The Madonna/Whore Complex

Within the past year, the treatment and perceptions of women have been challenged due to the various marches and movements. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, presents how women were viewed in a Puritan society, falling into a rigid dichotomy of either being the “saint or sinner.” This is otherwise known as the “Madonna/Whore complex,” which is explored through the life of the novel’s protagonist, Hyster Prynne. Although the struggles Hyster experiences may seem exclusive to a highly-religious and regressive community, these are issues that women do continue to face in this day. Firstly, what does the Madonna/Whore complex even mean? According to Gottschall, it is defined as how “men and/or society divide women into two binary

It is telling that the initial dialogue comes from a group of women who harshly express their judgment about Hester. One woman states how Hester got off too easily for her crime, declaring that “at the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne’s forehead. Madam Hester would have winced at that, I warrant me” (Hawthorne 454). Another woman believes Hester should be put to death because she “has brought shame upon [them] all” (Hawthorne 454). This dialogue stands in contrast to how the magistrates showed mercy to Hester and a random man who scolds the women for their gossip. The women’s conversation not only suggests their inner misogyny, but that they characterize Hester as a whore. The letter that she is doomed to wear upon her chest only serves to remind her of that. Hester’s label is further confirmed when her handiwork becomes popular and she creates several types of garments except for “the white veil which was to cover the pure blushes of a bride” (Hawthorne 471). A page later, a description of Hester’s alienation from Salem is described, including how the townspeople treat her. She is constantly lectured, gawked at, and followed by adults and children alike. Once again, the women shame her for what she has done. Hester’s mistreatment only worsens when there is the possibility her daughter will be taken from her and “transferred to wiser and better guardianship than Hester Prynne’s” (Hawthorne 480). Even Governor Bellingham makes a jab at Hester being a whore, comparing her to the Whore of Babylon. This is the most overt reference to Hester’s position as a whore in the novel. However, there are instances where Hester is treated and viewed as a saint or