Nathaniel hawthorne books about puritans

Nathaniel hawthorne books about puritans in england

Based in a New England town, The Scarlet Letter points out the way in which women are treated in the puritan world and the way in which earthly sins are severely punished. Set in the 17^th century, Nathaniel Hawthorne presents the society as strict with Christian-like rules and principles to abide by.

This was a close representation of the actual society. The town of New England consisted mostly of migrants who came into the US from England. Their numbers were so large they ended up forming what is known today as the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Nathaniel hawthorne books about puritans

The puritans had varying degrees of beliefs where society, religion and the family structure is concerned. They believed men were head of the household and made all important decisions, while women were just there to take care of housework.

This great family structure kept everyone in line with God, and adultery or any kind of sexual sin was shunned severely. There are many reasons why Hawthorne’s novel can be seen as criticism of puritan beliefs. Maybe he believed that women contributed more to society than their role as good housewives and child bearers, or maybe he w