Critical Overview of Puritans' Society: Historical Essay

Puritans’ were a massive flawed group during the 17th century due to their self righteousness and contradiction views within their society. A puritan is a member of a christian group that moved away from England and set sailed to North America. Reasons for the Puritans’ migration was because the Church of England was being “too” Roman Catholic and it did not approve to their social likings. The main thing the Puritans’ wanted was to improve the Church of England by attempting to purify the religion on a more personal and inner experience level. Puritans’ beliefs had good values such as having emphasis on righteousness and sovereignty in God. This is significant because the Puritans’ certainly believed that God directed and determines all things. But in reality, the priest and ministers in the Puritan society had made all the decision to execute the people and made the decisions that impacted the community as a whole. So it was very hypocritical of them claiming that they were holy and had all their trust in God yet, they did the exact opposite of that.

When the Puritans’ separated from the Church of England they lived under this strict law where they have to obey a system of principles that included working really hard, living simply, and having faith in God. The laws were all based on religious beliefs which specifically had a great impact in the community. Attending church twice a day with obedient and respected manner was required. It's a way to have an appreciation towards God in having time to seek and pray for him. All children must go to school to learn and to be taught about the bible. Growing up, children were told that everyone was born a sinner, and the only way to become holy again was to follow the strict laws of the society. They would work their way up in reshaping them into good sinless kids. Chores, behaving well, and reading the bible were the main demands to a child. Other strict laws also included no music of any kind, no celebrating any holidays, and must wear simple clothing at all times. Puritans’ wanted everyone to be alike and to be disciplined. Considering that they need to be sculptured into what they thought was the right way of living.

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The rules and laws of the Puriatan society had been greatly influenced and impacted by what was known as the “Covenant Theology”, which helped them systimized their agreement in abiding to the scriptures written in the bible. The Puritans’ two main covenants were “Covenant of Works” and Covenant of Grace”. Covenant of Works relied on good works to receive salvation. While the Covenant of Grace is 100% vulnerable on God's grace. Puritans’ took this very seriously to obey and compare every aspect of their lives to the bible to reach redemption from God. It’s ironic that the Puritans’ left the church to have religious freedom but then made a religion where disobeying the rules would have ended with punishment.

The Puritans’ punishments were extremely harsh. Many clergy who were in fact all highly educational men, determined the executions and punishments. The punishments included loss of food, whipping, stepping stool, ducking pool, hanging, attaching a huge letter a and/or d to their chest, and sometimes even burnings. The people who had endured these kinds of punishments were people suspected of witchcraft and disobeying the law. These were all forms of aggressive public humiliation in the community. An example that were often happening were witch trials. In 1691-1692 it started with an illness where mainly women would get seizures from unknown causes. Therefore leading everyone in town and the clergies believing there are malicious witches. Demanding them serious punishment and causing the clergies to become more aware and suspicious of everyone's behavior. Puritan philosophy promised a fair trial, but for the people accused of witchcraft, their trial was nonexistent. This was hypocritical of them because the were going back on their word saying everyone deserves a fair trial.

Same goes for Hester Prynne in the novel “The Scarlet Letter” written by Natheniel Hawthrone. This story takes place in the Massachusetts Bay area and is about how a woman got punished for committing adultery. But the twist is that she committed adultery with the minister of the colony. As people found out about the crime, she is soon punished and wore a letter “A” on her chest. When the minister confessed, people couldn't believe such a thing. He was still seen as a pure and holy person. Minister Dimmesdale is still celebrated as a saint in the Puritans’ eyes. Everyone in the colony has shunned her and thought of her as a really low person. No one wanted to be seen or socialize with her. Towards the end of the novel people started to acknowledge Hester Prynne because she created embroidered clothing and pillows for them. She begins to benefit the community and only then she is tolerated back into society. In this novel Nathaniel Hawthrone showed a perfect example how hypocrictical the Puritans were when it came to a minister and an individual committing a crime. Puritans’ were supposed to have high morals and make an agreement to never sin. And if they ever got caught sinning the Puritans’ will recognize their wrongdoing right away and confessed. Yes they still committed the errors they made but at least they confessed and repealed their laws.

Puritans’ was a contradiction society were they lived ignorant lives and will never questioned anything to God or to any of each other. Puritans’ understood the overall meaning of the bible and had interpreted to themselves. Wanting a new society, the Puritans’ disliked the Church of England for being corrupted and not sticking to the bible. Thus, the Puritans’ had put their whole lives in God's hand. The one and only thing that will matter forever to the Puritans’ was the individual itself and God. God will truly be the main focal point in the lives of the Puritans'. By abiding to the bible and strict laws it is evident that Puritans’ are hypocritical as they had been equally corrupted like the Church of England. Above all the Puritans slowly but surely showed how flawed their religion was. In every situation the Puritans’ had came across, they had double standards for themselves if it was only beneficial towards them.