Prompt #1: The Scarlet Letter

Prompt #1: Setting includes more than just time and place. It also concerns social conditions and customs of a given location and time period. Discuss the setting of The Scarlet Letter and how it contributes to your understanding of the book so far.

            From a modern perspective, the plight of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, seems unjust and utterly hyperbolic for her offense of adultery. Hester made an unfortunate mistake; now her act of adultery leads to a tainted future. As religious fervor decreases in America, it is difficult to understand why Hester’s blunder is treated aggressively, without any chance of forgiveness. Today’s readers see teen mothers publicized on television shows and movies, and unmarried, single mothers aided by the funds and supports of society. Adultery is certainly not accepted today, but Hester’s predicament seems decreasingly shocking. Unlike the permissive world of modern America, the setting of The Scarlet Letter in Hester’s time is based on strict, religious social conditions and customs that explain why her transgression is treated with extensive punishment, leaving her a social outcast branded with a red “A” for the remainder of her life.

            The Scarlet Letter takes place during the mid-17^th century colonial period in America. Hester lives in a religious Massachusetts town, awaiting the arrival of her husband from Europe. The focus of the town seems to be the prison and the penalty platform, where Hester and her baby are exposed and shamed before the community. The punishment platform allows the community to gather around the sinner, displayed for everyone to see. Because the recognition of sin is such a focus in the town, it becomes evident why Hester’s punishment creates a long-lasting impact. Also, after her release from prison, Hester moves to a peninsula on the outskirts of the town, symbolizing her rejection from society. Hawthorne describes the peninsula: “It had been built by an earlier settler, and abandoned, because the soil about it was too sterile for cultivation, while its comparative remoteness put it out of the sphere of that social activity which already marked the habits of the emigrant” (68, Hawthorne). The diction in this description signifies Hester’s detachment from her town, with words like “sterile” and “remoteness.” Hester’s home is isolated, and also on an inhospitable patch of land, representing how the world as a whole receives her.

            Beyond the physical setting of time and place, the social conditions of the 17^th century contribute to Hester’s situation. Hester’s sin is regarded as especially wicked because colonial life was closely tied to religion. The settlers of the Massachusetts colony immigrated in groups, with the families and minister of a church traveling together. The churches established towns and daily life was centered on religion. The church determined laws and voters were usually male members of the church. These religious people also determined punishments, such as that of Ann Hutchinson, who is mentioned at the end of the first chapter. She believed that people’s actions did not determine their fate in heaven because God already knew the nature of their soul. This belief contradicted the teachings of the church, so she was banished. Because the legal system in Hester’s town was also religiously affiliated, her punishment of wearing the scarlet letter was clearly derived from religious and social beliefs. Without the implications of religion in the community, Hester might have returned to her original life.

            Hester’s situation is also influenced by the prestige of the clergy in the colonies. Religious leaders held the most respected positions in the community, especially in pious New England. Hester’s pastor, Reverend Dimmesdale, tries to convince Hester to reveal the father of her baby, though, ironically, it is him. She fails to do so, leaving him and the other reverend to uphold her punishment of banishment and wearing the scarlet letter. The clergy is so well-respected that not a single colonist would think to question his decision and authority. The author describes him as, “…a young clergyman, who had come from one of the great English universities. His eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession” (57). He also has a “…dewy purity of though, which, as many people said, affected them like the speech of an angel” (57).  This description shows how the people are entranced by the reverend, though he is not a holy man, as they believe. Rather, he is just as much a sinner as Hester is, but his high societal status protects him. The choice of the word “purity” and the comparison of Reverend Dimmesdale to an angel further demonstrate how the clergy is revered, despite their inner character. The reverent diction throughout the description also portrays Dimmesdale as a good man, noting his “eloquence” and “fervor.” Truly, the townspeople are misled, because Dimmesdale has sinned before God as well. Because the clergy was so greatly respected in colonial life, it shows why his authority to judge Hester before God is not doubted.

            In colonial society, women are also believed to be subservient to the men. The way Hester is dealt with is indicative of the gender roles of the 17^th century. Women were expected to obey their husbands, take care of the children and the home, and had very few rights. By being unfaithful to her husband, Hester is deserving of punishment. Meanwhile, the man who sinned with her is not responsible for the deed, and will not be punished. When Hester’s husband arrives under the disguise of Dr. Chillingworth, he says to her, “‘…I find here a woman, a man, a child, amongst whom and myself there exist the closest ligaments. No matter whether of love or hate; no matter whether of right or wrong! Thou and thine, Hester Prynne, belong to me. My home is where thou art, and where he is” (64). Dr. Chillingworth’s tone is authoritative and controlling, giving Hester no opportunity to object or disobey. The figurative “closest ligaments” that tie them are the bonds of marriage and family. Even Hester’s unfaithfulness has failed to break the ties with her husband because she does not have the power to do so. The tone is established with the use of the exclamation point and the repetition of the phrase “no matter.” Hester and her daughter are seen as property of Dr. Chillingworth, never mind the fact that she does not want to be married to him. Unlike modern times, Hester cannot divorce her husband, showing how the social conditions of The Scarlet Letter confine Hester to her permanent punishment.

            Though the modern audience of The Scarlet Letter may not be familiar with the way Hester is ostracized and publicly humiliated for adultery, the social context explains why she is treated in such a way. A combination of the role of religion and the subservience of women in the colonies explain why Hester is severely punished by her town, rather than leaving the conflict between her and God. Although readers may question the way Hester was punished, early American society would be convinced of the leaders’ right to punish her on a basis of religion and gender roles.