Character Development 
The first four chapters of The Scarlet Letter have provided us with an overview of who the main characters are and what their actions thus far can tell us about them. Hester Prynne, the female protagonist, enters the novel in a manner that shows her individuality. When she walks out of the prison house, she is led out by the beadle, but once she reaches the threshold, she shakes him off to walk on her own. This act represents the determination Hester already has to maintain her dignity despite the public’s disapproval and consequently foreshadows the manner in which she may deal with her future ostracism. Later on in the chapters, Hester displays even more of this steadfastness when she refuses to reveal the identity of her daughter’s father. Even under pressure she remains strong and does not crack, which is a quality in a woman that would not have been accepted by the strict Puritan society. Hawthorne’s purpose behind Hester is to be a symbol of retaliation against the Puritan beliefs he criticized.
Reverend Dimmesdale is another character that provides a connection to Puritan beliefs. In the second chapter, when Hester is being called to by members of the clergy in the balcony, Dimmesdale is given the responsibility of speaking to Hester and determining her wrongs. This clearly represents the hierarchy in Puritan New England, where religion stood at the top of even social conflicts. Hawthorne also appears to be criticizing the authority that the Church has during this particular scene where the weight of the decision lands on Dimmesdale’s shoulders. Similarly, Dimmesdale’s voice appears to have a profuse affect on the crowd. When he pleads for Hester to reveal the truth, he receives sympathy for his sweetness and tone, once again showing the power and influence the Church has over the entire town. Although he is not necessarily represented in a bad light, Dimmesdale is able to manipulate the feelings of the whole crowd, and possibly even those of Hester’s three-month-old baby.
Roger Chillingworth seems to embody the sense of mystery and suspicion that surrounds The Scarlet Letter. He is introduced first as a member of the crowd whom Hester recognizes, peculiarly dressed in a mix of both European and Native-American garments and accompanied by a Native, but readers are not given a name to identify him by. Later, he appears again as a “medicine man” tending to Hester in her cell, and only until later in the chapter are his name and identity as Hester’s true husband revealed. During his discussion with Hester, the most prominent feature of the conversation is that he wants to seek out revenge on the man who fathered Hester’s child, and at the same time, he seems to enjoy seeing Hester’s plight and suffering. Then, when Hester fearfully asks him, “Art thou like the Black Man, that haunts the forest round about us? Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?”, Chillingworth merely gives a creepy reply accompanied by a most likely equally creepy grin (Hawthorne 72). Hawthorne himself blatantly characterizes this man in his own words as something like Devil’s messenger, a “Black Man,” a dark character. Readers realize that Chillingworth, playing a sort of “mad scientist/mad detective” role, is obviously up to no good as he, a fairly intellectually driven man--perhaps too much so--has instantly become disturbingly obsessed with uncovering the Truth. This twisted obsession of Chillingworth’s may very well become an evil, or at least conflicting, force against Hester in the rest of the novel.
The first four chapters of The Scarlet Letter have provided us with an overview of who the main characters are and what their actions thus far can tell us about them. Hester Prynne, the female protagonist, enters the novel in a manner that shows her individuality. When she walks out of the prison house, she is led out by the beadle, but once she reaches the threshold, she shakes him off to walk on her own. This act represents the determination Hester already has to maintain her dignity despite the public’s disapproval and consequently foreshadows the manner in which she may deal with her future ostracism. Later on in the chapters, Hester displays even more of this steadfastness when she refuses to reveal the identity of her daughter’s father. Even under pressure she remains strong and does not crack, which is a quality in a woman that would not have been accepted by the strict Puritan society. Hawthorne’s purpose behind Hester is to be a symbol of retaliation against the Puritan beliefs he criticized.
Reverend Dimmesdale is another character that provides a connection to Puritan beliefs. In the second chapter, when Hester is being called to by members of the clergy in the balcony, Dimmesdale is given the responsibility of speaking to Hester and determining her wrongs. This clearly represents the hierarchy in Puritan New England, where religion stood at the top of even social conflicts. Hawthorne also appears to be criticizing the authority that the Church has during this particular scene where the weight of the decision lands on Dimmesdale’s shoulders. Similarly, Dimmesdale’s voice appears to have a profuse affect on the crowd. When he pleads for Hester to reveal the truth, he receives sympathy for his sweetness and tone, once again showing the power and influence the Church has over the entire town. Although he is not necessarily represented in a bad light, Dimmesdale is able to manipulate the feelings of the whole crowd, and possibly even those of Hester’s three-month-old baby.
