The Puritan Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Society

1986 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How does religion impact literature

The time was the nineteenth century, a time of great prudishness in America but born a man Nathaniel Hawthorne that would put the Puritan society and their way to the test. A Puritan is one who follows the English Protestant lifestyle and someone who adheres to strict religious principle; also one who has a strong regard for pleasure sex and nudity. (Webster’s Dictionary, 2003) Born on July 4th 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts and of Puritan decent himself, Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family experienced intense harassment during their time.(Hoeljte, pps 25-26) Experiences that today make Hawthorne not only a great author, but very well liked by readers as well. Nathaniel attended a prestigious school with the aid of wealthy family members.(Hoeljte, pp 174) Hawthorne himself after not becoming a lawyer or doctor as his family wished had many financial issues, he was forced to work and write stories to support a family of his own.

Hawthornes’ knack for writing would begin shortly after college where he wrote many unpublished and published short stories, novels, and articles. Hawthornes’ major novel was intended to be a lengthy short story but due to his financial issues was forced to make this lengthy story into a now famous novel. (Hoeljte, pps 280-285) Hawthorne became one of the leading writers of his time, moving away from formalism and exploring the ideas of individual responsibility, the importance of creative expression and man’s relationship to the natural world.

In addition to financial worries, another influence on the story is Hawthorne's rejection of his ancestors. His forefathers were strict Puritans, and John Hathorne, his great-great-grandfather, was a judge presiding during the Salem witch trials.( Hoeljte, pps 36-37...

... middle of paper ...

...ying the authenticity of the American dream of freedom and independence through his characters and plot. Hawthorne also does a great job with his usage of sin, isolation and reunion in the novel.

Works Cited

1. Eisinger, Chester. Pearl and the Puritan Heritage. 1951 pps. 323-329

2. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Ticknor Reed& Fields. 1850

3. Hoeltje, H. Hubert. Inward Sky. Durham, North Caroline: Duke University Press, 1962.

4. James, Henry. Nathaniel Hawthorne. (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1879) 102-18.

5. Johnson, Durst Claudia. Understanding The Scarlet Letter. Green Wood Press, 1995

6. Kesterson, B. David. Critical Essays on Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. G.K Hall. 1938

7. Scharnhorst, Gary. The Critical Response to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter. Greenwood Press.

8. Webster’s Dictionary. Trident Press International, 2003 Edition

Show More
Related

  • Dealing With Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    680 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne attempted to expose the varying ways in which different people deal with lingering guilt from sins they have perpetrated. The contrasting characters of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale ideally exemplified the differences in thought and behavior people have for guilt. Although they were both guilty of committing the same crime, these two individuals differed in that one punished themselves with physical and mental torture and the other chose to continue on with their life, devoting it to those less fortunate than they.

    Read More

  • Ambiguity of The Minister’s Black Veil

    3124 Words  | 7 Pages

    Lang, H.J.. “How Ambiguous Is Hawthorne.” In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.

    Read More

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne: A Satirist of the 1800’s

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4, 1804 (Magill 1; Campbell 1; “Nathaniel Hawthorne”; Eldred 1). He was born into the sixth generation of his Salem family, and was a descendant of a long line of New England Puritans, which contributed in his interest in the Puritan way of life. The family was originally known as the “Hathornes”, but Nathaniel added the “w” to his name so it would become “Hawthorne”. The Hawthornes had been involved in religious persecution with their first American ancestor, William. Another ancestor, John Hathorne, was one of the three judges at the seventeenth-century Salem witchcraft trials. Hawthorne’s father was a sea captain, and when he was four years old (1808), his father died on a voyage in Surinam, Dutch Guinea (Campbell 1). Hawthorne was left alone with his mother and two sisters. He spent his early years in Salem and in Maine, during which he showed an interest in his father’s nautical adventures and read his logbooks often, even after his death (Magill 1). His maternal relatives recognized his literary talent at such a you...

    Read More

  • Guilt and Shame in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    1108 Words  | 3 Pages

    Guilt and shame haunt all three of the main characters in The Scarlet Letter, but how they each handle their sin will change their lives forever. Hester Prynne’s guilt is publicly exploited. She has to live with her shame for the rest of her life by wearing a scarlet letter on the breast of her gown. Arthur Dimmesdale, on the other hand, is just as guilty of adultery as Hester, but he allows his guilt to remain a secret. Instead of telling the people of his vile sin, the Reverend allows it to eat away at his rotting soul. The shame of what he has done slowly kills him. The last sinner in this guilty trio is Rodger Chillingworth. This evil man not only hides his true identity as Hester’s husband, but also mentally torments Arthur Dimmesdale. The vile physician offers his ‘help’ to the sickly Reverend, but he gives the exact opposite. Chillingworth inflicts daily, mental tortures upon Arthur Dimmesdale for seven long years, and he enjoys it. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth are all connected by their sins and shame, but what they do in regards to those sins is what sets them apart from each other.

    Read More

  • How Did Nathaniel Hawthorne Influence Society

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    Everyone has experiences that change their lives and influence all that they do. Everyone has that special someone, or something, that impacts their choices and work. Nathaniel Hawthorne definitely had these types of experiences throughout his lifetime. Authors in particular have certain people they look up to when it comes to their writing, and Hawthorne had many different people like this as he was writing all of his novels, including The Scarlet Letter. He also was inspired and influenced like different events he experienced in his years, in good ways and bad.

