The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Summary Analysis
The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and published in 1850, is considered one of the greatest American novels. It contains themes that reflect the lives of many Americans, such as sin, guilt, and redemption. The novel itself is about a woman, Hester Prynne, who commits the crime of adultery and gives birth to a baby girl while in prison. The story is set in New England; specifically, in Boston, Massachusetts. The prison, where baby Pearl was born, is described as "overgrown with burdock, pig-weed, apple-peru, and such unsightly vegetation, which evidently found something congenial in the soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilized society [...]" (Hawthorne 33). It is dreadful and grotesque, which adds to the impact of the overall story because it evokes sympathy for Hester and her daughter. The jail is contrasted by the town outside it, which had "a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in [...]" (33). The image of this is refined and attractive, further enforcing the idea of a cruel life inside the prison.
The time period is not directly mentioned, but can be deduced through clues in the text. The discussion about "Puritan character" (34) illustrates how the Boston colony was ruled by Puritans in the 1600s. And the various remarks about "witch[es]" (34) confirms that the novel takes place in the 17th century.
However, the setting of a story includes more than just time and place. It also incorporates social conditions and customs of a given location and time period. Much is revealed throughout the first half of the story about the ideas of the Bostonian locals. The belief of the death sentence is strong, as made evident by a random citizen who exclaims, "'This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Is there not law for it? Truly there is, both in the Scripture and the statute-book'" (36). The way people think is also portrayed excessively. Hester Prynne was probably a functional member of society with many people who cared about her. Yet as soon as the scarlet letter was placed onto her gown, she was an object of "ridicule" (39). People were so quick to judge her, even the schoolboys who knew nothing about what was happening to her. Such a simple object had the ability to turn an average woman's life around by "taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in a sphere by herself" (37). She was literally abandoned by fellow citizens of Boston without being given a chance to explain. This shows the character of the people during this time, because they were so brainwashed into thinking that those accused of a wrongdoing were sinful and not worthy of their compassion or tolerance. They also believe in the Devil, and refer to him as "The Black Man."
Further, when Hester's husband, Roger Chillingworth, disguised as a man foreign to the area visits and questions "'wherefore is [this woman] here set up to public shame?'" a townsman replies, "'You must needs be a stranger to this region[...]" (42), informing the audience that the town's mockery is a common occurrence.
Everything points to the idea that laws were strictly enforced during this time period. There was also a fervent belief in a standard family, one with a husband and a wife and their kids. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it allows for severe punishment when something goes awry. Towards the middle of the novel, this is clear when the author states, "In giving her existence, a great law had been broken; and the result was a being, whose elements were perhaps beautiful and brilliant, but all in disorder [...] (62). People care more about the fact that the child was born under dishonorable circumstances rather than the fact that the child is beautiful and bright.
The setting contributes immensely to the understanding of the book because it provides a reason for why Hester Prynne was being treated in such a way. The values and ideas of society at that particular time prohibited any man or woman from violating any societal policy. Without the context that the setting indicates, the events occurring in The Scarlet Letter would make less sense to the audience. Today, we also have a strict system of law and the ideas presented in the story are not exactly foreign to us, but it clarifies the fact that similar ideas were present even in the 1600s.
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