In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne tells the story of the adulterers Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale in the Puritan Salem settlement. However, it is unclear whether or not Hawthorne condones or condemns this adultery. While both views are supported by different aspects of the text, overall it is hard for me to determine whether or not Hawthorne personally condones or condemns the adultery presented in his book. It is clear, however, that Hawthorne sees the Puritan society these adulterers live in as less than perfect, and whether or not he supports or is against the adultery committed in the book, it seems clear to me that he does not think the environment in which these adulterers are in is just. I find that this is a greater focus in the novel than the actual sin, but as for Hawthorne's view on it, I would say that he is neither completely condemning or condoning of their behavior.
In the novel, Pearl is produced from the adultery, and she is seen as "an imp of evil, emblem and a product of sin" (47). Clearly, this does not paint a very good picture of the product of such adultery. It would appear that without a sort of consistent father figure in her life, she fell into this devilish nature. This is furthered by the fact that when Pearl kisses Dimmesdale on the scaffold in the final scene, "a spell was broken" and the child would finally be, in full essence of the narrator's definition, human. However, even from this it is still unclear whether or not Hawthorne supports or condemns this adultery. The child'd devilish temperament could just as easily be blamed on the societies strong belief in public shame, which daunted Dimmesdale for years, preventing the growth of this child. Yet, it still would make sense that Arthur and Hester's adultery, since both individuals are not the greatest people at the initial discovery, that their personal adultery is frowned upon, and could have been avoided if Arthur were simply not a coward. In this fact, however, and argument can be made that his adultery was good. After all, Dimmesdale finally publicly admitted his sin after rekindling with Hester. And Hester, by being forced into isolation, became a better person, and her scarlet A, was "said [to] mean Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength" and she became devoted to help the poor, even in the face of shame. Also, part of her reason for wanting to flee was to discontinue to detriment of her husband, who went by the name of Roger Chillingworth, and his revenge seeking soul, which has supposedly being transformed into a devilish form. Clearly, the text represents conflicting views on both the society and the adultery itself.
Personally, I'd say Hawthorne doesn't condone the adultery, but he certainly doesn't condemn it. He sees, or at least presents, it as a more complex problem, within both the society and between the adulterers. The Scarlet Letter, whether or not Hawthorne himself condones or condemns, or neither, the adultery, is a rich literary work different from the other 19th century works. While the characters within may be a bit unrealistic in certain aspects, the story of Hester Prynne and the scarlet letter, which so greatly affects her, I hope will affect my life upon deeper analysis.
In the novel, Pearl is produced from the adultery, and she is seen as "an imp of evil, emblem and a product of sin" (47). Clearly, this does not paint a very good picture of the product of such adultery. It would appear that without a sort of consistent father figure in her life, she fell into this devilish nature. This is furthered by the fact that when Pearl kisses Dimmesdale on the scaffold in the final scene, "a spell was broken" and the child would finally be, in full essence of the narrator's definition, human. However, even from this it is still unclear whether or not Hawthorne supports or condemns this adultery. The child'd devilish temperament could just as easily be blamed on the societies strong belief in public shame, which daunted Dimmesdale for years, preventing the growth of this child. Yet, it still would make sense that Arthur and Hester's adultery, since both individuals are not the greatest people at the initial discovery, that their personal adultery is frowned upon, and could have been avoided if Arthur were simply not a coward. In this fact, however, and argument can be made that his adultery was good. After all, Dimmesdale finally publicly admitted his sin after rekindling with Hester. And Hester, by being forced into isolation, became a better person, and her scarlet A, was "said [to] mean Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength" and she became devoted to help the poor, even in the face of shame. Also, part of her reason for wanting to flee was to discontinue to detriment of her husband, who went by the name of Roger Chillingworth, and his revenge seeking soul, which has supposedly being transformed into a devilish form. Clearly, the text represents conflicting views on both the society and the adultery itself.
Personally, I'd say Hawthorne doesn't condone the adultery, but he certainly doesn't condemn it. He sees, or at least presents, it as a more complex problem, within both the society and between the adulterers. The Scarlet Letter, whether or not Hawthorne himself condones or condemns, or neither, the adultery, is a rich literary work different from the other 19th century works. While the characters within may be a bit unrealistic in certain aspects, the story of Hester Prynne and the scarlet letter, which so greatly affects her, I hope will affect my life upon deeper analysis.