Isolation in Hawthorne's Literary Works

Isolation in Hawthorne's Literary Works

The isolation of an individual can portray many negative effects on the way a person may live within society. In an article written by John T. Cacioppo, a researcher at the University of Chicago, he states that "the health, life, and genetic legacy of members of social species are threatened when they find themselves on the social perimeter". This is well represented throughout our readings, especially in that of The Scarlet Letter. In this popular work by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne and her daughter Pearl find themselves living on the outskirts of the puritan Boston community as a result of Hester's sin. Isolation is a reoccurring theme in Hawthorne's works as it is also displayed in The Minister's Black veil and Rappaccini's Daughter. In The Minister's Black veil, Mr. Hooper wears a black veil as a way to separate or shield his sin from society. He is trying to keep his sin from the good in the community as well as his church, and also is wearing the veil to relieve a fractional amount of his guilt he is faced with from the sin that he keeps hidden from society. In Rappaccini's Daughter, Beatrice is limited to the borders of her father's garden, and is never exposed to the reality of the outside community in her lifetime. In all of these writings it seems as though the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, is trying to send a message to the reader that isolation is not healthy for the human soul. This statement in which we can take as a lesson from Hawthorne will be displayed through many following connections and analysis. It will also include possible influences that occurred throughout his life, and historical events that may have impacted the style in which he wrote.

The setting of The Scarlet Letter takes place in Boston during the 1600's, which at the time was a strong puritan society. A well-known characteristic of a puritan society is that they are very religious and they hold the church and government to the same stature. Due to their government and church ties, their society would punish crime greatly. When there was a crime, the community would find out, and the person would be held to a poor reputation and be shunned within the community. When Hester is taken to prison because of her crime, it marks the start of a new life for her; a life based upon isolation from the community rather than being completely free as she was prior to her major sin. After Hester Prynne confesses of adultery, she holds a very negative reputation and status within the community. They despise her so much at this time, that they felt her punishment of public humiliation for the rest of her life shown by the scarlet letter on her bosom was not severe enough. One person even felt as though her punishment should be so severe that "…they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's