The Social Rebel in a Puritan Society. An Analysis of Hester Prynne in "The Scarlet Letter"

Term Paper , 2016 , 11 Pages , Grade: 2,0

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

This study provides an analysis of the protagonist, Hester Prynne, in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" as a social rebel in a puritan society. It offers a thorough examination of her actions and decisions that diverge her from societal norms and expectations of her time. Furthermore, it scrutinizes the narrator's view of women and his role as a man of his time.

Table of Contents

1.Introduction: The Emancipated View on Women of the Narrator

2. The Narrator: A Man of his Time

3. Hester’s Free Will as an Indication for her Being a Social Rebel

4. Conclusion

5. Works Cited

1. Introduction: The Emancipated View on Women of the Narrator

The Scarlet Letter, which was written in 1850, is set in the Puritan age, at the end of the 17th century. Since those were times of religious fundamentalism, it is therefore not surprising that women were subordinate to men, especially to their husbands. Moreover, society expected wives to be loyal and dutiful to their spouses, be strictly monogamous, and obey their commands. Considering these facts, committing adultery was unforgivable und was punished strictly.

The novel starts with “The Custom House” sketch, where the narrator, who is an officer, finds a two-hundred-year-old manuscript. He does not criticize Hester Prynne too harshly for her sin, because he looks back at the events from a typical romantic view of a writer, who feels the need to leave the Puritan experience behind, which can be best illustrated with his experience with “General Miller [who] was radically conservative; ...attached himself strongly to familiar faces, and with difficulty moved to change, even when change might have brought unquestionable improvement” (12; my emphasis). Thus stresses the belief in progress of the narrator to leave the Puritan habits behind. In order to illustrate that the writer has got a progressive view regarding the position of women in society during the Puritan age, I will argue that Hester Prynne, the protagonist of The Scarlet Letter, can be seen as a social rebel in a Puritan society, because her acts are rather controlled by her free will than by the Puritan guidelines for the proper behavior of women.

2. The Narrator: A Man of his Time

The narrator of The Scarlet Letter tells the story from a 19th century typical romantic perspective of a writer, who looks back at the happenings that occurred during the Puritan age. Throughout the novel the storyteller refers to the 17th century as "... the old time ...” (45) and as “...in those days...” (45). Thus demonstrates that the narrator is of the opinion that the time has changed over the 200 years and that certain values are no longer valid. Moreover, “...authors of the American Renaissance struggled with such issues as ...a growing distrust of Puritanism...” (Middeke 111). This refers to the fact that the narrator (who claims to be Hawthorne himself) wants to leave the Puritan experience and their belief of a proper behavior behind him and embrace a new sensitivity. He is of the opinion that in the “severity of the Puritan character” (41) ... “religion and law were almost identical” (41). This underlines the storyteller’s thought of the Puritans as a narrow-minded society, that can be characterized by their strictness. They regarded religion as if it was a law and that everyone had to follow it strictly, otherwise one would have been punished very severely. Furthermore, he describes the Puritan society as “self-constituted judges” (43), which stresses the aspect of they being narrow-minded. He criticizes Hester’s fellow townspeople for presenting themselves as being superordinate in comparison to the others and that they are of the opinion that they consequently have got the right to judge on the other’s character. In the “Governor’s Hall” hang portraits of the forefathers of Governor Bellingham. “All were characterized by the sternness and severity which old portraits so invariably put on; as if they were the ghosts, rather than the pictures, of departed worthies, and were gazing with harsh and intolerant criticism at the pursuits and enjoyments of living men” (83; my emphasis). Thus it appears that time has not changed yet, because the portraits are described as if they were alive and that the forefathers pictured in the portraits still have got an impact on the society and their belief. Furthermore, Hawthorne

A describes “The truth was, that the little Puritans, being of the most intolerant brood that ever lived...” (75). Thus states not only that Hawthorne has got a fairly negative view concerning the Puritan society and their demeanor, moreover is he convinced that his impression is being correct since he uses the term “truth”. In addition, he remarks “that the outward guise of purity was but a lie, and that, if truth were everywhere to be shown, a scarlet letter would blaze forth on many a bosom besides Hester Prynne’s...” (69). This also demonstrates that Hawthorne criticizes the hypocrisy of the Puritans and that this furthermore lightens Hester’s sin, since she is not the only one who does not behave properly according to the moral. This indicates that the narrator has got a progressive view regarding the guidelines during the Puritan age and he wants that society changes their point of view regarding their values.

