Evil lurks
Can a theocracy be an effective type of government? Many object to this idea, but it was the basis of the Puritan religion, which reformed against the Catholic Church of England by placing their religion in the New England area. Theocracy is a government in which the church leaders are also the state leaders. The Puritans went by what the leaders said and they also went by John Calvin's doctrine of predestination. There religion was very strict in its rules, which consisted of: humans always being corrupt, God chose who went to heaven and hell, and only those with God's salvation would receive divine grace. The Puritans punished severely and almost every crime committed resulted in death. Their strict emphasis on moral righteousness was objected by many including Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote the novel The Scarlet Letter, which criticized the Puritan society. In this novel, Hawthorne uses the reoccurring theme of the concealment of sin, or guilt, and its harmful effects on Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Hester Prynne, maybe the most important character in this novel, suffers greatly for her concealment of sin. Her first and most obvious sin is that of adultery, in which she bears the letter
After Dimmesdale dies, Chillingworth's source of life is gone and he withers away and dies. First he tries to reveal it through his sermons, but after he finishes the sermons the people believe Dimmesdale is even holier than before. This may show the problems with Puritan laws, but it is clear that not being true to yourself is the ultimate sin in Hawthorne's eyes. All this pain cumulates into one moment, at the Election Sermon, when Dimmesdale reveals that he was the adulterer with Hester Prynne. Roger Chillingworth changes Dimmesdale's mind and makes him leave the scaffold. And my child must seek a heavenly father; she shall never know an earthly one!" This response thus gives the reader the idea that she will hide this man's identity for many years, if not for her life. Another sin Hester commits is not telling Dimmesdale who the identity of her husband is and what he plans to do to him. " This response reveals the pain, agony and fear of Dimmesdale. Hester has suffered greatly, both mentally and physically. Chillingworth, the husband of Hester, commits the worst of all three character's sins. Hester not only conceals this, but she decides to stay in New England, and live out her punishment. With his efforts ending in failure, Dimmesdale has to scourge himself to repent his sins. Roger Chillingworth, also known as "The Leech", or the husband of Hester Prynne, is basically the evil character in the novel. In Hester's case, she directly suffers from two things she hides from society and her lover, Dimmesdale.
Common topics in this essay:
Hester Prynne,
Arthur Dimmesdale,
Roger Chillingworth,
Dimmesdale Hester,
Chillingworth Throughout,
John Calvin's,
Scarlet Letter,
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hester prynne,
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prynne reverend dimmesdale,
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Acceptance Essays
