Comparing The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone and The Crucible by Arthur Miller

1018 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Historical analysis of the salem witch trials

The Puritans had a heavily important part in the formation of early America, as well as a religion that influenced our early American society. This society has been the target which many authors have picked to set their novels in. The topic of Puritan life contains a broad list of aspects that can be easily compared to one another in several different books. Two selections that go into detail about some of the different aspects of the Puritan people are The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, and The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. These two particular writers who wrote of Puritan times conveyed, in their text, the similarities of religion, punishment, and adultery in the Puritan community of 17th century.

Briefly, The Crucible looks at some the actual historical events of the Salem witch trials. It was witchcraft that the story was set around, and it threatened the purity of the Salem community. As a result, frenzy was established, with characters accusing others of witchery.

In the novel The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne commits the sin of adultery, and then is confined to wear an embroidered scarlet-colored “A” on her chest, to signify what she had done. She does not release the name of the other adulterer, and leads a life with her daughter, Pearl. Reverend Dimmesdale, the secret father of the child, struggles against himself due to the fact that he doesn’t confess to everyone his sin.

Religion was of great importance in the Puritan society. It gave a guideline for the morals that citizens should follow. In Miller’s novel, Puritan religion was at the center of town. People were judged by it, and were only and not with the devil holy if they followed it. They were also questioned by it. Hale asks Proctor, “… I note that you are rarely in the church on Sabbath Day. Twenty-six time in seventeen month, sir… Will you tell me why you are so absent?” (Miller 64) An example of the strictness of religion and moral beliefs in The Scarlet Letter is when Hester is patronized for her sin. The religion forbid it, therefore it was strongly frowned upon by society. This strong following of Puritan religion is conveyed in both novels and mentioned throughout.

As law is in most communities today, there is no doubt that religion was put on one of the highest pedestals of the Puritan community. Due to the fact that religion was followed so avidly, those who went and ...

... middle of paper ...

...s birth to a daughter, who she names Pearl.

This act of “unholyness” is mentioned in both novels to convey to the reader that not everyone of the Puritan community ever sins. Unfortunately, it is a fact of life, and men and women have been doing it for many years, as they will continue.

Both The Scarlet Letter and the Crucible were written for the main point of criticizing the Puritan way of life, and the Puritans over-reactions to sin. Hawthorne and Miller both used adultery to illustrate this point.

The books The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter were written about Puritan times. Conveyed in their text were the similarities of religion, punishment, and adultery in the Puritan community of 17th century. The subject of Puritan ways contains many different aspects that are compared to one another in several different books. Novels have been chosen to go into detail about some of the different aspects of the Puritan people, as they were very important part in the history of early America.

Works Cited
Michael. “Seventeenth Century Life/ Scarlet Letter. <a href="http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/905.html">http://www.planetpapers.com/Assets/905.html March 1, 2000.

Show More
Related

  • Comparison Of Puritans In Devil And Tom Walker, By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    1303 Words  | 3 Pages

    In America, the period of Romanticism brought up many depictions of society that held their place in America many decades ago. This society was made up of Puritans who held a strong belief system and was even their form of governing. Romantic authors like Washington Irving, who wrote “The Devil and Tom Walker”, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote The Scarlet Letter included Puritans in their stories to convey a message. In both works, the authors focus on Puritans in their stories to convey an image of who Puritans were and what they did, though not in a positive light through the use of the devil and the setting of a forest. This is because of how Romanticism generally satirized Puritans and tried to portray them as completely contradictory

    Read More

  • Hester Prynne and Abigail Williams in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    668 Words  | 2 Pages

    American literature often examines people and motives. In Nathaniel Hawthorne&#8217;s novel, The Scarlet Letter, and in Aruthur Miller&#8217;s modern dramatic masterpiece, The Crucible, people and motives often depict patters of Puritans struggling for life during a shaky time. Two main characters from both pieces of works share the traits of a struggling Puritan as adulators. Even tough Hester and Abigail have similar traits, their sins differ dramatically and were punished differently.

    Read More

  • What Are The Similarities Between The Crucible And The Scarlet Letter

    515 Words  | 2 Pages

    I have read the The Crucible, The Scarlet letter, and Of Mice and Men. In two of these stories, The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter, society was very much alike. They were based on a Puritan background. The Puritans had laws to live by. In the story Of Mice and Men, society showed racism and also that people took the law into their own hands.

    Read More

  • The Martyr and the Hero: Comparion of Arthur Miller´s The Crucible and Nathanial Hawthrone The Scarlet Letter

    734 Words  | 2 Pages

    Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter share remarkable parallels not only in their examination of early Puritan America, but also in the dilemma of the two main male characters, John Proctor and Arthur Dimmesdale. Both these men had sinful relations with another member of the town, and must deal with the adversity that resulted from their sin. Although both John Proctor and Reverend Dimmesdale become hypocrites in their society, Proctor overcomes his sin and is able to redeem himself, while Dimmesdale’s pride and untimely death prevent him from fully experiencing redemption.

