The Individual and His Society in The Scarlet Letter
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne examines the severe consequences of societal pressure on the individual, while also demonstrating how the individual can marginalize the effects of those pressures.
Does the individual truly exist, or is he just a raw product of his society? Some thinkers believe that the individual is a rational creature, who can live life fairly independent of his society?s impact, while others would argue that humans are mere pawns who are under the constant impact of societal forces that appear incomprehensible to them. The only part of this dilemma that is certain is that these questions were well debated in the past, and will continue to be analyzed for many years to come. In The Scarlet Letter, the great psychological writer Nathaniel Hawthorne engages in a fascinating analysis of the relationship between the individual and the pressure his society places on him, revealing that while society bears heavily on the individual, the individual can work to change his society in such a way that marginalizes the initial influence of society. Hawthorne demonstrates this through narrating his novel in an omniscient third-person point of view that allows him to delve into many societal aspects, in executing a deep, psychological characterization of the ever-changing Hester Prynne, and implementing simple yet illustrative symbols such as the Scarlet Letter and the Meteor.
Hawthorne?s third person omniscient narration facilitates his task of examining the individual in society by enabling him to psychologically analyze Hester after her sin became public, while also giving him a wide enough scope to criticize elements of the forceful Puritan society. In Hawthorne?s view, the most damaging and powerful tool of social order that the highly religious Puritan society can inflict on the individual is a constant sense of guilt. The guilt and punishment that Hester Prynne?s society imposes on her for her sin is considered to be too much by Hawthorne, and his most emotional criticism of Hester?s over-reaching punishment is presented when Hester?s donations of high-quality clothes to the poor are rebuffed with rudeness and spite: ?Hester bestowed all her superfluous means in charity, on wretches less miserable than herself, and who not unfrequently insulted the hand that fed them?(83). These harsh initial reactions toward Hester will motivate her greatly and will serve as an important reminder for her of the reforms she needs to instill in her society. The impractical, prejudicial, and na?ve lack of respect towards a good-willing person such as Hester infuriates Hawthorne, and he repeats his denunciation of Puritan society's strict, distasteful, absolute, and constant punishment of Hester's personal sin: ?Dames of elevated rank, likewise, whose doors she entered in the way of her occupation, were accustomed to distil drops of bitterness into her heart; sometimes through that alchemy of quiet malice, by which women can concoct a subtle poison from ordinary trifles?(84).
Hawthorne also uses the omniscient narrative to portray and analyze Hester, from Hester?s perspective: ?In all her intercourse with society, however, there was nothing that made her feel as if she belonged to it. Every gesture, every word, and even the silence of those with whom she came in contact, implied, and often expressed, that she was banished, and as much alone as if she inhabited another sphere, or communicated with the common nature by other organs and sense than the rest of human kind? (84). With this text, Hawthorne illustrates once again Hester?s painful relationship with society, except now he implements a narrative that is more in line with Hester?s actual thinking. Hawthorne demonstrates that this is Hester?s perspective by talking less about actions, but more about impressions and feelings. Hawthorne essays to put the reader into Hester?s mind, in doing this, he also analyzes Hester?s psyche. The reader knows what Hester feels, how she interprets, and what she expects, without actually having Hester express one single sentiment. Hawthorne successfully designed his third-person omniscient narrative so that it would allow him to criticize the over-imposing Puritan society, while also permitting him to analyze Hester?s psyche towards society.
As the novel progresses, Hawthorne employs diverse characterizations of Hester that portray her as an intelligent, thinking, compassionate, and ever-changing woman, who essays to improve and develop her society so that it bears less weight on her. Hawthorne?s focus is not on the innate character of Hester, but more on the societal forces that convulse onto her. The readers have very limited knowledge of Hester?s character before she committed adultery. Hawthorne only hints and lets the readers assume about Hester?s past. Hawthorne tells the reader that Hester married Roger Chillingworth without loving him, and he hints that before her marriage Hester was an impulsive young woman who had to be constrained by her loving parents. The mere fact that she had an affair indicates Hester?s early passionate nature. Her refusal to name her fellow sinner also demonstrates remnants of Hester?s partially stubborn character, ??I will not speak!? answered Hester, turning pale as death? (72). After many years had passed, Hawthorne reveals in more depth Hester?s attitude towards her society ?She never battled with the public, but submitted, uncomplainingly, to its worst usage?(166). Hawthorne also displays some of the negative physical and emotional results of societal pressure that was imposed on Hester, ?leaving a bare and harsh outline, which might have been repulsive, had she possessed friends or companions to be repelled by it?(169.) Hester had decided not to flee Boston, she integrated her sin into who she was and she faced the full societal reaction. Hester was greatly changed by her society, ironically, some of the changes that society pressured onto Hester, ultimately will lead Hester to alter her society so that it becomes more merciful, tolerant, and kind.
