Strict Moral Codes In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Religion was one of the major reasons for European settlement in America. One of those religious groups was the Puritans, who established a society with strict moral codes. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne writes about the Puritan occupation with guilt. Their rigid laws dictate that Hester Prynne be harshly punished for her infidelity. The people of the community take punishment to the extreme, forcing her to endure more than necessary without logical justification. Governor Bellingham should allow her to keep Pearl and discontinue to subject her to such unfair treatment. It is cruel for others to even consider taking Pearl away from Hester. Hester has already lost everything—husband, reputation, freedom. The only thing she is left with is Pearl, who she treasures dearly. “God gave me the child…He gave her in requital of all things else, which ye had taken from me. She is my happiness…Pearl keeps me here in life…Thou knowest what is in my heart, and what are a mother’s rights, and how much stronger they are when that mother has but her child and the scarlet letter” (105-106). As the mother, Hester obviously knows what is best for Pearl. If custody of Pearl is given to someone else, the child is not guaranteed to be treated with such affection or love. Additionally, Hester has the …show more content…

She takes personal responsibility for what happened even though there is another person involved. During the interrogation, when Reverend Wilson says, “Speak out the name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter of thy breast”, Hester responds with, “Never…It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine” (63). The woman has been subjected to serving time in prison as well as public humiliation. She possesses a lot of strength and bravery for being able to endure so much by herself. It is unnecessary for her to wear the scarlet

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