Guilt in The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”(Romans 3:23). Since the beginning of time guilt has existed, and in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, guilt illustrates itself through adultery involving Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester and Dimmesdale resided in New England during The Puritan Age and committed adultery while Hester’s husband was out of town. Hester’s sin did not go unnoticed, as her baby illuminated the situation. While Hester’s mister hid in the shadows, she was branded with a scarlet letter A for adultery as punishment for her sin. The scarlet letter was more than a piece of cloth over her chest; it was reminder to everyone around about Mrs. Prynne’s actions. Hawthorne uses biblical and spiritual allusions to argue that guilt causes individuals to change their lifestyles.
Beginning with Hester, Hawthorne uses allusions to the Bible to argue the change in lifestyle brought forth by guilt. Upon being punished for her sins, Hester’s guilt overtook her mind and transformed her actions. Hester believed that her sin was, “more intolerable to a woman’s heart that which branded the brow of Cain.”(Pg.81) Hawthorne describes Hester’s suffrage from when she first received the scarlet letter to parallel the mark that was branded to Cain when he killed his brother Abel. The guilt from adultery impacted Hester to the point where she believed her actions were worse than those of a murderer. Hester grows angry when Chillingworth questions her care for Pearl. The out lash from this question leads Hester to say, “Had they taken her from me, I would have… signed my name in the Black Man’s book.”(Pg. 91) Pearl symbolizes Hester’s guilt; in which Hester does not want to give up. Guilt rema...

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...The community’s response to Hester’s adultery has impacted her to do whatever it takes to conceal her guilt. By covering the scarlet letter with Pearl, Hester hopes to receive sympathy. Hester’s extortion of whom she considered to be a, “Pearl of great price”(Pg. 34) exemplifies that a change has occurred in her mind and way of life.
Overall, the lifestyle changes brought forth by guilt are portrayed through Hawthorne’s use of Biblical allusions. When guilt shadows over an individual’s mind, they often forgot how to differentiate between what they should do and what they’re actually doing. Instead of accepting the guilt and moving on, many express their guilt through actions. When the choice of destroying guilt, or letting it destroy you, comes up, individuals tend to select the option that involves less doing, since they are already ashamed of their deeds.

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