Puritanic Punishments for Adultery

We know Hester's punishment was to wear the scarlet letter with all the social stigma that accompanied it. But wearing a token of one's adultery did not seem to be the norm in Puritan society. I was researching some of the consequences for adulterous women and came upon a whole bunch of different   punishments. For one woman around Hester's time, Mary Latham, execution resulted from several adulterous accusations. Interestingly, Hawthorne's ancestor was a magistrate in 1688 Salem, who sentenced a woman named Hester Craford to public whipping after bearing an illegitimate child. Do you think he was inspired by this story?

Scarlet

After doing some more (totally coincidental) research on the Scarlet Letter, I decided to investigate the color scarlet itself. I looked up the definition for scarlet on Dictionary.com, and the first few definitions described the sharp red color we've all come to know. The last definition, though, defines scarlet as an adjective meaning "flagrantly offensive", and another definition references the word scarlet as sinful. Though scarlet (or just red in general) is generally viewed as an evil color, I didn't expect the word scarlet itself to be connected to flagrant offense and sin in its actual definition. 

This all got me thinking about why Hawthorne made the letter scarlet in the first place, instead of other "sinful" colors, like crimson or black. Fun fact: crimson is actually closer to the color of human blood than scarlet (source: the always faithful Wikipedia). Thoughts?

Salem Witch Trials

I was doing some research on the Salem witch trials and found that the infamous trials only took place between 1692 and 1693. Hester Prynne's story in The Scarlet Letter takes place nearly 50 years beforehand, in the 1640s. I found this rather surprising, since I had pictured the story taking place around the same time as the witch trials, maybe slightly before, but not 50 years prior. I wonder how the story would have changed had it occured during the witch trials...any thoughts?

Society can't fix everything

As seen in almost every novel we've read this year, there is always some entity that is shunned or ousted by society for challenging what was deemed as rectitude or acceptable.  In The Scarlet Letter, Hester challenges what was deemed conventional by demoralizing the meaning of her "marriage"with Chillingworth.  She decides to cheat on him thinking that the relationship she possessed with Dimmesdale and what they had done was consecrated.  She eventually is able to turn this horrible and atrocious life-long reminding "A" into a symbol that represented a bigger picture of repentance and general goodness.  In almost all of the books we've read this year, society has tried to fix this misfits, but I personally feel that they are never going to be able to succeed converting this "mishaps" into what is socially acceptable.  So I was wondering, just to spark some friendly debate, does society eventually "fix" Hester by branding her this adultery-committing sinner, or does she instead internalize this symbol, make it her own, and transform the meaning of it entirely and in essence, "own it."  Feel free to  comment your ideas and the more evidence, the better.

Salvatore

Society: Reality or Mirage

After our discussion in class yesterday, I went and looked up contrasting definitions of society. Dictionary.con defines society as:

Noun The aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community. The community of people living in a particular region and having shared customs, laws, and organizations.

while the Mirriam-Webster dictionary defines it as

: companionship or association with one's fellows friendly or intimate intercourse : company

: a voluntary association of individuals for common ends;especially : an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession

2

I think that the clause in definition 2 where it references "common beliefs" is key because it is often these beliefs by which we define society. Do you agree with any of these definitions? Why or why not? If society is no more than common beliefs, can we still blame it for Dimmesdale's destruction? Do we recognize society as a perceptible "thing" or an idea?

illusions

Just finished selected shorts and I heard "Miracle Polish" which is about how this miracle polish makes everything in the mirror look so good.  The main character doesn't really want to look outside the mirror.  I felt this was interesting because in the Scarlet Letter, Dimmsdale and society sees things in black and white and they believe that he is a saintly figure, but really it's only a facade.

Anyway if that didn't make any sense, then here is a video of a snake swallowing an egg.

