Hawthorne's Puritan Society

A detailed Summary of Hawthorne's Puritan Society

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, life is centered

around a rigid Puritan society in which one is unable to divulge his

or her innermost thoughts and secrets. Every human being needs the

opportunity to express how he or she truly feels, otherwise the

emotions are bottled up until they become volatile. Unfortunately,

Puritan society did not permit this kind of expression, thus

characters had to seek alternate means to relieve their personal

anguishes and desires. Luckily, at least for the four main characters,

Hawthorne provides such a sanctuary in the form of the mysterious

forest. Hawthorne uses the forest to provide a kind of "shelter" for

members of society in need of a refuge from daily Puritan life.

In the deep, dark portions of the forest, many of the pivotal

characters bring forth hidden thoughts and emotions. The forest track

leads away from the settlement out into the wilderness where all signs

of civilization vanish. This is precisely the escape route from strict

mandates of law and religion, to a refuge where men, as well as women,

can open up and be themselves. It is here that Dimmesdale openly

acknowledges Hester and his undying l

no vestige of the white man's tread." (p. 187) If one looks at the

never be mentioned in any place other than the forest. "What we

tells Hester to hush, but he eventually realizes that he is in an

shame. Her eyes grow radiant and a flush comes to her cheek. We

preoccupied with the constraints that Puritan society places on them.

Pastor and His Parishioner" reveals that the roles are now reversed.

Approximate Word count = 1140
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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