The Scarlet Letter | Themes
Individual vs. Society
The Scarlet Letter is a novel that describes the psychological anguish of two principle characters, Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. They are both suffering under, while attempting to come to terms with, their mutual sin of adultery in a strict Puritan society. As critics immediately recognized upon publication of the novel in 1850, one of its principal themes involved conflict between the individual and society.
Hawthorne represents the stern and threatening force of Puritan society in the first sentence of the first chapter, where he describes...
[The entire page is 1793 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Navigate
See Also:
- - For teachers, the The Scarlet Letter Lesson Plan.
- - Read the The Scarlet Letter text online.
- - The Scarlet Letter summary and study guide in the eNotes.
Tell a friend about The Scarlet Letter at eNotes.
- Add The Scarlet Letter to your favorites