Scarlet Letter Good Vs Evil Essay

Although good and evil are often thought to be black and white, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Romantic novel The Scarlet Letter reveals that human nature is capable of revealing both traits in every individual. Sin is the driving force of both good and evil in Puritan society, driving characters such as Hester and Chillingworth to rise above or fall from grace. Hawthorne characterizes both of these characters as a subtle embodiment of love and hate, foiling their actions against one another. Although these two extremes often allude to good and evil, this dichotomy is never clearly defined but rather explored through both an individual and societal lens. Hawthorne reveals that although something may not be morally right or “good” in society, it is justified

Throughout The Scarlet Letter, a clear definition of good and evil is never given, allowing the reader to interpret authorial choices and create their own definitions. Hester is first seen as a “spectacle of guilt and shame” (62) to others, clearly looked down upon in the eyes of the town. Yet Hawthorne still describes her as “glowing with girlish beauty” (64), her beauty indicating that there is something positive or good about her. This alludes to the fact that Hester is internally good, as she does not need the reassurance of society for her actions, yet in society she can only be seen as strong as her personal morals do not align with Puritan values. On the other hand, Dimmesdale is a figurehead of society, “a true priest, a true religionist,” and never “a man of liberal views” (148). He experienced the most mental torment as he “loved the truth, and loathed the lie” (174), yet was forced to keep his “scarlet letter” shrouded in secrecy. Hawthorne was also ambiguous when describing the physicality of Dimmesdale’s scarlet letter, as it was never revealed whether or not he had a physical letter on his chest like Hester. This creates more ambiguity, allowing characters actions and internal values to speak for

The scarlet letter, as the focal point of the novel, has the capabilities to take an individual “out of the ordinary relations with humanity” (Hawthorne 60), exiling them away. Hawthorne reveals that the two lovers, Hester and Dimmesdale, quickly take on two different meanings of the scarlet letter. Although Hester was quickly able to understand “the hidden sin in other hearts” (74) because of the scarlet letter, Hawthorne demonstrates that she was still not fully “good” in the eyes of society due to the adultery she had committed. Hester was aware of both the sin she had committed and of what society thought of her, revealing that the exile “had made her strong, but taught her much amiss” (176). This examines that there was a negative side to her exile; the exile allowed her inner morals to become strong and overpower both her and her relationship with Dimmesdale. In contrast, Hawthorne utilizes Dimmesdale as both the quiet counterpart and antithesis to Hester, as he puts on a front to society to appeal to their morals as the town minister. Dimmesdale has long been hiding in silence, his scarlet letter “burn[ing] in secret” (234) as Hawthorne reveals that he is determined to keep his good name clean in the eyes of the town. By utilizing both Hester and Dimmesdale, Hawthorne has created two characters that juxtapose the importance of conflict