When the topic of a Puritanical society is brought up, most people think of a rigorous, conservative, highly devout society. While this may have usually been the case, this was not always so. The Puritan society was also known not to act out of brotherly, "Christian love", but to cruelly lash out on those who sinned or were deemed unfit for society. Two works of literature that display both aspects of this society very accurately are The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. The Scarlet Letter displays a society that treats two people very differently who commit the sin of adultery together. The woman, Hester Prynne, admits her sin, is forced to always wear a scarlet letter "A" on her bosom, and is ostracized from society. The man, Reverend Dimmesdale, who hides his sin from the world, is almost worshipped by the townspeople, but is filled with the dishonor of his action. Hawthorne illustrates how insensitive a Puritan society can be to those who admit their sinful actions.
The Crucible is a play that reveals the story of the famous witchcraft trials in Salem, Massachusetts. In the story, Abigail Williams, the orphaned niece of the townıs minister, Reverend Parris, is the main per
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They both contain the same element of truth and accuracy of the Puritan society and will most likely survive as great works of literature for many times to come. That is one reason he presses the execution of John Proctor. Because of this accuracy, naturally they are similar and have many parallels. The reason behind the townspeople persecuting sinners is because of the Puritan beliefs of the time period. This Puritan setting is also very important in both works of literature. Chillingworth, Hesterıs past husband, is like most of the townspeople, because he feels the need to punish and inflict pain on sinners, especially those who have personally harmed him. In The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale hides his sin to prevent punishment, but this was not the only reason. In addition, both works of literature include ignorant townspeople who contribute to the main conflict. Hesterıs life is spent in complete loneliness because of the way the town treats her. If there were witches, this would prove he is not performing his job, as he should. The setting of a religiously intolerant village is also the main reason behind the conflict that lies in each plot. One specific parallel between characters is that of Reverend Parris and Dimmesdale.
Bibliography
Hawthorne, Nathaniel "The Scarlet Letter" New York: Bantam Books, 1986
Miller, Arthur.
The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible are written in two different time periods, but are still similar in many ways. Parris is also very much like Dimmesdale in The Crucible, because he also cares greatly about public image.
Approximate Word count =
1356
Approximate Pages =
5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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