Scarlet Letters Puritans
Discuss Hawthorne's presentation of the Puritan's throughout the novel 冉he Scarlet Letter.'"P Hawthorne's links with the Puritans"P The presentation of Puritanism in the novelThe narrative methods through which Hawthorne presents Puritanism. The Puritans are complex characters and throughout the course of the novel the reader is exposed to many sides of their character. Mark Van Doren once wrote, 冉he conflict in Hawthorne of two world's between which he hung, exposing the fanaticism of one, despising the blandness of the other, is not the least source of The Scarlet Letter's power.' I agree, I think the power of The Scarlet Letter is so effective because Hawthorne is caught in-between his lineage and his own opinions. Hawthorne came from a long line of powerful Puritans. His ancestry included William and John Hathorne who were notorious in their time. 以e was a soldier, legislator, judge; he was a ruler in the Church; he had all the puritanic traits both good and evil.'William Hathorne was infamous for his cruelty to the Quaker Ann Coleman, his son John for his part in the Salem Witch-Hunts. Hawthorne uses his own family history to show the conflict in the Puritan ideals.
However, it is important to remember, his thinking has been freed from the strict confined of the Puritan way of life in his own family he still cannot escape the engulfing guilt of their crimes The first time the reader is confronted with the Puritan community is at the prison door in the market place. However, Hawthorne's presentation of their idealistic settlement is a stark contrast to this. Hawthorne uses this point to empathise that fact that the strict Puritan way of life is doomed to failure, human nature can not be confined only surpressed. He wanted to show the many facets which form the intricate character of a Puritan. 冉he brilliancy might have befitted Aladdin's palace, rather than the mansion of a grave old Puritan ruler. 'The letter, for the Puritans represented the shame of the community; the letter became an example of how crime acts as a deterrent for others in the community. ' It is here we see the true Hawthorne convey his feelings on the Puritans. 丕n heir to Puritan tradition as well as one of its severest critics. That freedom in religion could be found in this settlement but it faced harsh opposition shown here as the starker backdrop of the 叨ld wilderness. Hawthorne's Puritan leaders find it difficult to accept people who failed to live up to their faith as they do. There was no individual voice; Hawthorne realises the importance of community because he knows of the destructiveness of isolation. 'He understands how difficult it is to shed the intolerance of the past and become more liberal. Hawthorne then deliberately challenges this notion by placing Ann Hutchinson's name in the opening page.
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Acceptance Essays
