The Role of an Angry God in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter Essays

The Role of an Angry God in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter was a novel that was written in the early 1850s by a renowned author, Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. Some people say that Hawthorne intended the book to portray God as a benevolent, forgiving, and loving god. Others, such as myself, believe that he had a different idea of who God was; The Scarlet Letter was written in a way that would portray God as an angry, vengeful, being that was slow to forgive. God put seven years of suffering upon Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, for a sin whom he committed with Hester Prynne. When he finally confessed and his life looked like it was about to get better, God abruptly ended his time on the earth. Hester Prynne was almost shunned by everyone, even the sunshine. Her daughter, Pearl, was constantly saying things to Hester that would cause her pain. Another man, whose life was damaged by the sin, was Dr. Roger Chillingworth. He was not part of the sin, but still suffered from it. His incredible knowledge of healing, a value to the entir e town, was ruined by the quest for revenge upon Reverend Dimmesdale. All four of these lives were ruined, all because of one small sin committed by two people. A merciful, forgiving, benevolent god would never let that happen. Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale was a young minister, who was greatly loved by the Puritan community. Some said that he would someday benefit the New England Church as much as the apostles had helped the early Christian faith. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. Instead, Reverend Dimmesdale was constantly depressed and physically deteriorating. In a chat with Hester in the forest, Hester asked him if he had found peace, and he responded, "None! -nothing but despair! What else could I look for being what I am, and leading a life such as mine? Were I an atheist... I might have found peace... But, as matters stand with my soul... all of God's gifts that were the choicest have become torment. Hester, I am miserable!" (182). Later in their conversation, Hester said, accurately, to Dimmesdale, "Thou art crushed under this seven years' weight of misery" (188). For seven years, Arthur Dimmesdale's life was filled with nothing but pain and suffering. Would a kind and merciful god put a minis ter that devoted his life to God through the kind of torment that Reverend Dimmesdale was given?