This entire narrative revolves around a passionate encounter between two young Puritans and the consequences of their actions. Hawthorne is writing to a 19th century audience, so much of his treatment of this issue is subtle and veiled. Close reading, however, shows that this is an important theme. How is The Scarlet Letter challenging traditional American (Puritan) notions of sex, particularly extra-marital sex? How is it reinforcing those traditional morals? In the end, what message is the reader left with?
The Scarlet Letter is challenging traditional American(Puritan) notions of sex because I think that Hawthorne, as he is writing the novel, feels that she should not be punished for she has done no sin. However, it is reinforcing the Puritans ideas by talking about how it is a sin. In the end, I think that the reader is left with thinking that what Hester did is not a sin.
ReplyDeleteHawthorne is trying to say that the way Puritans looked at sex was a little off and that these two where different than the normal Puritans
ReplyDeleteThe book challenges extra-marital notions of sex because Hester and Dimmesdale were in love. They didn't have sex to make babies, which was the main reason for it in Puritan society, but they had it because they wanted to have fun. That was a bit raunchy for a 19th century audience.
ReplyDeleteHawthorne is arguing that the Puritans view on premarital sex is extreme and that their view of sin, in general is extreme. The hint at Hester's ability to see the sin in other people is an indication that nobody is above "sin." Because of this I wonder if maybe Hawthorne is trying to persuade the reader to change their definition of sin.
ReplyDeleteThe other Puritans didn't just view what they did as "different". They viewed it as a sin. Hence the scarlet letter.
ReplyDeleteHawthorne is definitely challenging the puritan ideas about sex. Hawthorne says near the end of the book that when Hester and Dimmesdale had sex it wasn't a sin. The real sin was Hester torchering Dimmesdale by not telling him Chillingworth's agenda and the fact that Chillingworth is her ex-husband.
ReplyDeleteHawthorne tries to tell his readers that Hester did not sin by showing just how opressinve and over-reacant the Puritan society was. He tries to tick his readers off by depicting the harshness with which the Puritans treated adulturers and thus force the readers to believe that what Hester and Dimmesdale did not merit such a brutal punishment.
ReplyDeleteI think that his vision of sex was that it shouldn't be a bad thing. It's a natural want/desire, and that it helps out the human race at the end of the day. I do think that he intended to make fun of the Puritan view of sex, so kudos to you thesleepinggato.
ReplyDeleteHide your kids, and hide your wife...
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the fact of the matter is that Hawthorne advocates that extra-marital sex is not necessarily a sin. Of course, he walks a very fine line, and he knows it; that is why it is so subtly throughout the book. What Hawethorne does more specifically is blur the definition of marriage. I don't have a novel in which to write this view, as Hawethorne did, so it can only be briefly summed up. Marriage is an ongoing relationship, that ends in little regard for a partner, and starts in great regard, commonly known as love. Chillingworth spends much time away from Hester, and it is unclear whether they loved each other in the first place. Hawethorne would question whether they were ever truly "married." However, Dimmesdale loved her and showed through the novel that he would care for her and Pearl, and thus Dimmesdale and Hester are the ones in marriage, and the only possible adultery would have been with Chillingworth.
Hawthorne is saying trying to show that the Puritans were harsh with punishment for sex and that Hester didn't deserve to be judged so harshly. She simply made a mistake. But good came from it in the form of Pearl. She is a blessing to her mother. I think that this is Hawthorne's way of saying that sex outside of marriage isn't necessarily bad and that the outcome of it can be good. He is challenging the traditional Puritans views through this book. He leaves the reader with the sense that the characters were treated unfairly and that their fate didn't have to be so tragic.
ReplyDeleteHawthorne is clearly challenging the strict nature of the Puritans regarding sin. The way that he portrays Pearl as such a wondrous creation and her free spirit shows the positives that can come out of even what is seen as one of the greatest sins in the eyes of the Puritans.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time he does focus strictly on adultery and not all sex outside of marriage. While the Puritans do take the punishment to an extreme I feel that Hawthorne does try to reinforce the sanctity of marriage and believes that adultery is still wrong, if not to the great magnitude that the Puritans perceive it as.
The Puritans weren't angry at what Dimmesdale and Hester did, but rather scared for them. They branded them with the scarlet letter to help them repent for their sin.
ReplyDelete@thesleepinggato
ReplyDeleteI agree that they were scared for them, but throughout the book, and at the end when it was revealed that Dimmesdale was guilty as well, they seemed somewhat repulsed to some degree at both of those characters, not simply scared for them.
If I could "like" thesleepinggato's last comment I would. It makes sense, and even proves the point that the author is poking fun at Purtians.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Megan Meier that Hawthorne is saying that extra-marital sex is not necessarily a sin. Even though the Puritans looked down upon this act, I think Hawthorne is trying to say that because Hester and Dimmesdale loved each other and Pearl, the Puritans' view didn't matter. As 1234 said, he definitely challenges the traditional Puritan views in this book. Hawthorne leaves the message that because they loved each other, it didn't matter what anyone else thought.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that in the book Hawthorne doesn't really talk about the actual sexual intercourse, but in the movie there is a long romantic scene that shows how everything happened.
ReplyDeleteI agree with pinkpig333. Sin isn't the biggest sin to Hawthorne. There are worse actions, like when Hester keeps her husband's identity a secret, that have a greater impact.
ReplyDeleteIts not that Hester and Dimmesdale didnt sin, cause they did, its that when you make a decision you have to except the consequences of it. Dimmesdale places the Scarlet Letter on Hester because he never takes responsibility for it. So the notion isn't that adultery is good or bad, its that you stand by your actions
ReplyDeleteAll the townspeople quickly begin to look down upon Hester and shame her for the sin she has committed but they don't look at themselves and judge for hidden sins they might have committed. It seems like the whole Puritan society points their finger at Hester, allowing her sin to overlook any others.
ReplyDeleteI want to ask, does Dimmesdale put the letter "A" on himself? It seems to me that he does have one on his chest, but why would he? I guess that it could be that it helped make him feel better for the sin personally, but why does he wait until the very last breath to confess it?
ReplyDeletethesleepinggato: I disagree, I would say that the Puritans were angry at Hester especially at the beginning. At one point one of the women says "This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die." (pg 54) It's not until some time later when they stop really caring too much because Hester has helped the town and they've forgotten her sin.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that Hawthorne wasn't actually focused on the sexual part of the sin, but chose adultery as their crime because it could produce a living, breathing consequence that would symbolize the sin. Hawthorne chose for Prynne and Dimmesdale to have sex because of all the people that it could involve in their "labyrinth of darkness and doubt" as Prynne would refer to it. Hawthorne may have been able to choose another sin, but would have had a hard time finding an alternative Pearl. The sin really wasn't about the sex.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious Hawthorne does not agree with Puritan ethic, and he reveals this when Hester admits she does not feel sin in regards to her actions.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that Hester does not feel that she has sinned, but she does love Dimmesdale in spite of their criminal relationship.
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