Who Is Anne Hutchinson's Treatment Of Women In The Scarlet Letter

Anne Hutchinson was a remarkable colonial woman who first came to Massachusetts in the fall of 1634. She is less remembered for her contributions in the new world as a wife, mother of fourteen, and midwife to many than for her eventual trial and banishment from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. I was interested in writing a paper on a colonial woman and chose Anne Hutchinson after a "Google" search turned up a very good review on a recent book about her life. I have been intrigued by the fact that the Puritans came to America to practice their religion freely, yet allowed no freedom to question their

Anne Hutchinson was on trial when The Massachusetts Bay Colony Case against Anne Hutchinson was written. The document reveals many things about the Puritans’ religious beliefs and way of life. Massachusetts Bay was founded in 1629. By 1640, 20,000 people had migrated to Massachusetts. The founders of the colony traveled to America because they were not in control of the church in England. The puritans knew that they would be able to practice their religion freely in America. They wanted to create a “better” England that was ruled by their religious beliefs. The Puritans knew that this was possible in America, so, they left England. Once the puritans reached Massachusetts Bay they created extreme laws that strictly followed their religion. The Massachusetts Bay Colony Case against Anne Hutchinson is important because

Anne Hutchinson held meetings at her house on Sundays to recall what had been said during the church sermon as well as to add her own ideas and thoughts on the topics that were being discussed. At first this seemed very normal but when her teachings began influencing people to pull away from the other Puritans, Winthrop recognized this as a problem. Anne Hutchinson taught others of her numerous propositions, which opposed the purpose of this excursion to New England. Morgan states that, Mrs. Hutchinson’s beliefs, “…threatened the fundamental conviction on which the Puritans built their state, their churches, and their daily lives, namely that God’s will could be discovered only through the bible” (Morgan). Anne Hutchinson was in fact an Antinomian, she opposed the fixed meaning of God’s moral law that Winthrop had worked so hard to teach these people. As a result, Mrs. Hutchinson was causing a huge threat to the settlers. She was trying to manipulate others to share her religious beliefs. Winthrop would not tolerate such behavior, as she was behaving sinfully, she must be punished accordingly or else as Winthrop believed, they would all suffer from God’s wrath. Winthrop took Mrs. Hutchinson to a court hearing and after a long, battle it was decided by the court that Mrs. Hutchinson was to be banished from Massachusetts. Mrs. Hutchinson was set as an example for the others who may

And because they exist within a self governing system, the accusation of guilt quickly rendered the judgement and decision of guilt before any trial took place or any evidence was shared. The Word of God does say in Hebrews 4:12, “"For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, andis a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." In the heart of Anne Hutchinson I believe we see a godly woman uncompromising to her call. Yet the reflection her boldness found in the system of these self governing men, was a blinding assult and the very heresy they

After she had been charged, Anne Hutchinson was forced to go on trial in November 1637. Winthrop personally interrogated her and claimed that she was defaming the ministers. Anne was accused of questioning Bible teachings. Hutchinson fought Winthrop to prove his claim. She would answer his questions with challenging questions of her own. In result to her defiance, Winthrop condemned her teaching men in public as “not fitting for her gender.” Anne attempted to defend herself with biblical terms and by quoting Titus. She wanted to make it clear that it was up to the older women to the younger ones. Unfortunately, her fate was decided. Because Hutchinson claimed her revelations came directly from God, it showed that there was a clear case of heresy. The magistrates immediately revealed that she was to be banished from the community.

Anne Hutchinson, on trial for apparently nothing more than leading religious discussions at her house, is subjected to belittlement and unclear, if not unfounded, accusations in “The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson at the Court at Newton.” The trial, which took place in 1637, set a standard for the future treatment of women, and subsequently their speech and writing. Because of the way the prosecution pigeonholes Hutchinson into admitting her guilt, the reverends (and thus men) gain (or keep) power over women—the power to control their women and to interpret contrived meanings from their words.

