I have prepared this presentation as part of my academic activity of M.A English and it's about how Puritanism reflected in the two classic works The Scarlet Letter and Mourning Becomes Electra

1. PURITANISM IN ‘THE SCARLET LETTER’ AND
‘MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA
Prepared by : Komal Shahedapuri
Roll No : 14
Paper -10 : American Literature
M.A (English) : Sem -3
Enrollment No: 2069108420170027
Batch : 2016-18
Email ID : komaltara1311@gmail.com
Submitted to : Smt .S. B Gardi ,
Department of English,
M . K Bhavnagar
University

2. PURITAN MORALITY
 Censorious moral beliefs, especially
about self-indulgence and sex.
 Concept of man’s relationship to
God
 Original Sin, guilt, and the human
conflict between emotions and
intellect
 Predestination
 The Bible as the actual word of God
 Life according to the Scriptures
 Doctrine of suppression,

3. PURITAN SOCIETY IN ‘THE SCARLET LETTER’
 The Scarlet Letter set in
Puritan town of Boston and
the scarlet letter is a symbol of
not only Hester’s sin, but the
society that she lives in.
 Puritan society’s high values of
living life, Hawthorn portrayed
it as so called “reputed”
society.
 Puritan conception of sin and
punishment.

4. CONTINUE…..
 Puritan morality v/s Passion and individualism
(Hester)
 Guilt: sense of guilt forced by puritanical
heritage/society (Dimmesdale)
 Hegemony in puritan society
 The story is a result of the strictness of Puritan
beliefs.
 The Puritans jump straight to the conclusion of
punishment for sin without any consideration of
the “sinner’s” feelings like in the Scafford scene.
 Hawthorne expresses that the Puritans are quick
to place blame on one another.

5. The Scarlet Letter points out the way in
which women are treated in the puritan
world, they believed men were head of the
household and made all important
decisions, while women were just there to
take care of housework.
Hawthorne uses the symbol of the scarlet
letter to criticize the puritan world and to
question whether their beliefs and
punishments are justified.

6.  Mourning Becomes Electra is a
psychological dramatization of the
evils of Puritanism.
 “Puritanism poisons Love”
 Puritan heritage of 19th century in
New England setting.
 Puritan sense of guilt turns love to
sin and finally to sexual frustration
 Mannons’ puritanism is their attitude
towards sex
PURITAN SOCIETY IN
‘MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA’

7. CONTINUE…..
 Mannon House, the facade of the
mansion is fronted by a white
“Grecian temple portico with its six
tall columns extends across the
stage”
 Puritan setting/society and it’s
values in life of all the characters
 Puritan elders as Judges in society
like Abe and Ezra
 Suppression of emotions and
desires
 Puritan atmosphere that encourages
a lack of individual openness

8. Christine’s affair
Orin’s sense of
guilt
Puritan value of
reputation
Puritan values v/s
love
Suppression of
desire like Abe and
Ezra
Hester’s sin
Dimmesdale’s
sense of guilt
Value of sin and
punishment
Nature v/s Society
Fulfillment of desire
of Hester and
Dimmesdale
Mourning
Becomes Electra
The Scarlet Letter

9. Thank
s