Effects of Sin in Hawthorne's
Effects of Sin in Hawthorne's Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter was Nathaniel Hawthorne's greatest literary masterpiece. Because of his Puritan heritage, he is able to tell the story of the effects of an adulterous affair on a small Puritan community like no one else could. Hawthorne clearly used this story to teach several moral lessons. Throughout this book he spends much of his time concentrating on how sin affects the life of his characters. Each of his characters' lives are shaped by how they confront their sins.Chillingworth is the embodiment of how sins can shape a person. He committed two major sins. The first occurs before the book even begins when he marries Hester although he knows that she does not return his love. Chillingworth acknowledges that it was wrong for him to marry her and because of this, he is not mad at Hester for her infidelity. He says to Hester in the jail cell, "'Mine was the first wrong, when I betrayed thy bu
affirmed that Roger Chillingworth's aspect had undergone a remarkable change while he had dwelt in town, and especially since his abode with Mr. Hawthorne emphases how hidden sin is far worse than sin seen in the public eye. However, out of all of Hawthorne's characters, Hester is best able to handle the aftermath of her sin. There are two direct effects of Hester's sin. Eventually Hester accepts the scarlet letter and later she is given the chance to remove it, but she chooses not to. This transition became apparent to many people in Boston but Dimmesdale thought that Chillingworth was sent by God to torture him because of his sin and did not realize his true intentions. Chillingworth's second sin was far more grave than the first. Hester was up-front and honest about her sin, while Chillingworth consciously plotted against Dimmesdale in secret. Hawthorne tells us that Hester's sin is minute compared with what Chillingworth has done. By doing this she gains the respect of many members of the community. The second result of Hester's sin is the scarlet letter "A" she is forced to where, branding her an adulteress. Pearl serves as a constant reminder of her sin and is looked down on by members of the community simply because she was born out of wedlock. It pains Hester to see her daughter suffer for her sin but she can do nothing to stop it. During the first scaffold scene, Hester hates the letter on her chest.
Common topics in this essay:
Nathaniel Hawthorne's,
Eventually Hester,
Pearl Pearl,
Roger Chillingworth's,
Chillingworth Hester's,
Dimmesdale Chillingworth,
scarlet letter,
hester's sin,
Scarlet Letter,
effects sin,
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