Isolation in The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarlet Letter essays

Isolation in The Scarlet Letter In the New testament it states that the wages of sin is death. Though the penalty of sin in The Scarlet Letter is not a termination of life, the evil of isolation can be a physically, morally, and socially tortuous event in Puritan society. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, are both victims of the cruel isolation from Puritan society on the basis of their sins. Hester wears her sin upon her breast where it stands as a constant reminder of her malfeasance. Shame and isolation strip her of all passion and femininity, leaving her a causa of her former self. Though Arthurs mark of shame is not visible, it is all the more tortuous for its absence. Shame and guilt feed upon Arthurs soul with slow malevolency. Only a combination of death and confession finally release Arthur from his torture. Though Hesters ostracism from society and the tortuous nature of her shame, Hester is stripped of all passion and hu manity. Since society ...