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and enclosing her in a sphere by herself” (Hawthorne, 2018: 42).
Did Dimmesdale know Hester was married?
Although Hester Prynne and Roger Chillingworth wronged each other, the person that did evil against both of them was Dimmesdale. Not only did Dimmesdale have relations with Hester Prynne though he knew that she was still married, but he never came forward as the companion in her sin.
Is Hester in love with Dimmesdale?
Hester realizes that she still loves Dimmesdale, and she courageously tells him this, even as she reveals her silence concerning Chillingworth. Hawthorne contrasts their love — "which had a consecration of its own" — and Chillingworth's revenge and asks the reader which sin is worse.
Why did Hester Prynne marry Chillingworth?
Hester did not love Chillingworth, and he left. She was lonely, tricked into a marriage she didn't want, and expected to stay loyal to her husband even after he disappeared. To begin with, Chillingworth tricked Hester into marrying him, and she voiced her opinion that she did not love him, and never would.
What is the difference between how adultery is viewed now and how it was viewed by Puritan society?
Not only was adultery considered a public matter in a Puritan society, but women were also the only ones who were judged and punished for such “crime,” while in the modern world adultery is a private issue between two equals.
What does the flashback reveal about Hester's past?
We discover that Hester has come from England and that she came ahead of her husband. She also lived a storied infancy, but ultimately her family suffered with poverty so she ended up with a man only described by characteristics that show up later.
Why was Hester charged with adultery?
Hester and her husband married in the Puritan religion. She then sinned by committing adultery. Hester had a baby that was not from her husband, which of course was wrong. She lied by not staying committed to her marriage and husband.
Did Dimmesdale know Hester was married?
Although Hester Prynne and Roger Chillingworth wronged each other, the person that did evil against both of them was Dimmesdale. Not only did Dimmesdale have relations with Hester Prynne though he knew that she was still married, but he never came forward as the companion in her sin.
What is the punishment for adultery in The Scarlet Letter?
Hester's punishment for adultery is that she must wear a scarlet letter ''A'' on her chest for the rest of her life. While she could have fled Bost...
Does The Scarlet Letter stand for adultery?
The scarlet letter ''A'' that Hester Prynne must wear on her chest for the rest of her life indicates that she has been found guilty of adultery in...
How is adultery shown in The Scarlet Letter?
The sin of adultery is shown through Hester and Dimmesdale's love for each other. As a result of their sexual relationship outside of marriage, Hes...
What does the Bible say about adultery?
Famously, the Bible used by the Puritans states, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14). Furthermore, Leviticus 20:10 states, "If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.".
What punishment did Hester receive for adultery?
For a modern reader, Hester's punishment for adultery, being forced to wear a scarlet letter as a mark of shame upon her breast for life, may seem harsh and unusual. But the punishment is extraordinarily lenient in comparison to the Biblical and legal punishments that were available at the time.
Why did Hester and Dimmesdale deserve to be killed?
Thus, regardless of Chillingworth's desires, Hester and Dimmesdale deserve to be killed in accordance with community vengeance. In Puritan society, adultery was not seen merely as a matter between the two parties but as a breach of contract between those individuals and the community.
What law required the red letter A on a dress?
Later, even these punishments subsided. A Plymouth law of 1694 called for the display of an A on the dress. Hawthorne recorded this case in his journal, and it became the subject of his story, "Endicott and the Red Cross," in which a Salem woman, required to wear the red letter A, added wonderful embroidery to it.
What was the Boston law in 1641?
A 1641 Boston law provided for death as punishment (the scaffold then was used only for executions, not the pillory), and in 1644, Mary Latham and James Britton were reported in John Winthrop's journal to have been put to death for adultery.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathenial. The Scarlet Letter. Logan: A Tale Blazer Book, 1979. Print.
Cite this Page
Adultery In The Scarlet Letter And The Crucible. (2022, February 17). Edubirdie. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://edubirdie.com/examples/adultery-in-the-scarlet-letter-and-the-crucible/
Who is guilty of adultery in The Scarlet Letter?
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter,the setting is in Boston, he exemplifies guilt in four characters. Arthur Dimmesdale, a pastor, committed adultery with the main character. Hester, the main character is guilty of adultery with her pastor, adultery for puritans was a major sin. Roger Chillingworth is guilty because he wanted revenge and was not going to let anyone stop him. Even Pearl is guilty because she acted differently before she could kiss Dimmesdale. Each character deals with….
What is the Scarlet Letter about?
The Scarlet Letter talks about Hester's adultery, which occurred in a time frame when people judged severely. In those days they publicly humiliated people to make them think twice before committing a sin. For example, they made her wear a letter A on her chest for seven years. Hester didn't hide from her shame or run from her problems. I felt that she dealt with it in a helpful servant type way. Hawthorne stated “So strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength.” Hester dealt….
What happened to Hester Prynne in Scarlet Letter?
