Comparing Society In The Scarlet Letter And The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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There is a great deal of symbolism that shows how society has altered from then to now in both The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible. Through social media public humiliation, The Scarlet Letter is still relevant today. The Crucible shows the very real consequences of making false accusations because of irrational religious belief, despite being partly fictionalized. The two books are both American and were published in the 1850s and 1950s, respectively. The Puritan period, which was a time of religious reformers in New England, is the setting for both books. Nathaniel Hawthorne published The Scarlet Letter in 1850, and Arthur Miller released The Crucible in 1953. Both authors used the setting to show how society has changed from the Puritans' …show more content…

Both novels are about the Puritan society in which they punished people for their sins. In both novels, they accused the main character of doing something wrong and must defend themselves against the accusations. In The Scarlet Letter, they accused Hester Prynne of adultery and must wear a scarlet letter on her chest as punishment for her sin. She must leave Boston because of this and start a new life in another town, where she meets other people who have committed sins like her. In The Crucible, his wife and other town people accused of witchcraft John Proctor because he tries to save his wife from being hanged by proving that she is innocent. Both Nathaniel Hawthorne and Arthur Miller used the Puritan setting as an important part of their stories so that they could show how strict society was back then and how hard it was for them if they did not follow all the rules set by this …show more content…

The narrative follows Hester Prynne, a single mother who has committed adultery and is forced to wear a letter "A" as her mark of shame. The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony were known for their strict laws and adherence to Protestant values, so when Hester commits an act of sin, society punishes her harshly. The Puritan setting reinforces the novel’s themes of personal responsibility and shame, further spotlighting Hester’s struggle to make it through harsh societal expectations and find redemption within herself.

Similarly, The Crucible takes place in Puritan Salem, Massachusetts. The Puritan setting in this play supports its themes of spiritual belief and careless loyalty to laws and justice. The characters of the story live in a society that highly values order and purity, and they adhere to deeply religious values that must be followed despite the danger and threat of punishment if one lies or challenges authority. This is clear in the Salem Witch Trials, where characters are encouraged to outwardly confess their sins and repent, regardless of their innocence or