Since Hawthorne has got a romantic view concerning the events that happened during the Puritan age, (and therefore what is written in the found manuscript) he does not punish Hester too harshly for her sin, because one could argue that the villagers are hypocrites. They do not behave accordingly, like Hester to the Puritan guidelines, which eases Hester’s sin extremely. Hester develops a sense which allows her to feel when another sinner approaches. It is if the letter tells her: “Behold, Hester, here is a companion!” (70). She notices that her sin is not exceptional and that she is not alone. Furthermore, her sense underlines the fact that her fellow townspeople are hypocrites and that they have got an exaggerated view concerning Hester’s doom. Therefore, they do not have the right to punish Hester for her fault. Consequently, it can be claimed that her perspective is softened, since she is not the only one who has committed a fault.

Moreover, since Hester’s husband is missing, it can be argued that nobody can expect her to be loyal to him, because he is not there and they are not able to spend their lives together. Besides she did not marry for love and therefore she follows her feelings during the novel. This emphasizes on the notion that the writer has got a typical romantic perspective regarding Hester’s behavior. “Rarely putting himself or his judgments forward, the narrator presents] himself as a compassionate person, one who values human dignity and believes in the human potential for growth” (DE JONG 360). Since he does not judge Hester too harshly for her sin, it is eased. In fact, he sympathizes with her. For instance, he describes her as a “lonely woman” (80), which automatically creates a sympathy between the reader and the protagonist. Moreover, as he believes “in the human potential for growth” (DE JONG 360), he does value the fact that Hester tries to correct her faults by helping the poor and by doing something good for her fellow townspeople. As a consequence, the reader does not judge Hester too sternly, because she does her best in order to become a better person and a to be a good mother for her child, Pearl. In addition, there is a fundamental contradiction between Hester’s morally wrong behavior and her perfect child. Her daughter is rather God-given than a punishment, which as a result eases her sin significantly. It is as “God, as a direct consequence of the sin which man thus punished, had given her a lovely child, whose place was on the same dishonored bosom, to connect her parent for ever with the race and descent of mortals, and to be finally blessed soul in heaven!” (71). Not only is Pearl depicted as a perfect child, moreover represents she The Scarlet Letter in reality. She frightens the Puritan children, when she and her mother are on their way to the Governor. In fact, she is described as a “...half-fledged angel of judgment,-whose mission was to punish the sins of the rising generation.” (81). Since The Scarlet Letter should be the symbol for her mother’s sin, whose aim is to humiliate her in front of everybody, it is a crucial contradiction that Pearl is depicted as an “angel of judgment” (81). This emphasizes the fact that Hawthorne wants to leave the Puritan values behind him and that the “rising generation” of the Puritans needs to change their point of view concerning their values. In addition, it can be claimed that he has got a forward-looking view concerning the role of women in society, because the two protagonists in the novel are both feminine trying to do something good and to be a role model for others. They are not depicted as the typical contemporary women, who are the weaker sex and who depend on a man. Therefore, they are not the classic protagonists that occurred in stories which were written in the 19th century. It can be reasoned that Hester has got a strong character since she does not act like her fellow Puritan women would have acted, “...she possessed indefeasible rights against the world, and was ready to defend them to the death” (88). This is a fundamental quotation in order to emphasize that Hawthorne regards the female protagonist as being an outstanding woman, who fights in order to keep Pearl and to prove that she is capable of taking care for her child. Furthermore, this fact indicates that Hawthorne has got a progressive view concerning the position of women during the Puritan age.

Besides, Hester is described as being very beautiful and as having a certain dignity. “She was lady-like, too, after the manner of the feminine gentility of those days; characterized by a certain state and dignity, rather than by the delicate,

A evanescence, and the indescribable grace, which is now recognized as its indication” (44). This extract, furthermore, underlines that Hawthorne has got an affection towards Hester and that he does not hate her for her committed sin. Otherwise, he would have described her in a profoundly negative way rather than emphasizing on the idea that Hester is a remarkable woman, who differs from the other Puritan women. In addition, the Scarlet Letter “inclos[es] her in a sphere by herself’ (44), which makes her inhuman and therefore an outstanding woman.

Also Hester is depicted as “... a great lady in the land, offered no opposition” (82), when she tried to enter the hallway to meet Governor Bellingham. The idea of her being an outstanding woman, who has got a very convincing character, is created. The servant lets her enter, even though he has told her that the Governor is in a meeting. As DE JONG said: “[h]ere and throughout the romance he seeks to convince the reader accustomed to popular fiction that “our heroine”...is worthy of attention though she is not the conventional romantic protagonist” (qtd. in Waggoner pp.85-86). In fact, Hester gains a lot of attention, for instance by remaining silent. By not telling who the father of her child is, she gains power and becomes an outstanding, rebellious woman, about whom the townspeople talk. A quotation from Colacurcio can be taken best in order to underline that Hawthorne shows his kindness and admiration towards Hester.

[...]

• College: University of Duisburg-Essen (Anglophone Studies)
• Course: Literatur
• Grade: 2,0
• Publication Year: 2016
• Pages: 11
• Catalog Number: V1373989
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346910189
• Language: English
• Tags: Puritan Society Scarlet Letter Literature