The Effects and Implications of Sin in The Scarlet Letter
Sin is the transgression of a moral code designated by either society or the
transgressor. The Puritans of Boston in the novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel
Hawthorne, establish a rigid moral code by which to purge their society of deviants. As
this society is inherently theocratic, the beliefs and restrictions established by
religion are not only incorporated into law but constitute all law. In this manner, the
moral code of the Puritan society thoroughly pervades the lives of its individuals, and
any presence of iniquity is felt in all aspects of their lives. In The Scarlet Letter,
the characters' lives
are controlled by the sin they commit.
Hester Prynne's adultery causes her alienation from the Puritan society in which she
lives. After the term of her confinement ends, she moves into a remote, secluded cottage
on the outskirts of town, inducing a physical separation from the townspeople. Because
of this seclusion from society, the Puritans regard her with much curiosity and
suspicion: "Children...would creep nigh enough to behold her plying her needle at the
cottage-window...and discerning the scarlet letter on her breast, would scamper off with
a strange, contagious fear." In addition to the physical separation, a more intangible
manner of exclusion also exists, in that Hester becomes a pariah. She is subject to
derision and malice from the lowliest of vagrants to the most genteel of individuals of
the community, though many are often the recipients of her care and attention: "The
poor...whom she sought out to be the objects of her bounty, often reviled the hand that
was stretched forth to succor them...Dames of elevated rank, likewise, were accustomed to
distill drops of bitterness into her heart." Hester cannot feel any sort of kinship with
the townspeople in light of the treatment she receives from them, thus alienating her
even further from Puritan society. Formerly an inhabitant within the bounds of the
community as well as a member of the community, she is now outcast in both respects.
Just as the act of adultery is pivotal in Hester's life, this sin effects a similar
manipulation of Arthur Dimmesdale's life.
Dimmesdale's guilt over his sin continually torments him throughout the novel and causes
his unusual behavior. He resorts to self-punishment because of this guilt: "His inward
trouble drove him to" whipping himself and fasting "rigorously until his knees trembled
beneath him, as an act of penance." Because of his resulting weak and sickly demeanor,
this illustrates the extent of his guilt in that he subjects himself to so much painful,
bodily harm. In addition, this guilt induces him to publicly reveal his transgressions.
The extremity of this act is an evident contrast to Dimmesdale's usual cowardice. Time
after time he castigates himself on the pulpit, but he veils his vilifications knowingly
to inspire awe and reverence among his audience. The pronouncement of his transgressions
at the closing scaffold scene is thus an aberrant action on Dimmesdale's part and must
have been prompted by the guilt he feels. His act of adultery--through guilt--thus
manipulates his very actions. The effect of sin on Dimmesdale's life is similar its
effect on Chillingworth.
Roger Chillingworth's obsession with vengeance results in his eventual degeneration.
His physical appearance changes greatly over the years he spends in Boston because of his
fixation with exacting revenge: "A large number...affirmed that Roger Chillingworth's
aspect had undergone a remarkable change...At first his expression had been calm,
meditative, scholar-like. Now, there was something ugly and evil in his face..." His
unattractive appearance is the physical manifestation of his animosity towards
Dimmesdale. Furthermore, Chillingworth's morals also undergo a deterioration, in that he
devotes his life to tormenting Dimmesdale: in effect, sacrificing his fellow man for
self-gratification. The change from his initial integrity to his consequent depravity is
apparent even to himself, as he asks Hester: "'Dost thou remember me? Was I not...a man
thoughtful for others...kind, true, just, and of constant, if not warm affections?...And
what am I now?...A fiend!" Because of his perverse obsession with retaliation,
Chillingworth abandons his morality, an integral part of his former self.
The transgressions of the characters in the novel, The Scarlet Letter, manipulate the
characters' lives. Because of her act of adultery, Hester is exiled from Puritan society
through her physical separation and status as an outcast. The guilt resulting from this
very same act impels Dimmesdale to act in an extreme manner: inflicting painful
punishment on himself and publicly proclaiming and denouncing his actions.
Chillingworth's physical and moral deterioration are the consequences of his own sin--his
obsession with vengeance. Thus, sin is a common affliction prevalent among the
characters in this novel--and furthermore, among all mankind. It is the manner in which
sin affects a person that provides insight into the person's soul.
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