The Scarlet Letter and Punishment of Hester Prynne self-blame will persist, because these negative mindsets can lead to madness, or worse, death. This concept is perfectly expressed by Nathaniel Hawthorne in “The Scarlet Letter” where two sinners would meet their fate either through direct punishment or through their own guilt. One of the most significant themes developed in "The Scarlet Letter" is that the punishment imposed on us by others may not be as destructive as the guilt we experience. This theme is gradually depicted through Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale facing the consequences of adultery, where Hester is able to overcome and adapt to her external punishment, but Dimmesdale struggles and faces immense difficulties to do so. facing the internal guilt of keeping one's sin a secret. others.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Reverend Dimmesdale goes through a lot of internal conflict and suffering throughout the novel, being a religious leader in the community and having to give a strong example as a Puritan, but failing to maintain his purity after committing adultery and hiding it for fear of the consequences. This constant guilt led Dimmesdale to mental health issues that would result in self-inflicted wounds in an attempt to cleanse himself, but never feel better for what he had done. Hawthorne writes, “It was his custom…to fast…not to purify the body…but rigorously, and until his knees trembled beneath him” (150). Dimmesdale's guilt drives him to extreme acts like this, fasting until his "knees shook beneath him", showing the major effect this had on his lifestyle. The most important aspect of this is that it was caused by his own feelings, going from someone no one would ever expect to commit even the slightest sin, to committing something like adultery, an extreme sin despised by his fellow Puritans. Along with this, “In Mr. Dimmesdale’s secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody plague. Often [Dimmesdale] had laid it upon his own shoulders; bitterly mocking himself” (Hawthorne, 150). Here, Dimmesdale resorts to self-flagellation, the act of physically harming oneself, an extreme example of the substantial suffering Dimmesdale would endure because of this sin. This constant harm that Dimmesdale suffers is caused entirely by his own personal guilt, with no explicit third party punishments inflicted on him except his own, showing the extent of the effects caused by his own guilt. Hester has very little trouble dealing with her. punishments and soon adapts to a meaningful lifestyle. In the novel, Hester initially appears to be permanently excluded from society by being branded and forced to wear a scarlet letter "A", but she gradually becomes accustomed to her punishment and makes it part of who she is. Hawthorne states: “Individuals in private life, for their part, had quite forgiven Hester Prynne for her fragility; nay, they had begun to regard the scarlet letter as the sign, not of this one sin… but of his many good deeds since” (169). Here, the scarlet letter is expressed as a "pledge" representing her good deeds and showing Hester's return to society, doing the opposite of what the scarlet letter was intended to do. Even Hawthorne declares: "The scarlet letter had not served its purpose",.

Essay / The Scarlet Letter and Punishment of Hester Prynne self-blame will persist, because these negative mindsets can lead to madness, or worse, death. This concept is perfectly expressed by Nathaniel Hawthorne in “The Scarlet Letter” where two sinners would meet their fate either through direct punishment or through their own guilt. One of the most significant themes developed in "The Scarlet Letter" is that the punishment imposed on us by others may not be as destructive as the guilt we experience. This theme is gradually depicted through Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale facing the consequences of adultery, where Hester is able to overcome and adapt to her external punishment, but Dimmesdale struggles and faces immense difficulties to do so. facing the internal guilt of keeping one's sin a secret. others.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Reverend Dimmesdale goes through a lot of internal conflict and suffering throughout the novel, being a religious leader in the community and having to give a strong example as a Puritan, but failing to maintain his purity after committing adultery and hiding it for fear of the consequences. This constant guilt led Dimmesdale to mental health issues that would result in self-inflicted wounds in an attempt to cleanse himself, but never feel better for what he had done. Hawthorne writes, “It was his custom…to fast…not to purify the body…but rigorously, and until his knees trembled beneath him” (150). Dimmesdale's guilt drives him to extreme acts like this, fasting until his "knees shook beneath him", showing the major effect this had on his lifestyle. The most important aspect of this is that it was caused by his own feelings, going from someone no one would ever expect to commit even the slightest sin, to committing something like adultery, an extreme sin despised by his fellow Puritans. Along with this, “In Mr. Dimmesdale’s secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody plague. Often [Dimmesdale] had laid it upon his own shoulders; bitterly mocking himself” (Hawthorne, 150). Here, Dimmesdale resorts to self-flagellation, the act of physically harming oneself, an extreme example of the substantial suffering Dimmesdale would endure because of this sin. This constant harm that Dimmesdale suffers is caused entirely by his own personal guilt, with no explicit third party punishments inflicted on him except his own, showing the extent of the effects caused by his own guilt. Hester has very little trouble dealing with her. punishments and soon adapts to a meaningful lifestyle. In the novel, Hester initially appears to be permanently excluded from society by being branded and forced to wear a scarlet letter "A", but she gradually becomes accustomed to her punishment and makes it part of who she is. Hawthorne states: “Individuals in private life, for their part, had quite forgiven Hester Prynne for her fragility; nay, they had begun to regard the scarlet letter as the sign, not of this one sin… but of his many good deeds since” (169). Here, the scarlet letter is expressed as a "pledge" representing her good deeds and showing Hester's return to society, doing the opposite of what the scarlet letter was intended to do. Even Hawthorne declares: "The scarlet letter had not served its purpose",.

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