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s the ‘Scarlet Letter’, Hester Prynne, a puritan woman; in the town of Boston, Massachusetts. Was found guilty of Adultery. Her punishment was being sentenced to prison, and being forced to wear the letter ‘A’ for adultery. When Hester Prynne got pregnant with her daughter, Pearl. The townspeople began to talk and eventually figured out she committed adultery. Although, some people, such as the townspeople and the governor, believe Pearl is some sort of devil child. (Hawthorne 87) The one question that lies is, should Hester be able to keep her daughter Pearl? To begin with, Hester delivers a pair of gloves to the governor; however, that isn’t the only reasoning for Hester’s visit. (Hawthorne 81) The governor believed, as well as some of the townspeople, that Hester wasn’t fit to be Pearl’s guardian. (Hawthorne 81) Think about it this
What law required a person to wear two capital letters?
A CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER READING GUIDE FOR THE SCARLET LETTER A 1636 Plymouth Colony law required anyone convicted of adultery to "wear two Capital letters viz AD cut out in cloth and sowed on theire uppermost Garments on their arme or backe; and if att any time they shallbee taken without the said letters whiles they are in the Govrment soewarn to bee forthwith taken and publickly whipt." [1] Other Massachusetts colonies had their own versions of this law. In fact, "The Capitall Lawes of….
What did Hawthorne say about adultery?
After reading the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne I came to believe that Adultery is a terrible thing and can have very bad repercussions, especially in the early to mid 1700s. Back then committing adultery was a very serious offense to not the just the community but to your family also. Adultery used to destroy family relationships and to this day it still does. Adultery is also more of a religious problem but also goes into social and legal consequences. When it talks about social consequences….
Why is Pearl unfair to Hester?
In a way fair, the reason for it being fair was because she refused to reveal the father of the child. Although it wasn’t fair that Pearl had to spend her first few years living in a cold, dark prison. It was also very unfair to Hester because her husband took up the alias of “ Roger Chillingworth” he also supposedly admitted to forcing Hester into the marriage. (Hawthorne 64) Hester was pretty young when she got married, therefore she wasn’t ready for marriage. Also the fact is Hester didn’t know whether Roger was alive or not. It would be overall better for Pearl to be with Hester, because Pearl could learn from her mother’s mistakes. Hester knows what she did was wrong. Hester knows in her heart she was wrong. Hester believes that Pearl can make her better, not only is the scarlet letter a reminder of Hester’s mistake it’s also Pearl, Pearl was also Hester’s consequence for her actions. Pearl is Hester’s blessing as well as a curse that she’s going to have to live with. (Hawthorne
Is adultery a sin?
Adultery is a sin never to be taken lightly. However, while it remains a serious crime, determining the requisite punishment for adultery proves difficult. In Nanthaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Hester, the main character, is forced to wear the letter A' on her chest symbolizing her act of adultery with an unknown person. Through his novel Hawthorne sought to demonstrate how, under certain circumstances, the personal consequences of a crime may serve as sufficient punishment. In early Puritan….
What does the Bible say about adultery?
The Hebrew Bible even prohibits adultery in the Seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery. It talks about capital punishment for adultery between a man and married woman. Back then they used to kill both people who were involved in the adultery, that’s how strict christianity but luckily in the Scarlet Letter they didn’t do that to Hester Prynne. The reason why they didn’t was most likely because they didn’t know who the other person involved was and because she was pregnant. “I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid…. But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel…
Why was adultery important to society?
Social consequences were also important because it’s how you were known and your reputation at the time. The legal part of committing adultery was the most important because it made the law important in the first place and if it never was to be, people could get away with adultery which would’ve been very bad. The legal issues with finding out who the father of the baby was very important because the child should have the chance to be raised and with it’s real father. Because of these four things people got punished for the sin they committed and not only caught but exposed.
Why were religious problems so serious in the 1700s?
Adultery was so serious in the mid 1700s that it interfered and would be treated as if it were a real legal law. Trying to find out who the father of the baby was also very hard at the time because there was no technology or tests how there are today. Religious problems were one of the most serious ones because religion was one of the most important things at that time.
Is adultery a criminal offense?
Adultery is also considered as a criminal conversation. This came to be because of compensation for the other’s spouses injury because of the civil tort. People always ask why it was so wrong and why there was so many consequences to adultery and how it isn’t even that serious but what people don’t know is that it was abolished for some time so it was basically illegal. Because it was abolished the consequences we’re talking about here aren’t little ones. Consequences were things like death by stoning, incarceration for long periods of time, and public humiliation.
Is adultery a felony?
Adultery even though was considered as more of a religious problem it was a real legal law. In common law, adultery was a felony. Although the real definition of adultery is different in almost every legal system, the common theme is, “sexual relations outside of marriage, in one form or another. ” Usually many cultures are very strict about adultery so it is seen as a “double standard” which gives committing the crime a worse consequence. In the 1700s adultery was considered the highest invasion of property.
