In the book of The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible, it is shown that the Puritans were blinded by their religions and their beliefs. The Puritans had prejudice against other races. They were racists and extremely religious, but could they be compared to today? Is morality better than years ago? Long time ago they had a different education system than nowadays; morality and racism now seem more extreme than years ago. The laws had changed, too, for it to be equal to everyone no matter the race, sexuality, or beliefs. Puritans used to have slaves and saw slaves as something normal. It is true that slavery still exists, but it is not as common as it used to be, and now it is illegal, not like years ago. Puritans were morally educated by their religion, the laws were not morally correct, and even saw slaves as something morally correct. Puritans were strict with their religious beliefs and would not tolerate any insult to their God.
The morality of the Puritans was based in their Bible. The Puritans were a group of religious separatists that came to New England in the 17th century. They had to read the Bible and interpret what they thought of every verse. There was no one who tried to explain the Bible for them, and that could lead to misunderstanding of what it really meant. For example, the Puritans thought that the women were more easily tempted by the devil because Eve was influenced by the Devil in the Bible. The education at that time was not really morally correct as today, like for example Puritans saw black people inferior, leading to enslave them only because of their race. The Puritans had prejudices against people only because of their race, sexuality, or beliefs. For example, in the court in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Parris said to the judge that Proctor did not go to the church, “such a christian that will not come to church but once in a month!” (Miller 90). This had a negative response from Danforth to Proctor. The judge was influenced by his beliefs and immediately saw Proctor negatively just because of religion. Danforth has even allowed the minister to be his advisor. Readers know this because it is described that Parris was close to the judge and constantly interfering in the court. Parris even went so near to peek at the letter that Proctor delivered to Danforth containing the ninety-one signatures stating that Elizabeth and the other women had never been seen of any type of witchcraft. This attitude of Danforth is the same for most of the Puritans. They behave differently to someone depending on whether they have the same beliefs or not and also someone of a different race, by their sin, by their sexuality, or if they were females or males. It is a fact that in the 17th century sexisim was severe, and today we try to apply different teachings to the kids. Students are being taught equality, respect, and that we all are human beings. It does not make someone inferior just by their race, sexuality, or beliefs. Nowadays the laws are applied the same for everyone. Their morality was different as today, and now we consider sexism, racism, and any type of sexual phobia as something serious, something that was insignificant for the Puritans. The laws have changed compared to years ago.
Puritans did not have morally correct laws. They lived under harsh rules. Their laws had exceptions to which could be applied. If you did not believe in God, your race was different, or you differ on your sexuality, most probably the law will not be the same, or you could even get hanged. The laws were made by the Puritans. Even the laws that they created were based on the scriptures, especially the Old Testament. Today the government worries that the same laws are applied to anyone. Humanity started to see that everyone is the same, and everyone should have the same chances like anyone, and it is thanks to the new morality education, as well that the laws are now more fair.
Puritans did not have morally correct laws, and they were not equal for every race, sexuality, or belief. In the book of Scarlet Letter, the harsh laws were implicated to the women like Hester, “With the same hard demeanour, she was led back to prison… It was whispered by those who peered after her that the scarlet letter threw a lurid gleam along the dark passage-way of the interior” (Hawthorne 49). She was led to prison and forced to wear a scarlet letter of her sin, adultery. It is insane that she received those consequences for something that is not a big deal today, but it used to be. The Puritans were not that free as it is today. Laws even governed the way the Puritans dressed. Wearing lace was forbidden. The length and width of a lady’s sleeve was decided by law. A woman wearing an undershirt was called a shift. Over that, women had to wear a corset and long petticoats. This would be crazy today, women were oppressed to dress however they wanted. This was an obvious sexist act, but it was normal at that time since women had almost no rights. Neither for people of other races because of how Puritans were morally educated.
Slavery was looked morraly normal for the Puritans. How could it be compare today’s morality to the puritans when they even let slavery happen? They saw Africans as a lower race, it was common to sell people, or own people. They treated humans as tools. Puritans did not let slaves have any rights. Humans were seen as commodities only because of different skin. Tituba was described in The Crucible as, “Negro slave enters” (Hawthorne 8). It was seen normal to use the word Negro to describe someone and it was seen normal, too, to someone posses a slave. Today we forbid any type of slavery; however, it is true that there still, in fact slavery, but you are not anymore a slave because of race. Now it is a little more complex and there are more types of slavery. Like Domestic servitude, Sex trafficking, forced labor, bonded labor, child labor, and forced marriage: “There are an estimated 21 million to 45 million people trapped in some form of slavery today. It’s sometimes called ‘Modern-Day Slavery’ and sometimes ‘Human Trafficking’, (“Slavery Today”). The number of people enslaved today is insane, it is something that sadly is occurring right now, and something that should be stopped; however at least slavery is something that is not morale correct today, and if you are accused of slave trading you would deal with serious consequences on the court. Slavery now is illigal, and people take seriously this topic.
Today we are more moral than the puritans, it is true that racism, slavery, sexism, and law abuse still exist, but it has been reduced significantly over the years. Puritans were blinded by their religions and beliefs and now we respect everybody’s religion. We are able to choose what we want to believe. Now it is time for us to learn from their errors and correct them. Do not do the same that they did. Become a greater person in today’s society.
Work Cited
“Slavery Today.”, End Slavery Today. Freedom Center, 2021. 5/11/2021.
http://www.endslaverynow.org/learn/slavery-today/domestic-servitude
Martin Cothran. “The Classical Education of the Puritans.” Memoria Press. Highland Latin Cottage School, Classical Latin School Association. April 1, 2011. Nov 5, 2021.
Meg English. “The Role of the Sermon in Puritan America.” Classroom. California State University. September 29, 2017. Nov 5, 2021.
https://classroom.synonym.com/the-role-of-the-sermon-in-puritan-america-12086082.html
Christine Leigh Heyrman. “Puritanism and Predestination.” Teacher Serve. Department of History, University of Delaware. January 2008. Nov 5, 2021.
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/eighteen/ekeyinfo/puritan.htm
Matthew Hutson. “Still Puritan After All These Years.” The New York Times. Aug. 3, 2012. Nov 5, 2021