Puritan Culture In Scarlet Letter

The mere thought of a person’s entire personality changing, simply based on their whereabouts, might seem entirely nonsensical and absurd. Yet, when dealing with an unforgiving society such as one crafted by the ideology of Puritan times, one might start to believe that the individual’s conflicting natures may be the result of the fear of punishment from such a society. As most individuals have the natural desire for self-preservation, the idea of hiding one's true thoughts if they do not conform to the community’s ideals seems prompted, or even necessary. Nathaniel Hawthorne, an author well versed in the ideals of Puritan culture, deciphers this concept and relays his findings in his novel The Scarlet Letter through a character that seems

He is shaky, and as his opinion is requested on the fate of Hester Prynne, his difficult position on the matter “drove the blood from his cheek”; and while he may have been confident and proud before he committed his sin, he now is extremely anxious and critically aware of the sin-loathing Puritans surrounding him (Hawthorne 43). Dimmesdale’s sin, in a sense, keeps him from continuing to conform to the Puritan values that the town represents. He could no longer uphold the “solemnity of demeanor” that the spectators of the Puritan society’s punishment had; for he himself was — by Puritan standards — a greater sinner than any of them (Hawthorne 32). And despite this, he does not run away. Instead, in his deep-seated need to conform to Puritan ideals, he hangs onto his guilt — never revealing it — until it weakens him both mentally and physically to the point that his voice had a “certain melancholy prophecy of decay” to it, leaving him merely a husk of the eloquent and driven man he used to be (Hawthorne 78). It may be dismal, but this is what the authority and security of the Puritan town demands from him, and he tries his best to uphold it. In the hopes of upholding his standing in society, he tries desperately to hide his perpetually unkempt state by keeping up a strong-minded front in public, but it

The Reverend is aware, that if not careful, his actions could lead to the end of his reputation; aware of this, Dimmesdale, “as far as his duties would permit, trod in the shadowy bypaths” that the forest provided, only coming forth when his occupation demanded him to (Hawthorne 43). The forest, in all its privacy, provides no rules nor means to conform to Puritan values, unlike that of the town. Instead, the greenery provides a place for him to be himself, shrouding him from the raging judgement that lies within the town. Within the forest, Dimmesdale does not have to wear the facade of healthiness, he is free to show how the guilt of his sins has affected him both physically and mentally, as Hawthorne describes him as “a ghost” of his former self (Hawthorne 125). As well, within the trees, is where he can interact with Hester without the fear of his sin being exposed. It seems to be a place where outcasts congregate — the guilt-ridden Pastor and the Adulterer alike find comfort in the seclusion of the forest. The privacy granted by the seclusion of the forest provides a means for Hester and Dimmesdale to communicate; and in doing so let them openly discuss their inner struggles and allowed them to make plans that they “sketched for their departure” from the overbearing Puritan society (Hawthorne 142). And while the forest is seen by the