The Puritan Society’s Effect On The individual
... Puritan society is stagnant, while Hester and Dimmesdale’s experience shows that a state of sinfulness can lead to personal growth, sympathy, understanding of others”. It is important to highlight that the author points out not only the unjustness of the Puritan society but also presents two lovers as criminals whose passion is a violation of the rigid Puritan religious and civil code. Hawthorn concentrates on the effect of sin on the hearts and minds of Hester, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. In fact Hester is not an extraordinary women; “ it is the extraordinary circumstances shaping her that make her such an important figure”. She changes under the effect of her sin into an admirable person however she is aware of the shamefulness of her action. “ Hester becomes a kind of compassionate maternal figure as a result of her experiences”. She emerges as a strong woman in public and lives a life of silent suffering, always searching forgiveness by doing charitable work for the poor, needy and sick. It doesn’t mean that she does these things only to her advantage to get the sympathies of the community, but because she is a noble and selfless character. Her selflessness is evident in her faithfulness and loyalty to Dimmesdale. She does no demands on the minister and never tries to accuse him of cowardliness because he fears to admit his sin. She accepts the situation and “ becomes better able to handle life's agonizing moments”. This devotion to her lover shows that Hester is truly a woman of principle, a quality that is hard to find in such a Puritan community. Her individual spirit is also reflected in her decorating the shameful scarlet letter with gold thread and in the colorful clothing of her child, Pearl. While Hester is a clearly understandable character, the minister Arthur Dimmesdale is quite an ambiguous one. We can never be sure- except when he publicly admits his sin- to condemn him or not. Does his character developed under the sin’s burden or he is more like a Puritan than a worthy partner to Hester and father to Pearl ? He doesn’t have the courage to stand for his ‘family’ , but suffers even more in the silence forced by the community on him. What could happen to his reputation if he reveals his secret? After all he is a minister in a Puritan community who was partner of a women in committing adultery. No one will be interested how pure is this love between the criminals. In such circumstances his feelings are very understandable and the only who understands it is Hester. Probably the minister knows that one day he has to confess everything and through these self-torturing experiences he tries to gather all his strength for the “ judgement day “. It is evident that if Hester would not help him in his distress he would remain a hypocrite minister of a Puritan community. We can learn that Hawthorn did not chose the character of a “holy” man by chance, but he had aims with him to show how fallible is a human no matter what status does it have in society. We can’t blame entirely Dimmesdale because he seeks for penitence and, however in secret, but takes care of Hester and Pearl. His conscience is so guilty that the spiritual sickness turns in a physical one. Everyone can notice that his health is visibly failing. This anguish and weakness “ opens up his mind and allow him to empathize with others. Consequently, he becomes an eloquent and emotionally powerful speaker and a compassionate leader” - which he wasn’t before –, “and his congregation is able to receive meaningful spiritual guidance from him.” But no matter how hard he tries to suggest his own personal sin the community interprets his sermons allegorically and they idolize him more powerfully than ever before. This deepens his pangs of conscience and his self- punishment. Many don’t believe even his public confession and his ‘holiness’ culminates in his death in the townspeople’s eyes. The reaction of the community is very interesting: they can’t imagine that if they themselves are sinners and try to hide their sins at any price, someone, especially a minister would admit it publicly; the act of Dimmesdale certainly must have been symbolic, they don’t see that he is only human. As a result the reader is ...