Roger Chillingworth seems to embody the sense of mystery and suspicion that surrounds The Scarlet Letter. He is introduced first as a member of the crowd whom Hester recognizes, peculiarly dressed in a mix of both European and Native-American garments and accompanied by a Native, but readers are not given a name to identify him by. Later, he appears again as a “medicine man” tending to Hester in her cell, and only until later in the chapter are his name and identity as Hester’s true husband revealed. During his discussion with Hester, the most prominent feature of the conversation is that he wants to seek out revenge on the man who fathered Hester’s child, and at the same time, he seems to enjoy seeing Hester’s plight and suffering. Then, when Hester fearfully asks him, “Art thou like the Black Man, that haunts the forest round about us? Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?”, Chillingworth merely gives a creepy reply accompanied by a most likely equally creepy grin (Hawthorne 72). Hawthorne himself blatantly characterizes this man in his own words as something like Devil’s messenger, a “Black Man,” a dark character. Readers realize that Chillingworth, playing a sort of “mad scientist/mad detective” role, is obviously up to no good as he, a fairly intellectually driven man--perhaps too much so--has instantly become disturbingly obsessed with uncovering the Truth. This twisted obsession of Chillingworth’s may very well become an evil, or at least conflicting, force against Hester in the rest of the novel.
Symbolism
One of the first symbols th
at is presented in the novel is the rose bush, primarily the legend behind it. The plant, located by the foot of the prison door, is rumored to have sprouted from the steps of the sainted Anne Hutchinson, who was a sinner because she questioned Puritan morals. Like Anne, Hester crosses the path of the rose bush due to the fact that she has committed adultery, a punishable sin. The sin tied with the origins of the rose bush are like the thorns on a rose, which can be dangerous and harmful. However at the same time, roses are a general symbol of beauty, lust and passion, which are defining features of an affair like Hester’s. These multiple interpretations combined create the symbol of the prison door rose bush, which represents passionate sin. Those who step near the rose bush are going into the prison, a place where sinners are punished, and so must inadvertently face the image of themselves that is mirrored in the characteristics of a rose bush.
The other more obvious symbol that is presented within the first four chapters is the scarlet “A”. Rather than being a plain letter that Hester reluctantly wears, the letter lies ”on the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread” (Hawthorne 50). Again, this shows an emerging idea of empowerment over unnecessary shame and humiliation. When Hester is holding Pearl in her arms, she realizes that she cannot cover up the “A” with the product of her adultery, so she instead shows it off in some way instead of trying to conceal it. Although Hester is obviously still unhappy during her ordeal, she puts up an unconcerned and defiant face, so as not to give onlookers any more reason to judge her. The purpose of the Puritan form of punishment is to specifically create public humiliation, but just within the first few chapters, Hester has set herself on the path to transgressing that shame and turning it into pride or strength. This is important for Hester’s character development, but it also reinforces Hawthorne’s criticism of Puritan society and emphasizes that the individual can and should rise above its outrageous rules.
at is presented in the novel is the rose bush, primarily the legend behind it. The plant, located by the foot of the prison door, is rumored to have sprouted from the steps of the sainted Anne Hutchinson, who was a sinner because she questioned Puritan morals. Like Anne, Hester crosses the path of the rose bush due to the fact that she has committed adultery, a punishable sin. The sin tied with the origins of the rose bush are like the thorns on a rose, which can be dangerous and harmful. However at the same time, roses are a general symbol of beauty, lust and passion, which are defining features of an affair like Hester’s. These multiple interpretations combined create the symbol of the prison door rose bush, which represents passionate sin. Those who step near the rose bush are going into the prison, a place where sinners are punished, and so must inadvertently face the image of themselves that is mirrored in the characteristics of a rose bush.The other more obvious symbol that is presented within the first four chapters is the scarlet “A”. Rather than being a plain letter that Hester reluctantly wears, the letter lies ”on the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread” (Hawthorne 50). Again, this shows an emerging idea of empowerment over unnecessary shame and humiliation. When Hester is holding Pearl in her arms, she realizes that she cannot cover up the “A” with the product of her adultery, so she instead shows it off in some way instead of trying to conceal it. Although Hester is obviously still unhappy during her ordeal, she puts up an unconcerned and defiant face, so as not to give onlookers any more reason to judge her. The purpose of the Puritan form of punishment is to specifically create public humiliation, but just within the first few chapters, Hester has set herself on the path to transgressing that shame and turning it into pride or strength. This is important for Hester’s character development, but it also reinforces Hawthorne’s criticism of Puritan society and emphasizes that the individual can and should rise above its outrageous rules.
