The Scarlet Letter C-

Since the dawn of man people have been challenged by evil. Whether it was Eve eating and than offering the apple to Adam, or the Caveman murdering his neighbor for personal benefit. Using Nathaniel Hawthorns novel The Scarlet Letter we can see how evil consumes someone’s day to day live even if it is filled with the morals brought fourth upon them by their god. Three of the four main characters in this book were sinners who were faced with evil and chose to suffer, combat, or bargain with it. With good intentions the townspeople also played a role letting evil exist with the intentions of stomping it out.

In the 1600’s because of fear from their vengeful god Puritans tried to be moral and just. They chose a life where the 10 commandments was the law of the land and there was no exception. The sixth commandment Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery was not a rule that people ignored. With the intentions of comforting Hester Prynne’s lonesomeness and grief for her missing husband, Arthur Dimmesdale became passionate. They both shared intimacy knowing the result was not praised in Heaven. She later found that she was pregnant and our novel begins to show a struggle between good and evil.

After Hester Prynne’s child was born, she was forced to take her walk of shame out of the prison doors to stand on a Scaffold to be publicly humiliated. The townspeople in the marketplace were astonished that a woman can let her lust overwhelm her into the point of adultery. Harsh statements came out of their mouths. “'At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne’s forehead. 'Said one of the angry puritans” (1360). The townspeople have good intentions by trying to teach others that Adultery was a sin yet are doing the work of the Dark Man. By mentally crucifying this woman and making her wear the letter they are forming their own lust and vengefulness.

While on the Scaffold she looks down to see her missing husband Rodger Chillingworth and he is horrified and ashamed. It is hard to forgive and Chillingworth mentally vows revenge to the one who impregnated his wife. He later tells her not to let his identity to be known. Even in chapter four The Interview it is hard for us to see the path of evil he is about to follow. Chillingworth shows compassion to Hester and almost forgives her for cheating on him, understanding circumstances.