Anne
Hutchinson can legitimately be considered an American proto-feminist icon, and since
is both a critique of Puritanism and a proto-feminist novel, the link
betweenand Anne Hutchinson seems quite appropriate.
Hawthorne had a deep
understanding of Puritanism and clear feelings that its rigidity and misogyny were two of its
most profound downfalls. His own ancestor, John Hathorne, had a prominent role in the 1692 Salem
Witch Trials, and the author's symbolic changing of the spelling of his surname signals his
rejection of that legacy.
Anne Hutchinson dared to defy the Puritan
establishment by questioning its teaching, particularly on the subject of the covenant of grace.
Her antinomian approach to faith was seen as a threat because it emphasized personal revelation,
which called into question the biblical supremacy that constituted orthodox Puritan belief.
Ultimately, Hutchinson was excommunicated and banished for her radical views.
Like Hutchinson, Hester...
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