    Read More

  • Compare The Crucible And The Scarlet Letter

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    Death is a major theme through both Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. In the first text, mass hysteria rips through Salem after a group of girls danced in the woods and blame everything and anything on witchcraft. The girl who could be identified as the main trouble-maker is Abigail Williams. She kicked up all of the witch suspicions because she had an affair with John Proctor, the identifiable hero. The story climaxed with the death of characters that drew affection from the readers. In the second piece of literature, the main conflict happens to be that of Hester Prynne, who committed adultery and had a child. There was a lot of public ridicule in this instance and many underlying plots within it. Again, the climax of the story could be argued to be the death of a beloved character. These two particular titles do in fact share a lot of common ideas and themes, while at the same having very

    Read More

  • The Crucible

    1064 Words  | 3 Pages

    Through time it can be seen that the world’s history has a nature of repeating its self. Author Miller, was aware of this as he experienced a repitition of history of society’s flawed government. In the text The Crucible, the writer, Author Miller has identified and illustrated the problems society faced during the 1950’s setting by drawing parallels with the setting of the 1962 Salem witch hunt. This setting helps readers to understand the characters of John Proctor and Giles Corey.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Dimmesdale, The Sinner, By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    990 Words  | 2 Pages

    A sin during the mid 1600’s is quite different than a modern one. For example, in the 17th century people believed that defying a rule of God makes the culprit worthy of being publicly shamed or even killed. Now, sin does not have nearly the same impact for if a person disobeys God they can confess to their priest and be forgiven of their sins. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne explores the concept of sin in a Puritanical community during the mid 1600’s in Boston, Massachusetts. Here, religion is a focal point in many citizens lives and religious freedom is one of the primary reasons the puritans came to America from England. The novel begins with Hester Prynne, a single mother just being released from prison, who is seen as an adulterer.

    Read More

  • The Puritan Society In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    1476 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Puritan society was extremely restricting. They had strict laws and rules, and harsh punishments for even the smallest of misdemeanors. They lived with only the bare necessities and discouraged uniqueness or boldness. As a Romantic writer, with beliefs the complete opposite of the Puritans, Nathaniel Hawthorne was very critical of the Puritan’s strict society. In the allegorical novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the characters of Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth order to convey the central moral of rejecting societal ideals and acting upon one 's own desires and emotions.

    Read More

  • Arthur Miller's The Crucible

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Crucible is a 1953 play by Arthur Miller. Initially, it was known as The Chronicles of Sarah Good. The Crucible was set in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts. It talks of McCarthyism that happened in the late 1600’s whereby the general public and people like Arthur Miller were tried and persecuted. The Crucible exemplifies persecutions during the Salem Witch Trials. The people were convicted and hung without any tangible proof of committing any crime. Persecutions were the order of the day. When a finger was pointed at any individual as a witch, the Deputy Governor Danforth never looked for evidence against them or evidence that incriminated them; he ordered them to be hanged. This can be seen through his words “Hang them high over the town! Who weeps for those, weeps for corruption!” (1273), the people were persecuted aimlessly. The four main characters in the play, John Proctor, Abigail Adams, Reverend Hale and Reverend Parris, are caught in the middle of the witchcraft panic in the religious Salem, Massachusetts in late 1690’s. Persecution is the most important theme in the Crucible, the leaders and citizens of Salem attacks and persecutes one of their own without any tangible evidence against them.

    Read More

  • Morality In The Crucible

    1240 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is set in the Puritan theocracy of Salem, Massachusetts in the late 1600’s. The dominant ideology of the time considers the Puritans to be the chosen people, and it assumes that the devil is always lurking to destroy the society. The Puritan values are centered around a commitment to hard work, an attempt to live a modest lifestyle, and a focus on Christian doctrine, including strict adherence to the Ten Commandments. Puritans believe that God is the ultimate judge, and they understand that each individual is accountable to Him for devious behavior. However, as human nature dictates, some citizens feel compelled to examine the lives of neighbors, offering assessments regarding the exploits of others. As various

    Read More

  • Hester Prynne Transformation

    1314 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the 17th century, Puritans believed scripture dictated every aspect of their lives. It appeared evident in the Puritan faith that their defiant actions and inner thoughts were to remain repressed. Puritans felt the urge to resist their impulses because by law, each desire they had, exemplified a tug from the devil. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathanial Hawthorne takes his character, Hester Prynne, who commits acts of infidelity, and turns her against the Puritan community. Although the scarlet “A” objectifies Hester’s humanity and exposes strict Puritan society, it also liberates her as a result of her ultimate transformation.

    Read More

  • Symbolism And Romanticism In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    1008 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Scarlet Letter”, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, records a struggled life about two adultery lovers. This story was marked by the most successful work back in 1850s and also become to a big part of Hawthorne’s writing career. Through the eyes of his main character Hester Prynne, the readers seem to see a woman’s helpless under a brutal and traditional society, which was ruled by Puritan people. After his book had been published one after another, no one can deny Hawthorne’s irreplaceable talent and unremitting effort. Nathaniel Hawthorne expressed his own feelings about the dark Puritan society through many successful works, which helped him become more and more popular after he died in 1864.

    Read More

  • Breaking Society’s Rules

    832 Words  | 2 Pages

    American literature often examines people and motives. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, and in Arthur Miller’s dramatic classic, The Crucible, people and motives often depict patterns of Puritans struggling for life during a precarious time.

    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

  • Theme Of Puritanism In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    1465 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne critiques Puritan ideology. Hawthorne believes in some parts of Puritan doctrine because he thinks that the God is philanthropy. Everyone has opportunity to redeem from the sin. However, he criticizes for the harsh and brutal laws of puritanism. Fear makes Puritan push aside Hester. Puritan is afraid that if they do not punish this immoral behavior in the Puritanism society, their core of society which is moral ideology will collapse Hawthorne thinks that the traditional Puritan ideology ruins the natural humanity and human right. He believes the narrow attitude of Puritan makes them only see the sin for betrayal. Puritan ignore Hester’s kind, generous, and moral personality. He uses descriptive settings

    Read More

More about Comparing The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone and The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Open Document