Written by Anon
“The penalty thereof is death. But, in their great mercy and tenderness of heart, they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only a space of three hours on the platform of the pillory, and then and thereafter, for the remainder of her natural life, to wear the mark of shame upon her bosom.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his novel The Scarlet Letter, uses verbal irony in his description of Hester Prynne’s punishment to emphasize the unnecessary nature of the strict punishments in Puritan society. When Roger Chillingworth inquires as to Hester’s situation, a townsman explains that she was spared the punishment of death due to the “great mercy and tenderness of heart” of the magistracy . However, while death is one of the most severe punishment for a crime, the alternate punishment of having ”to wear the mark of shame” for “the remainder of [Hester’s] natural life]” is also harsh, showing that the “kindness”of the magistrates did not greatly help Hester’s situation. In addition, unlike death, Hester’s punishment remains with her for many years, haunting her and bringing daily shame. Hawthorne utilizes the idea of one cruel punishment being chosen over another to criticize the grim manner in which Puritans discipline their society.
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