The Scarlett Letter feat. Demi Moore and Gary Oldman

Here's the trailer:

Apparently, the film was pretty universally hated by almost everyone. From the trailer, it seemed like they were trying to make the Scarlet Letter a sort of blockbuster action type film, which it's just not. In my opinion, the book has very little action and is very cerebral and internalized within the characters so it doesn't really function as a film. You also lose the omniscient narrator that brings so much to the original book in films. Does anyone know if the Scarlet Letter has ever been made into a decent film?

Tuesday's Homework

Choose one of the episodes from the Selected Shorts website and listen to at least the first two stories. Write down in your notes what makes for a good interpretive reading. Be as specific as you can. Write down what is successful/unsuccessful in the readings you've listened to (consider both the reader and the story). 

You can also listen to the program as a podcast on an iPhone or iPad: 

1. Go to the Podcast app. 

2. Click on the button that says "Store." 

3. Search Selected Shorts--the last five episodes will come  up, and you can download one and listen to it on your phone/device. 

Cheerleader Hester

After searching on Google, I happened upon this photo.  My first impression was that Hester looked like a cheerleader.  Some time ago in class, we discussed how the Scarlet A could like Superman's S, implying that Hester is not a sinner but a hero.  However, after seeing this photo, I think Hester is also suitable as a cheerleader.

Hester	A Cheerleader
Has a Scarlet A on her breast	Has her school’s initials on her breast
Lives on the outskirts of the town	Stands on the sidelines of a football field
Supports Dimmesdale, encourages him	Cheers for the players, encourages them
Commits adultery with Dimmesdale	Is very capable of commiting adultery (In terms of a very stereotypical, slutty cheerleader.)
Described as being very beautiful	Stereotypically, also very beautiful

                                                                       

Witches and Pagans

In the conclusion of The Scarlet Letter, the narrator writes, "...people brought all their sorrows and perplexities, and besought her counsel..Hester comforted and counselled them, as best she might" (241).  After reading this, I pictured Hester as this sort of Pagan-like figure in Puritan New England.  This reminded me of a museum I went to while actually visiting Salem, Massachusetts.  There was a tour around a small museum in Salem, and I learned of how the image of the originally calm, peaceful, and helpful pagans changed to some green, evil witch.  I felt like this mirrored Hester and how she, in the view of society, changed from one to the other.

Hester                                     History

Witch, then Pagan                  Pagan, then Witch

The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter

Dimmesdale Revealing His A To the Town

I was trying to picture what Dimmesdale looked like when he had revealed the A on his chest to the town. So I figured I would look for one since I just couldn't figure it out. In this movie scene, I feel like Dimmesdale wouldn't have been standing as straight up as he is, but I thought his face pretty much portrayed how I thought he would look. It is wild and almost crazed as he tears his shirt open. Just a little picture I wanted to share with you guys.

-Jacob

The Puritan Society

As the novel progressed, I noticed that there were constant examples of there being almost two separate settings in this Puritain society. The town represents civilization, which is a place where people are rule-bound and where other members of the town are always watching your moves. Here, you will be quickly punished for any wrong actions. On the otherhand, the forest surrounding the town is a space where society’s rules do not apply. This is shown when Hester and Dimmesdale are able to safely meet without having to worry about their society's judging eyes.

Scarlet Letter Labels

I found this scarlet letter cartoon. It made me think that adulterer isn't the only label that is used in society. I think this cartoon really shows how society labels people too quickly and once people are labeled, it's extremely difficult for them to change people's minds. Hester was a victim to society's need to label people. Once she was labeled an adulterer society's view of her changed. Although Hester is sort of being accepted back into the community, she will never be thought of the same.

Romanticism in the Scarlet Letter

Hester upon the Podium 

The Scarlet Letter has many romanticized moments. Here are a few examples I found:  

As the minster held hands with Pearl and Hester on the podium he felt, "...what seemed a tumultuous rush of new life, other life than his own, pouring like a torrent into his heart, and hurrying through all his veins, as if the mother and child were communicating their vital warmth to his half-torpid system. The three formed an electric chain" (138).   

"...that the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there the appearance of an immense letter, --the letter A-- marked out in lines of dull red light" (140)

When speaking of the scarlet letter, Hawthorne writes, "It imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness, which enabled her to walk securely amid all peril. Had she fallen among thieves, it would have kept her safe" (147).

