I think that the setting is very important. It takes place in Early America with the Puritans which were seen as a prudish bunch and also very judgmental. The whole plot of the story was of how others judge each other, so the setting is vital for the story.
The Scarlet Letter book and setting would be different if it took place now. This took place in the middle of the 17th century in Boston, Massachusetts. The townspeople were Puritans and they lived by strict rules or their morals were strict. The dark forest in the book seemed to be free of the rules of society, letting Hester and Dimmesdale talk in secret. In the new settlement of the Puritans, their moral code was strict and rigid where they attempted all to be a pure influence. The setting to The Scarlet Letter is an important part of the book, and The Scarlet Letter could not have taken place anywhere else because of its reliance on Puritan values and morals.
I think the fact it is Massachusetts and very soon they will be executing "witches" in Salem--and they keep saying that the Governor's sister will be executed soon is also important. It is a dangerous place to live and Hester probably got off pretty easy with only a scarlet letter. They let her keep her child, the talk of removing the letter, they don't execute her or brand an A on her face.
I like the way you took this a bit farther in time. Even though it wa in the back of my mind about executing witches I never thought of the angle with Hester and how she really did get off easy. Thank you for another perspective.
times were very different then, I feel the location and time of the story couldn't have been different to get the same story. The Puritans were about morality and devotion to God, this story is about pursuit of a life different from strict ways but how a woman could be and her strength given that fact that women didn't have the ability to live away from the norm.
I think that the setting is very important. It takes place in Early America with the Puritans which were seen as a prudish bunch and also very judgmental. The whole plot of the story was of how others judge each other, so the setting is vital for the story.
ReplyDeleteThe Scarlet Letter book and setting would be different if it took place now. This took place in the middle of the 17th century in Boston, Massachusetts. The townspeople were Puritans and they lived by strict rules or their morals were strict. The dark forest in the book seemed to be free of the rules of society, letting Hester and Dimmesdale talk in secret. In the new settlement of the Puritans, their moral code was strict and rigid where they attempted all to be a pure influence. The setting to The Scarlet Letter is an important part of the book, and The Scarlet Letter could not have taken place anywhere else because of its reliance on Puritan values and morals.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact it is Massachusetts and very soon they will be executing "witches" in Salem--and they keep saying that the Governor's sister will be executed soon is also important. It is a dangerous place to live and Hester probably got off pretty easy with only a scarlet letter. They let her keep her child, the talk of removing the letter, they don't execute her or brand an A on her face.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you took this a bit farther in time. Even though it wa in the back of my mind about executing witches I never thought of the angle with Hester and how she really did get off easy. Thank you for another perspective.
Deletetimes were very different then, I feel the location and time of the story couldn't have been different to get the same story. The Puritans were about morality and devotion to God, this story is about pursuit of a life different from strict ways but how a woman could be and her strength given that fact that women didn't have the ability to live away from the norm.
ReplyDelete