摘要
《紅字》這本小說中，清教神權政體嚴厲地控制人們的生活。霍桑的清教世界中，總督、法官、牧師及長者是唯一的決策者。威權人士即代表整個清教法律機制。他們的話即是法律。他們只需對自己及上帝負責。居民或許有所埋怨，但還是得遵守他們的命令。本論文說明此本小說為霍桑對於此種清教神權政體的批判。
霍桑首先藉由海絲特‧白蘭於絞刑台上受罰的景象勾勒出清教神權政體是個宗教、政治、立法及司法的聚合體。威權人士對於海絲特的判決是無庸置疑的。居民對於罪的審判無權過問。霍桑描述居民區如何對於海絲特的通姦罪感到憤慨，並從眾人的憤怒中呈現清教神權政體的兩個主要特徵。一是行為代表信仰。另一是環環相扣的父權體制權力關係決定居民區的宗教及政治發展。
藉由海絲特於受罰中所發展出的個人特質，霍桑接著批判此種行為等同於信仰的觀念。海絲特表面上接受懲罰，但事實上，她卻發展出更多的個人思維及對她的情人仍抱有熱情。霍桑對於她的懲罰所下的結論: 紅字尚未克盡厥責。霍桑進一步批判居民區的父權體制。此等批判於兩景中最為明顯。一是陰暗森林，從中海絲特與亞瑟‧丁梅斯岱爾進行角色交換的儀式。另一是丁梅斯岱爾的死亡場景，從中霍桑批判居民區由威權人士所建構的現實。
霍桑除了批判清教神權政體，也預示居民區可以從他的批判中獲得益處。為了強調他的批判的綜合性影響，霍桑安排幾個調和場景並期許居民區能有更正面的發展。

關鍵字: 清教；神權政體；絞刑台；通姦；行為；信仰；父權體制；懲罰；
個性；角色交換；熱情； 調和

Abstract
In The Scarlet Letter, it is clear that life in the Puritan theocracy is rigidly regulated. In Hawthorne’s Puritan world, the Governor, magistrates, ministers, and elders are the only decision-makers. The entire system of the Puritan law is signified by this small group of authoritative men. Their word is law. Untrammeled is their discretion in the sentencing of Hester Prynne. They are held to be accountable to none but to themselves and to their God. The townspeople may murmur, but they also have to obey. This thesis interprets the novel as Hawthorne’s criticism of the Puritan theocracy of this kind.
Hawthorne first gives an impression that the Puritan theocracy is a conglomerate of religious, political, legislative, and judicial power as shown in Hester’s scaffold scene. The townspeople are prevented from any decisive role in handling crime. Hawthorne places the sin of adultery in the community and sees how the sin ferments the communal anger. It is through the community’s angry reaction that Hawthorne characterizes the two underlying aspects of the Puritan theocracy. One is that behavior represents faith. The other is that the course of the community’s religious and political development is determined by an interlocking patriarchal power relation.
Hawthorne then criticizes the conception that behavior represents faith by Hester’s individuality that develops during her continued punishment. Although Hester is physically obedient in accepting her punishment designed to make her give up her individuality, she develops more thought of her own and still has passion for her paramour. As Hawthorne concludes, Hester’s punishment of wearing a shameful symbol has not done its original office. Hawthorne further criticizes the community’s patriarchal system. Such criticism is most conspicuous in two scenes. The first one is the forest scene where Dimmesdale and Hester embark upon a kind of role-reversal. The second one is Dimmesdale’s death scene where Hawthorne criticizes the community’s reality constructed by those authoritative patriarchs.
Not only does Hawthorne aim to criticize the Puritan theocracy, but he also shows how the community can benefit from his criticism as a result. To highlight the total effect of his criticism, he allows several reconciliations to take place and sees the community develop in a more positive way.

Keywords: Puritan; Hawthorne; Theocracy; Scaffold;
Adultery; Behavior; Faith; Patriarchal;
Punishment; Individuality; Role-reversal;
Passion; Reconciliation

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