     In the trial against Anne Hutchinson, she was charged, in a vague manner, to be a danger to the colony because of the spreading of her Antinomian opinions at her meetings. Throughout the entire trial Anne was slowly being backed into a corner in which ideally she would have then broken down and admitted to doing all the wrongs in which Governor Winthrop believed she was guilty of, but she never really did. The evidence against her was so weak in nature, that it seemed that Winthrop, along with all the other elders and deputies, really needed a confession to completely justify her banishment. Though unsuccessful in their efforts, even when it was brought up by the Deputy Governor that Anne went to a meeting of ministers and told them all that they preached the “covenant of works” to their very faces, Anne stayed with the Fifth Amendment technique and denied nothing,

Anne Hutchinson has long been seen as a strong religious dissenter who paved the way for religious freedom in the strictly Puritan environment of New England. Another interpretation of the controversy surrounding Anne Hutchinson asserts that she was simply a loving wife and mother whose charisma and personal ideas were misconstrued to be a radical religious movement. Since this alleged religious movement was led by a woman, it was quickly dealt with by the Puritan fathers as a real threat. Whatever her motives, she was clearly a great leader in the cause of religious toleration in America and the advancement of women in society. Although Anne Hutchinson is historically documented to have been banished as a religious dissenter, the real

This article, pertaining to the trial of Anne Hutchinson in 1637, explains how a New England religious leader and midwife by the name of Hutchinson was placed on trial before a civil court for sedition, punished with banishment by the General Court of Massachusetts, and excommunicated by the Church of Boston. One of the reasons for her prosecution was the fact that she was holding religious centered meetings in her house that aimed to lead discussions of religious issues which was frowned upon by the local government and was viewed as expressing opinions dangerous to authority. The article then goes on to layout the charges brought against Anne Hutchinson, as stated by John Winthrop "Mrs. Hutchinson,

In the seventeenth century, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded as a haven for Puritans, who sought religious freedom and harmony. In order to achieve this haven, the settlers in Massachusetts Bay devised a system of government that would serve as both a political and moral authority. Between 1636 and 1638 the relative harmony of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was shaken by an uprising that has become known as the Antinomian Controversy. At the center of this controversy was Anne Hutchinson, a Boston woman bold enough to challenge the teachings of local ministers and to criticize New England churches. Hutchinson was extraordinary for a variety of reasons.

In the article, “Anne Hutchinson and the Puritan Attitude toward Women” it is talking about the role that women and men play amongst the Christian religion that the Puritan’s lives are based off of. These descriptions are being used to show why Anne Hutchinson was a threat to the government of the Puritans, which was ran by all men, and why it was unacceptable for her to be “preaching” not only to women, but also to men. The article also describes some religious reasons why a woman cannot preach and emphasizes that according to their religious views men were supposed to have the power. The most interesting part in the article was the role of the men because it related to a different article that the class has been discussing.

Nathaniel Hawthorne is most famous for writing The Scarlet Letter, which takes place during the 1600s in the Massachusetts Bay colony. The story is about a woman by the name of Hester Prynne, who had been sent to America by her husband and left alone alone for a year by herself. However, Hester commits adultery in the absence of her husband and made love with the young minister Arthur Dimmesdale. Hester could not hide her sin, for she could not keep the baby created from sin hidden from the public, therefore, she is forever marked with a scarlet A on her

Hawthorne is best known for his Novels including, The Scarlet letter written in 1850 and The House of the Seven

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter in the 1800’s. He was an Anti-Transcendentalist, someone who believes there is a sickness in mankind, and without the rules of society everyone would kill each other. He was obsessed with the Puritan belief. A society that believes in no pleasure, the strictest version of Christianity. John Hathorne is Nathaniel Hawthorne's great uncle and the only judge who did not apologize for the murder of women accused of being witches in the 1600’s. This event is known as the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials took place in a Puritan society. This book takes place in a Puritan society in the 1600’s. In this novel, The Scarlet letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of Pearl, Hester’s cabin, and the Governor’s house to contribute to the overall theme of imperfection.

In the textbook, “Give me Liberty” by Eric Foner, he uncovers the story on the trial of Anne Hutchinson. This trial was brought to my attention because what had happened to her was unethical. Hutchinson was charged with “sedition” which is the action by encouraging others to rebel against the authority. She also held meetings after church to talk about the bible. Anne Hutchinson announces her own point of views that are above the human law and church teachings. For example, “Her meetings, said Governor Winthrop, were neither “comely in the sight of God, nor fitting to your sex” (Foner 74). We were all born with the ability to speak upon our own judgments and because she was educated and had her own logical opinions that other women did not have, she was on trial for that.