Puritans In The 20th Century

English Protestants created a large group of people in the 16th and 17th centuries called the Puritans. These people advocated strict religious discipline along with a strong beliefs and worshipping. The Scarlet Letter reflected on Puritan Society in several ways, from religion to discipline and punishment. Religion seemed to control everyone, the reverend was the person that everyone looked up to, and the community, as a whole, believed in fate and destiny. Puritan relationships were very restricted, therefore making adultery a terrible sin in the eyes of the community. In the 17th century, Boston was extremely strict and the laws were strongly enforced, making Hester’s sin a great

Religion is a vital part of American society during the Puritan era because the Puritan system of government was a theocracy. The Puritans of the early colonies in America linked their moral standards with official laws. “The Puritans brought strong religious beliefs to bear in all colonies north of Virginia. Ministers had great political influence, and civil authorities exercised a large measure of control over church affairs.”(Kang) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel that describes how religious conflict affects society. In The Scarlet Letter, the book’s protagonist, Hester Prynne commits the sin of adultery and is publicly punished and shamed by her community.

Undoubtedly, religion causes tension between characters in The Scarlet Letter. Notably, tensions arise between Hester and the townspeople due to her infidelity to her husband. The novel takes place in the 17th century in a Puritan community in Boston. The Puritans left England in order to practice their faith but also despised The Church of England for including similar practices as those of Catholicism. During this time it was also commonly known that if one does not conform to the thoughts and beliefs of the Puritans then they are not welcomed in their community. This was most definitely the case for Hester Prynne. In fact, a few of the towns women believe that the magistrates "should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead"

The puritans are people that were from England and moved to America because of the corruption in the church. The purpose of them moving was to escape persecution of their ways nevertheless make a new country where God's word was superior law against any man's law. America in the present day has changed from the 1600s. We now accept the ways and religion of all people unlike the Puritans. The immigrants that come to America today have the same intentions as the Puritans, to escape persecution and start a new life. We today still have some of the same intentions as them, but we are further different now than similar.

        In reality, the Scarlet Letter is many things. It has all the characteristics of a modern-day soap opera, but it is way more than some television show cast on ABC. It could be a sermon being shouted from a church attendee, but no; the Puritans are surely not the heroes in this novel. It could be a story of failure, for there are many failures cast upon the main characters, or it could be a story of revenge from an angry husband. And, maybe it could even be a story of creativity-- the attempt of one to see their artistic side in a community who disapproves a mind of imagination. The novel could mean a multitude of things, only noticed

It is obvious to anyone who has a genuine understanding of the Puritans, to arrive at the conclusion that they relied heavily on their individual liberates. Despite the fact that, it is generally accepted by most, that the Puritans were an inundating society. This is merely a hasty generalization. Regardless of how outsiders viewed the Puritans, they accomplished remarkable deeds over their duration in history.

In England 1629, King Charles I dissented the religious practices of Puritans and others, which were developed in England during his reign. With the many executions of Puritans in England, Puritans decided to seek a new life in the new world, which led to the Massachusetts bay colony. By letting them seek a new life, King Charles I approved by signing of the charter of the Massachusetts bay colony to the Dorchester Company. The charter states that people can choose who can govern them in the colony and the necessities the colony must have. The puritan leaders arrived and start to establish the colony based on God’s laws. “The Scarlet Letter” encloses a lot of the Charter of the Massachusetts Bay colony laws, and invokes them mostly on

Sexuality is a major part of growing up and throughout the novel, Holden tries to maintain his innocence and struggles to understand women and what he wants with them. It is common for a teenager to be confused or worried about sex but it affects Holden a lot more than an average teen. He has mixed feelings about women often calling himself a “sex maniac” (Salinger 62). From women at the bar to using women as random distractions and even his feelings for Jane Gallagher, Holden struggles to figure out the relationship he wants and doesn't want with these women.

There is no doubt in history that the Puritan era was a fascinating, and remarkable time. The Puritans indeed shaped young America, and the early years of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Puritans had deep pride in their community, and even greater pride in their faith, and their beliefs. Religion was the most important aspect of their community, and they wanted it to be the center focus of the society that they were building. Their faith was continuously practiced, and preached from the time they were a newborn, and continued upon the day that they passed. They found that literature was the most ingenious way to teach their faith. In order for everybody to be able to master the religion, they set up classrooms, and hired teachers.

A relationship that becomes unsuccessful for Holden is with his roommate Stradlater. Initially, they are amicable, nevertheless, they do not part on the greatest terms. To begin with, Holden makes far too many assumptions in regards to Stradlater. Holden incessantly jumps to conclusions before Stradlater has the opportunity to talk. This bias that Holden had already formed impacts their friendship significantly. This is demonstrated when Holden enquires about Stradlater's date with Jane Ghallanger, a girl whom Holden shares a history with; "'Did you give her my regards? I asked him . 'Yeah' The hell he did the bastard"(42). Holden is very judgemental, he automatically draws to the conclusion that Stradlater did not pass his greetings to

The Scarlet Letter Essay Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter, wrote the book in the 1800s while the events in the book take place in the late 1600s Puritan society. The Puritan society in the 1600s functioned like a theocracy where God is recognized as the ruler. Also, the Puritan society functioned like a hypocrisy, where the rich kicked down the poor. Overall, the Puritan society was strict and judgmental. In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the scarlet letter, the burrs and Dimmesdale to contribute to the overall theme of guilt.

The Puritan society was originally individuals who refused to conform to the religion of England. However, this society developed into one focused on community and conformity through public humiliation and determining what they are not. The Scarlet Letter, set in the Puritan society, explores if individualism is possible and beneficial in a society that is so focused on conformity. Hawthorne presents individualism as a positive and negative existence to develop the overall meaning that connection to society and what that society values affects the outcome of individualism. Hester starts the novel as a woman distanced from society through her sin and shame, and while she seems to come to terms with who she is and society seems to come to terms

Therefore this essay will describe how the characters, setting and themes in the Scarlet letter comment on the religion in America by exploring the scene of puritan morality, scaffold and through the interpretation of the Scarlet Letter “A”.

To begin with, religious beliefs and colonial laws intermingle constantly in The Scarlet Letter. The Puritans and the laws of the colony were so intermingled that the Puritans created their own theocracy. The Puritans made laws based off of

The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne is based off a Puritan village during the 1640s. Hawthorne believes in the power of the individual and that society entices the individual to commit evil acts, this ideology is contradicting to Puritan beliefs. Hawthorne is a critic of the harsh Puritan punishments and public shame. Through Hester Prynne’s life, the author demonstrates how society attempted to fix sin at the expense of the individual. Hawthorne builds on the principles of Romanticism, with his main focus on the heart over logic and he moves away from traditional Puritanism and theocracy.