P5+EVivar

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a book that explores through drama, death and joy. Within the novel, there is a cycle of transgression, shame, repentance, and acceptance. The recurring motif is explored through the aspect of religion.

To understand how Hawthorne uses the cycle through religion, we have to understand what kind of society the story took place in. The novel took place in a Puritan Society. They were fully religious and attached to the church. They insisted that the state follow the laws by the church. Now that we understand the society, we can explore the cycle and know that whatever Hawthorne used, was based on religious ideals. Religiously, the transgression was with God and the public. They used religion within the society and law. Committing the sin, Hester religiously disrespected society and God. "Here should be the scene of her earthly punishment: and so, perchance, the torture of her daily shame would length her should". This quote explains how society took the sin of adultery in hands.

With transgression comes shame. Hester and Dimmesdale went through that. Hester was made publicly to acknowledge her sin. As a result, she becomes an outcast to society. Shame and guilt is heightened by the fact that she lives in a Puritanical society, which is based on forgive and forget. Also, shame is seen through the letter "A" which meant that she committed adultery. " They said that I meant able." Ch.13 Hester saw it as a chance to grown stronger. Shame was also more psychological because she had to feel pain for herself of the sin. She had to go through things like, “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and she shall die\.” It brought shame upon all because it was the majority religious.

The repentance, religiously, used by Hawthorne was Hester going through punishments which were made based upon religion. "She lived her life as a social outcast and accepted that she wasn't fit in society.” pg. 77 After repentance, she accepted the fact of her sin, and society forgave her, as they would religiously do. They accepted her into the community as God would himself.

Overall, the cycle of transgression, shame, repentance, and acceptance was present in the novel and analyzed religiously by Hawthorne.