Connection to the Modern Day
Hawthorne illustrates how many events in The Scarlet Letter correlate to the predicaments of today. Hester’s stance on the scaffold brilliantly depicts how society can often reluctantly forgive an individual for their wrongdoings (in Prynne’s case, committing infidelity). Such an instance remains evident in the modern world, as the verdicts of several cases are unexpectedly altered the public’s dismay. Specifically, a murder case in Springfield Massachusetts in 2009 was dropped for no legitimate reason. Investigators reported that Jose Bonilla-Torres had shot and killed Joseph Michael Hernandez during a robbery attempt (Spencer). Initially, Bonilla-Torres was convicted for voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to thirteen years in state prison. However, the charges were recently softened to a mere three years after Bonilla-Torres plead guilty for interfering with criminal investigations (Spencer). Such a drastic change in the murderer’s repercussions was not taken lightly by the public, which feared the wrath of the man’s vengeance once he was released.
Although Hester’s crime does not seem nowhere near as morally unacceptable as what Bonilla-Torres committed, society’s views upon both instances remain the same (within their respective time periods). In each case, the majority of the public strongly disagreed with the ultimate consequences for each convicted individual. Just as many at the time opposed Hester’s forgiving sentence to prison, people of today often express opposition towards the liberation of a killer. Additionally, both events illustrate how the intended laws do not always determine the conclusive fate of an individual. In Hawthorne’s novel, Hester’s punishment for her infidelity was presumably death, however, Reverend Dimmesdale suggested that Hester should be sent to prison, which appeared to be a significantly lighter penalty. Similarly, Bonilla-Torres was intended to receive over a decade of jail time. However, his mere confession resulted in a drop of his charges, which further angered people that demanded deserving justice. As such, the ordeal regarding Hester Prynne’s trial relates to today’s judicial dilemmas as both instances demonstrate society’s distastefully wavering opinion on the convicted each individuals’ respective future.
Social Criticism
Hawthorne uses the elements of his novel, The Scarlet Letter, as a means to criticize aspects of Puritan society, such as their religion, laws, culture, and social customs and practices. Hawthorne begins the story by immediately describing the actual town of Salem, which he basically paints to be an extremely bleak and dark place, lacking hope and joy. So far in the novel he has only used the settings of the prison and the marketplace, which speak to the nature of the town and emphasize the the two most important initial aspects of their lifestyle is their harsh punishments and their judgement of others. The only bright spot in the town is the rosebush outside of the prison, which gives people hope as they enter and leave it. This shows how little hope there is for anyone in this brutal society, and how close it has come to being drowned out by the darkness surrounding it. This illustrates the flaws of the Puritan lifestyle, and paves the way for further romantic themes that may tie nature into a better life for everyone.
Hawthorne describes people of Salem as judgmental heathens, and portrays them as barbaric for their relish in the torment and humiliation of Hester Prynne. The women in particular are depicted to be very nasty, for they pass harsh judgements on Hester and show no mercy in their preferred treatment of her. These women refer to each other, along with the men of the town, as “gossips”. This calls into question the morality behind those who gossip, for although everyone does it, it does not reflect the morals which they claim so earnestly to possess. The whole town appears to be extremely cynical, for Hawthorne describes the children as “eager and curious [...], understanding little of the matter in hand, except that it gave them half a holiday” (Hawthorne 52). Even the supposedly innocent citizens of Salem are inertly self-centered and unable to sympathize with the suffering of another. And Hester is suffering, more than any of them can understand.
Hester’s ordeal is supposed to draw sympathy for her, for their are no initial details of her supposed crime, so one must assume that she is an innocent woman and feels immediately biased towards her. Hawthorne infinitely stresses the mental anguish she is in as she is led up to the scaffold, for she has become a beacon of shame and disgrace that she cannot hide from, not even n her memories. This sort of punishment seems to be a main point of criticism from Hawthorne, for he mentions multiple times that Hester’s current ordeal is worse than actually being put to death at the scaffold. Here, Hawthorne also calls religion into question, specifically religious leaders and their moral judgement. Hawthorne deems the clergymen facing Hester to have no more right to judge her than anyone else in the world, and no more right than a picture in a book to step forth and “meddle with a question of human guilt, passion, and anguish” (Hawthorne 61). This demonstrates the true complexity of Hester’s circumstance, and deems it unable to be understood by any of them. Hawthorne utilizes a variety of writing techniques in order to criticize Puritan society, executing his goal flawlessly.
References
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam Classic, 1850. Print.
Spencer, Buffy. "Jose Bonilla-Torres of Holyoke Gets Murder Charge Dropped After Nearly 2.5 Years In Jail." Masslive.com. N.p., 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Feb.2012. .