"Ever and anon, too, there came a glare of red light out of his eyes; as if the old man's soul were on fire, and kept on smouldering duskily within his breast, until, by some casual puff of passion, it was blown into a momentary flame" (153).

I think these romanticized moments add a lot to what we already know about the scarlet letter. Through Hawthorne's writing we can interpret the letter as something quite magical. Its affect on people is immense.

What are some other romantic elements you have found in the Scarlet Letter?

Cartoons about Scarlet Letter

There are many funny cartoons based on The Scarlet letter that show how society and women could have been affected by Hester. Above is my favorite where the women wanted to be the best and different even if it meant wearing a sign meant to symbolize adultery.

The woman in this cartoon may or may not be Hester and Pearl, but it analyzes how the next generation is affected by a mother's mistakes. "B" can stand for baby or a branch off of the baby's mom's "A".

This cartoon is just funny, but shows how Hester changed the women's view of their daughters and other women in the Puritan society.

The Fairly Oddparents - a Hawthornian cartoon?

We had mentioned in class today the way that Chilingworth's impending insanity stemming from his obsession with exposing Hester's paramour mirrored Mr. Crocker's obsession with exposing fairy god parents. In addition, the name of the town where the show takes place is called Dimmesdale. Timmy, the main character in the show is an outcast in many senses, he is rejected by society and his fairy god parents are his salvation of sorts; he receives them because he is so miserable; in this sense they are both his punishment and his salvation as Pearl is for Hesther. Can you think of any other connections between this or other shows? Do you see any other Hawthornian influence?

-Becca

Hawthorne's Views on Women

Hawthorne tackles tricky subjects in The Scarlet Letter about women and their roles in society, but I wanted to know his personal views on women. So far I think it is safe to say that he is pro-women and anti-Puritan.

First off, it was extremely unlikely to have a woman protagonist in books that were published in the 19th century. Also, Hester does not have a man supporting her (so far at least) and cares for herself and her daughter solely. This shows that Hawthorne believed women were capable of independence and did not need to rely on a man. 

It is also important to realize that Hawthorne does not make the strong female character abide to the rules. Instead she cheats on her husband and becomes an adulterer... with a child to prove it. Also, Hawthorne makes the Puritans cruel and harsh to her which shows he disagrees with the religion. 

Scarlet Pearl

I chose these pictures from various productions of The Scarlet Letter. In all of them, Pearl is dressed in a bright red dress. This detail shows that Pearl is "...the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!" (92). I thought it was interesting that all of these productions of the play chose to give Pearl such a bright dress.

Images from: 

http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2012-11-23/the-scarlet-letter/

http://www.slugmag.com/articles/3476/Classical-Application-Plan-B-and-The-Scarlet-Letter.html

http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2013338640_scarlet05.html

cover art

Hey guys,

I found this version of the cover art for the Scarlet Letter. I thought that this version is particularly interesting because the "A" is on Hester's face instead of her dress. I think that this shows how deeply Hester feels her shame and embarrassment. She can never forget about her indiscretion. I think that it also shows how the townspeople feel about her. Even without the scarlet letter to remind them of Hester's sin, they hate her and ostracize her for what she has done. Hester is the embodiment of the scarlet letter. 

Easy A

Hey here's a great movie that probably no one has even seen before, but it is kinda based on the Scarlet Letter.

Scarlet Woman

New Testament  a sinful woman described in Revelation 17, interpreted as a 
figure either of pagan Rome or of the Roman Catholic Church
regarded as typifying vice overlaid with gaudy pageantry

That's the dictionary definition for scarlet woman. While I liked the idea of scarlet woman having risen from "The Scarlet Letter," apparently it has biblical roots. Still, I think it was intentional that the letter is scarlet.

Plath's Summer in NYC and Breakdown

Here's the article I was talking about in class. If you're interested in Plath's own experiences during the summer of her breakdown, read on here.