The Moral Judges of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

The Moral Judges of The Scarlet Letter

If human beings are evil, then they can easily appoint themselves

as judges, and from their point of view, the decisions they make are moral.

These judges try to make themselves look better, by lowering the criminal

below their level. These moral judges also try to play God, by selecting,

and if they have enough power, executing their decision as a punishment for

the crime committed. It is as clear as glass, that these decisions that

come from evil beings will also be immoral, and evil. Decisions made by

moral judges reflect how much evil they possess within them.

Hester had to stand on the scaffold, which was a place for public

shame, and had everybody judge her for her crime, committing adultery.

This punishment was decided for her by a group men who had political power.

These men also thought that they were punishing an evil person, Hester,

because she had sinned, and offended God. If that was true, why would a

mortal decide, and act as God for God? These men in power made Hester look

bad, so people on town would think that they are better than Hester, and

because of that they would not sin, or they will too, will be punished.

When Hester was standing on the scaffold, she was being judged by everybody,

and since humans are evil, than their response towards her were not be

positive, but evil. A group of women were talking with each other, and

deciding on a punishment for Hester: "'What do we talk of marks and brands,

whether on the bodice of her gown, or flesh of her forehead,'" (p. 49).

To which another replied "'This woman has brought shame upon us all, and

ought to die'" (p. 49). It is a good thing they didn't have any political

power. This shows how full of evil these human self appointed judges are,

and they do not only judge Hester, they also judge judges' decision.

Hawthorne comments this barbarism by describing these judges: "...the ugliest

as well as the most pitiless of these self-constituted judges," (p. 49).

These evil women set themselves up themselves as moral judges in order to

make themselves look like angels, by turning Hester into a devil.