Hawthorne applies more significant characterizations of Hester after she had suffered her period of social alienation and shame. Following her period of alienation, Hester is analyzed as being more and more contemplative about her society, and much less emotional: ?Much of the marble coldness of Hester?s impression was to be attributed to the circumstance, that her life had turned, in a great measure, from passion and feeling, to thought?(170). Hester starts to reflect on questions of human nature and social organization, especially the role of the woman in society ?the dark question often rose into her mind with reference to the whole race of womanhood??(171). Hester delved further into the issue of finding a place for women in society, ?As a first step, the whole system of society is to be torn down and built up anew?Finally, all other difficulties being obviated, woman cannot take advantage of these preliminary reforms until she herself shall have undergone a still mightier change, in which, perhaps, the ethereal essence, wherein she has her truest life, will be found to have evaporated?(172). These deep reflections illustrate how Hester is working towards reforming her society to reverse its effects on her. Hawthorne displays how Hester?s intelligence and higher level of thought enable her to alter her society to a greater extent. Hawthorne characterizes Hester as a strong-willed, proto-feminist, lighting the way for many generations to come on the necessity of reforming society?s views on gender. While some evidence exists that Hawthorne disapproves of Hester?s enlightened feminist thought, most would agree that through his use of positive and supportive tone, the narrator affirms Hester?s free thinking and independence of mind, ?The world?s law was no law for her mind?(170). One might observe, that one of the most constant characterizations of Hester is her tireless devotion to charity work and helping the poor. Hawthorne emphasizes her charity to reiterate Hester?s compassion. Hawthorne skillfully characterizes Hester in a variety of forms to portray her thoughtfulness, originality, devotion and deep understanding of human nature.
Symbols such as the Scarlet Letter and the Meteor are deployed by Hawthorne to plainly illustrate some of the more complex points of Puritan society and how it can be altered. The meaning of the Scarlet Letter transforms throughout the novel, everyone holds their own interpretation of it. Originally intended to be a mark of shame, the ?A? represented Hester as the adulterer. But as the years passed and as public respect for Hester grew, the meaning of the symbol for the people of Boston changed to something positive and respectful, ?They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman?s strength?(167). Hawthorne uses this shift in perception of Puritan society to illustrate how Hester had slowly changed her society. Hawthorne, through the change in meaning of the Scarlet Letter shows the possibility of individual changing society and improving his condition. The next change in signification of the Scarlet Letter occurs when the Indians come to the Election Day pageant and perceive Hester to be a person of great status because of her letter: ?Even the Indians were affected by a sort of cold shadow of the white man's curiosity and, gliding through the crowd, fastened their snake-like black eyes on Hester's bosom, conceiving, perhaps, that the wearer of this brilliantly embroidered badge must needs be a personage of high dignity among her people? (231). The letter also serves other symbolic purposes. For Hester, it is a constant reminder of her sinful act, albeit nothing in comparison with Pearl, a reminder that came from God, whereas the Scarlet Letter is a man-made concept. The lack ok a definite meaning of the Scarlet Letter serves Hawthorne in criticizing society?s use of symbols as an effective means of punishment or ideology. Puritan society?s original intent in making Hester wear the Scarlet Letter was to pressure her, Hester adopted the pressure and it reformed her personality and actions in such a way that The Scarlet Letter became meaningless because it had no validity towards Hester.
Another symbol used by Hawthorne is the Meteor that passes during the night when Arthur Dimmesdale came out to the scaffold to try to relieve himself from his guilt. The meteor supposedly formed out an ?A? in the sky. For Dimmesdale, this divine occurrence symbolized his need to wear a public denotation of shame, similar to the one worn by Hester: ?but with no such shape as his guilty imagination gave it?that another?s guilt might have seen another symbol in it?(161). This symbol is also significant for Dimmesdale because it proves that he suffers mostly from a separation from his fellow people, and not God, because in the Meteor he searches not for forgiveness from the God, but for a reason to reveal himself to his fellow man. The Boston Puritan community however, saw the meteor as a symbol that stands for ?Angel? and that it represents the passage of Governor Winthrop into the world of heaven. Puritans often searched for unusual natural occurrences to find divine indications. Hawthorne uses the meteor to display how individuals and groups perceive things that are not concrete in the way that is most convenient for them. With this symbol, Hawthorne exemplifies how Puritan groups and individuals search for divine confirmations or defenses of their deepest insecurities. Hawthorne infiltrates symbols into his novel such as The Scarlet Letter and the Meteor to demonstrate how easily the same symbol changes in meaning over time and between different peoples, in doing this Hawthorne concludes that Puritan society can be altered and that insecurities exist both in individuals and groups.
Nathaniel Hawthorne, in The Scarlet Letter, successfully contributes to the debate over the impact of society on the individual and vice-versa. He concludes that society does have a certain limitless power over the individual, despite this; the individual can work at altering his society so that the power either becomes marginal or unimportant. For America, the 20th century was a period of great milestones for individual rights in the face of traditional society?s wanting to retain a social structure built on racism, sexism and intolerance. People who live in the America of the 21st century are much more free to live their lives and find their identities as a result of the work done by great individuals such as Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr. It has been proven time and again that individuals can take on society and reform it, so only one question remains: who will fight the battles of the next century?
