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Nathaniel Hawthorne was the preeminent American Romantic writer of the 19th century. The Scarlet Letter, as Hawthorne’s classic work, has been praised by most critics. Hawthorne paid attention to the ethical problems of Hester and Dimmesdale and gave a comprehensive depiction of their ethical choices after they had violated the Puritan ethical norms. This paper intends to use ethical literary criticism proposed by Professor Nie Zhenzhao, based on ethical dilemma and ethical choice, within the ethical backdrop of New England, to analyze ethical conflicts and ethical choices of the protagonists in the novel. Ultimately, it seeks to warn people the importance of complying with the ethical norms of the society. Exploring the ethical and moral values embedded in The Scarlet Letter will enhance the domestic study of Hawthorne’s works and better realize the didactic function of literature.
Xiaomei Yang (2024) studied this question.