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THE SCARLET LETTER Nathaniel Hawthorne The Salem Witch Trials 1692, Puritan village of Salem, MA Fueled by politics, religion, family feuds, economics, and fear Began by three girls’ accusations of witchcraft 200 people jailed, based on “spectral evidence” 19 people executed Increase Mather petitioned the Governor to intervene The governor pardoned the remaining prisoners, and people ignored further accusations Crop failures / epidemics plagued Salem for yearsThe Puritans believed they were being punished for the hangings of innocent people. Still believed to be haunted, cursed * More in The Crucible, after TSL Puritan History Began in 1500’s- Puritans separate because of over-influence on Church of England by the Crown and Catholic Church believed they could receive enlightenment directly from the Bible many moved to America seeking religious freedom American settlement began as Massachusetts Bay Company, ruled by governor and deputy-governor; stockholders were the General Court the Company developed a colony; company leaders became government leaders colony was a theocracy- only church members were allowed to participate in the government Nathaniel Hawthorne born in Salem, Massachusetts - transcendentalist (philosophical belief in “the existence of an ideal spiritual reality that transcends the empirical and scientific and is knowable through intuition.”) - A descendant of a judge in the Salem witch trials - friends with Henry David Thoreau (transcendentalist leader) - The Scarlet Letter (1850) - The House of the Seven Gables (1851) - The Blithdale Romance (1852) The Scarlet Letter set in mid-1600’s in Boston- Puritan movement honored for lack of stereotyping, and the first complete heroine also considered the first truly American perspective and style “The Custom House” Prologue added by Hawthorne after finishing novel Extended the length Semi-autobiographical – many parallels between narrator and Hawthorne * Must not assume Hawthorne is narrator Characters Protagonist: Hester Prynne - young woman found guilty of adultery and forced to wear a scarlet ‘A’ for the rest of her life Antagonist: Roger Chillingsworth - Hester’s husband (who has been gone for a long time) Additional major characters: Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, Pearl (Hester’s daughter) Major Themes: Good vs. Evil Guilt Sin Identity and Society Recurring symbols: The letter ‘A’ Pearl The Meteor The Rosebush