The Scarlet Letter: Context

Nathaniel Hawthorne: Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American writer in the 19th century whose works, such as The Scarlet Letter, explore themes of sin, guilt, and morality.
Puritans: The Puritans were a religious group that were known for their strict moral and religious codes, which play a significant role in shaping the societal norms in The Scarlet Letter.
The Mayflower: The Mayflower was the ship that transported the first English Puritans, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World, setting the stage for the setting and context of The Scarlet Letter.
New England and Massachusetts: New England, specifically Massachusetts, served as the backdrop for The Scarlet Letter, with its stern Puritan society and austere landscapes reflecting the novel’s themes of sin and redemption.
Transcendentalism: Transcendentalism was a philosophical movement in the mid-19th century advocating for the inherent goodness of people and nature, which is reflected in the conflict between societal norms and individual conscience in The Scarlet Letter.
Thoreau’s “Walden”: Thoreau’s “Walden” is a reflexion on simple living in natural surroundings, which feeds into Hawthorne’s imagery and messages about the natural world and freedom in The Scarlet Letter.
Emerson’s Essays: “Nature”: Emerson’s essay “Nature” explores the spiritual connections between mankind and nature, reinforcing Hawthorne’s use of nature as a symbol and moral compass in The Scarlet Letter.
The Salem Witch Trials: The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts, symbolising the rampant suspicion and strict moral climate in The Scarlet Letter.