Sin and Punishment in The Scarlet Letter: A Feminist Perspective

Abstract

In this article, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, which is set in the Puritan society of Boston in the middle of the seventeenth century, is subjected to a close and in-depth analysis. Within the realm of feminist studies, one of the most important topics to discuss is the way in which female characters are portrayed in works of fiction. The female protagonist of the novel is Hester Prynne whose sin and receiving punishment and, therefore, her self-development without being reliant on her male counterparts for livelihood, with ups and downs in the patriarchal society and being ostracized are taken into account for this study. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that the narrative does not adhere to the antiquated norms of patriarchal heritage in its depiction of women; rather, it is a protest against the constraints that society places on women at the time it was written. A qualitative content analysis method is adopted to investigate the representation of female characters in this narrative. The portrayal of Hester Prynne and Pearl is explored through the lens of feminist stance for the possibility that it challenges conventional practices. It clarifies the author’s stance in the patriarchal setting. Thus, this study conducts a rigorous analysis of the traditional patriarchal and stereotypical portrayals of the woman in literature and suggests reconsideration of the long-held patriarchal practices of representing women in fiction.

IUBAT Review—A Multidisciplinary Academic Journal, 5 (1): 35-43