    Read More

  • Hawthorne On Puritanism

    1312 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne's knowledge of Puritanism and his close relationship with the religion has impacted his views on those in the society. Hawthorne is critical of the Puritans and he thinks that they are hypocrites for having rules and morals that they do not follow. He sees the underlying sin that others may not. Through his many writings he makes known to his readers that everyone is guilty of sin. The Puritan's main goal was to save themselves from the sin in the world, but Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays their morals and society as troublesome through his works, "Young Goodman Brown," "The Minister's Black Veil," and The Scarlet Letter.

    Read More

  • Hawthorne’s View of Puritanism

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne is a well known 19th century author. One reason he is well known is his view towards Puritanism. Hawthorne would often criticize Puritanism in his short stories and novels. Two short stories that show Hawthorne’s view of Puritanism are “Young Goodman Brown” and “The ministers black veil”.

    Read More

  • Biogram Of Nathaniel Hawthorn, How His Life Relates To Scarlet Letter

    1295 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hawthorne was a private individual who fancied solitude with family friends. He was also very devoted to his craft of writing. Hawthorne observed the decay of Puritanism with opposition; believing that is was a man’s responsibility to pursue the highest truth and possessed a strong moral sense. These aspects of Hawthorne’s philosophy are what drove him to write about and even become a part of an experiment in social reform, in a utopian colony at Brook Farm. He believed that the Puritans’ obsession with original sin and their ironhandedness undermined instead of reinforced virtue.

    Read More

  • Where Not To Base Your Faith: Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown

    1413 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lathrop, G. P., ed. "Hawthorne, Nathaniel." The Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature. Binghamton, New York: Vail-Ballou, 1962. 439-40. Print.

    Read More

  • Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    though out the rest of the book.  One of the main character's that is affected

    Read More

  • Emotional Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne´s The Minister´s Black Veil

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Minister’s Black Veil is a story of guilt, humility, sin, hypocrisy, love, compounded emotional stability and trials of life. It is a work of gothic literary art that describes the complexity of emotions and the psychological give and take that takes place when processing and dealing with any human emotion. The gothic writing style Hawthorne uses in The Minister's Black Veil makes it easy for him to focus on one main emotion: guilt. Hawthorne is no stranger to guilt, a huge reason why he discusses its nature so much. The Hawthorne families, formally known as Hathorne, were involved in the Salem Witch Trials and have carried the shame and guilt of their families decisions through generations. Throughout this story, guilt is a prominent concern for all the characters involved: the minister, the minster's fiancé, and the towns people. Hawthorne uses gothic tones and descriptions to define and describe the natural human emotion of guilt.

    Read More

  • Portrayal of Puritan Society in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    1635 Words  | 4 Pages

    Portrayal of Puritan Society in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter In the introductory sketch to Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel the "The Scarlet Letter", the reader is informed that one of the author's ancestors persecuted the Quakers harshly. The latter's son was a high judge in the Salem witch trials, put into literary form in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" (Judge Hathorne appears there). We learn that Hawthorne feels ashamed for their deeds, and that he sees his ancestors and the Puritan society as a whole with critical eyes. Consequently, both open and subtle criticism of the Puritans' practices is applied throughout the novel.

    Read More

  • Sin, Guilt, and the Mind of Nathaniel Hawthorne

    1491 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nathaniel Hawthorne's works are notable for their treatment of guilt and the complexities of moral choices. "Moral and religious concerns, in short, are almost always present in Hawthorne's work"(Foster, 56). Given Hawthorne's background, it is not a stretch of the imagination to say that his novels are critiques of Puritanism. Hawthorne lived in the deeply scarred New England area, separated from Puritanism by only one generation. His grandfather had been one of the judges in the Salem Witch Trials. Personal issues include the various ways Hawthorne's family and specific events in his life influenced his writing. Readers can easily recognize how "Young Goodman Brown" incorporates facts about his Puritan ancestors. Father Hooper in "The Minister's Black Veil" may be symbolically paralleled to Hawthorne's ancestors, trying to hide a sin they have committed. His descendants' remarks on him in The Custom House introduction to The Scarlet Letter mix pride in Hawthorne's prominence and a sense of inherited guilt for his deeds as judge. Hawthorne's guilt of wrongs committed by his ancestors was paramount in the development of his literary career. He investigates human weaknesses through the time period of his ancestors. Generally Hawthorne's writings contained powerful symbolic and psychological effects of pride, guilt, sin and punishment.

    Read More

  • Alienation and Moral Dilemma as Portrayed by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    1883 Words  | 4 Pages

    Reuban, Paul P, “PAL: Perspectives in American Literature: A Research and Reference Guide” An Ongoing Online Project, www.csustan.edu, http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap3/hawthorne.html

    Read More

  • Puritan Hypocrisy Exposed in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne repeatedly portrays the Puritanical views of sin and evil.  The Puritans are constantly displayed as believing that evil comes from an unyielding bond being formed between love and hate.  For such reasons they looked towards Hester's commitment of adultery as an action of pure, condemned evil.  However, through the use of light and dark imagery, Hawthorne displays who truly holds evil in their hearts.  The one who is the embodiment of evil creates hypocrisy of Puritanical views towards sin and evil.  Hawthorne displays that those who expose sin to the public and the daylight are the most pure and those who conceal their sin under a dark shadow are destined to be defeated.  Through his use of light and dark imagery and the contrast of his beliefs versus the beliefs of the Puritans, Hawthorne exposes the hypocritical beliefs of the Puritans by portraying Dimmesdale as destined for demise for concealing his sin, and ironically Hester the most pure for admitting her sin.

    Read More

More about The Puritan Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Society

Open Document