In "The Scarlet Letter", Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays the hypocrisy of the Puritan society of the seventeenth century with the story of the downfall and redemption of Hester Prynne. The hypocritical Puritan society punishes Hester for committing adultery. However, in her own mind, she does not see her actions as a sin because she acts out of love. Furthermore, she redeems herself by turning her offense into a virtue. Through the tale of Hester Prynne, Hawthorne's …
showed first 75 words of 654 total

showed last 75 words of 654 total
…and her demise is an effect of the evils of society. Hester never believes that adultery is a crime because she follows her heart in her love for Arthur Dimmesdale. She is a figure of strength in the Puritan era because she turns her offense into a positive attribute, even though she is persecuted by the society. Finally, The Scarlet Letter is the story of the triumph of individual spirit over cultural and societal boundaries