The Effects of Sin in The Scarlet Letter Essay - 2845 Words

The Scarlet Letter is a study of the effects of sin on the hearts and minds of Hester, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth! Examine The Scarlet Letter in light of this statement. In your assignment you should consider: 1 The historical, political and cultural significance of Puritanism in America 2 Hawthorne’s links with the Puritans 3 Methods through which Hawthorne presents the theme of sin and its effects of the main characters in The Scarlet Letter 4 The views of other readers and critics of The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne’s unforgettable tale of ‘The Scarlet Letter’ takes place in the Puritan village of Boston, Massachusetts during the first half of the 17th century. Hawthorne himself is a man of†¦show more content†¦Throughout Hawthorne’s anecdote we witness how sin changes the sinners. It darkens their vision and weakens their moral defenses against further temptation. The powerful theme of sin is echoed continually throughout the whole of the novel, in actual fact it plays the main theme throughout. Sin in my words would be the intentional or even the unintentional breaking of divine or moral law and indeed in this novel this meaning is shared with the grim Puritans in their ‘iron-period’. The ‘iron-visaged’ Puritans were obsessed with their faith and religion and their laws covered just about every aspect of life and if rebelled against punishment was their only answer as during this time any secrets amongst its people was forbidden thus explaining the transaction of punishment of the scarlet letter for Hester. Not only does Hawthorne present many powerful themes throughout his novel but he uses a lot of powerful symbolism throughout as well. The main symbol, of course, being that of the scarlet letter. Hawthorne uses fantastic language to describe the scarlet letter: â€Å"An elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread appeared the letter ‘A’.† It is funny to note that note once does Hawthorne himself describe the scarlet letter himself as something we would perceiveShow MoreRelatedEffects of Sin in the Scarlet Letter1656 Words   |  7 PagesUnfortunately sin can often lead to isolation. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne, a beautiful young woman who is chastised for adultery, and Arthur Dimmesdale, Boston’s beloved minister who is the father of Hester’s baby, both begin doleful lives of isolation after Hester’s sin is revealed. After Hester is sent to Boston by her husband, who says he will shortly join her, she has an affair with the town’s preacher, Arthur Dimmesdale, which results in a daughter, Pearl.Read MoreEffects Of Sin And Guilt In The Scarlet Letter1119 Words   |  5 PagesMs. Pierce AP Eng Per 1 24 October 2017 The Scarlet Letter Research Essay Dark Romanticists such as Nathaniel Hawthorne mainly focused on the imperfectness of humans and how they are surrounded by sin. One of Hawthorne’s purposes in The Scarlet Letter is the lasting effects of sin and guilt. Through his novel, he shows keeping your sin and guilt inside you will make it fester and change you for the worse. However, the novel also shows that facing your sin and guilt and revealing it will help you learnRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter : Lasting Effect Of Sin Essay1798 Words   |  8 Pagesyou by 123HelpMe.com Lasting Effect of Sin The Scarlet Letter Puritan society placed great importance upon a person s reputation. Without an honorable reputation a person is not worthy of respect from others in their society. Characters in this novel go through their lives struggling with themselves trying to cope with the guilt and shame associated with their actions. In Nathaniel Hawthorne s novel, The Scarlet Letter, he shows the lasting effect that sin has on Hester and Dimmesdale. Read MoreWhat Is the Moral of the Scarlet Letter? Essay952 Words   |  4 Pages Nathaniel Hawthorne is famous for his long fictional work the scarlet letter in 1850, which is still considered as the most important work of him. The scarlet letter involves the presence of facts and figures to support the text and also includes the fictional work in the text. Hawthorne was actually inspired from the manuscripts he got in the custom house in Salem while he was working as an executive officer or the surveyor in custom house where the taxes are paid, their he foundRead MoreWhat Is The Theme Of Adultery In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne980 Words   |  4 PagesThe Scarlet Letter Essay Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter is about a Puritan woman named Hester Prynne. She lives in a 17th   century colonial Puritan town and is forced to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her dress for the rest of her life due to her sin of adultery. She gives birth to a little girl who she names Pearl in prison. Hester is known as the adulterer because her husband has not been seen with her because he went to learn medicine from the Indians. Hester becoming pregnant whichRead MoreThe Theme Of Guilt In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1668 Words   |  7 PagesHawthorne is the author of The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne is a anti-transcendentalist which means he writes a lot about Puritans in the 1600’s. John Hathorne ( Nathaniel H. great uncle ) is also an anti-transcendentalist . The book that John wrote that goes with The Scarlet Letter is The Ministers Black Veil. It as well as this novel talks about Secret sin and how the world is good and pe ople are dark and mysterious. Nathaniels book The Scarlet Letter talks about Secret Sin , Revenge , and Guilt. InRead MoreSin, Guilt, And The Consequences Of Silence902 Words   |  4 PagesSin, Guilt, and the Consequences of Silence Throughout the history of literature, both American and foreign, a common theme that authors incorporate into their work is the nature and consequences of sin and the weighty, lingering feeling of guilt. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an example of this type of work. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbol of the scarlet letter ‘A’ as a representation of her sin to show the novel’s theme that sin carries heavy consequencesRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1145 Words   |  5 PagesWhy is sin important? It is believed that sin is important to people because their deity places guilt on their wrongdoings to show that those actions are not to be repeated. In contrary to this belief, there are people with religious views that hold no importance with sin. Depending on the individual’s religious views, sin can be a conflict between oneself and a â€Å"higher† being or it can not affect the individual at al l. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Arthur Dimmesdale is an ordainedRead More Exposed Sin vs. Hidden Sin in the Scarlet Letter Essay633 Words   |  3 Pages Exposed Sin vs. Hidden Sin Since the beginning of time we have shown our imperfections as human beings. As detailed by the Bible in the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge committing the original sin. This infraction against God resulted in Adam and EveÂ’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden, and set the foundation for the judgment of mankind. The word sin derives from Old English synn and is defined as something shameful, deplorableRead MoreTheme Of Sin In The Scarlet Letter759 Words   |  4 PagesEssay About Secret Sin In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, made in the 1800s and takes place in the 1700s. The novel, the Scarlet Letter is about a woman, Hester Prynne, who committed adultery in a Puritan society. She is punished for committing her sin by have the letter â€Å"A† in scarlet sewn onto her bosom, The â€Å"A† standing for adultery and is scarlet, representing sex, sin and, evil. Hesters husband has mysteriously never arrived to the colony, assumed to be at the bottom of the sea