NATIONAL MORALITY IN HAWTHORNE

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Hawthorne begins his story, The Scarlet Letter, with a discussion of the Puritan state of Salem set in the 1600's. It is often problematic to discern Hawthorne’s views about Puritanism due to his ambiguity. He reveres the Puritan conviction and their ability to conform to the controls of their faith (Gerber, 34). However, he condemns them for the bigotry and utter intolerance they show for opposing viewpoints and perspectives (Leavitt, 88). This ambiguity causes the reader to question Hawthorne’s attitudes and tone throughout the course of the work. No where in The Scarlet Letter does Hawthorne criticize in particular the doctrines of the Puritan religion. Hawthorne only discusses the Puritanical beliefs such as predestination and the “Doctrine of the Elect” in the context of his narrative. In fact, Nathaniel
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Hawthorne himself was a second generation Puritan. Hawthorne’s grandfather was a prominent judge during the Salem Witchcraft trials. Indisputably, ...

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is the leader of the Salem community as minister of the local congregation. He is an ordained minister and highly educated at the best universities of Europe, nevertheless, he is not perfect despite what many of his parishioners may believe. Dimmesdale has numerous flaws which are illustrated to the audience by his adulterous affair with Hester Prynne. However, fornication is not Dimmesdale’s chief crime in The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne shows that it is Dimmesdale’s concealment of the affair that is the true sin. The shielding of the affair from the town becomes a great burden on Dimmesdale’s heart and ultimately leads to him to
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self-inflicted torture (Dibble, 63). ...

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