Most people have two sides to their character, one that shows itself in public and the other that remains confined to the safety of a setting more private. However, sometimes the private side overshadows the public and escapes. Then the person is either left there to clean up their damaged reputation or released with a sense of relief to finally show their true colors to society. Thus creates the predicament of the characters in The Scarlet Letter, written in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Instead of starting the hearing at the beginning of the ordeal, Hawthorne places the reader directly in the aftermath of Hester Prynne's sin. The unforgiving nature of Puritan culture condemns Hester for having a passion for someone other than her husband, even though they do not know if he is still alive at this point. Her private self, the side that longed for another man, overwhelmed her puritanical public image and escaped, leading her down the path of temptation. This puritanical atmosphere clashes with many dark romantic elements, such as the guilt and sin of someone fictionalized for the reader, and the evocation of sympathy towards the "bad" character, the one who is wrong in the context of the book, but one that almost everyone secretly roots for. For. Hawthorne mixes Puritan culture with romantic elements to bear witness to the struggle of the private self to create a false public image and conform to the masses. Hawthorne's past obscurity about his reality is reflected in his writings. He wrote many stories, most of which were rejected by editors. When this happened, he slipped further into his shell and burned every copy and manuscript until the evidence no longer existed. So when the publishers accepted The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne was delighted. The Scarlet Lett...... middle of paper ......omanticism. Wayne State University, March 11, 1998. Web. May 4, 2014. DelBlanco, Andrew. "Puritanism." History.com. A&E Television Networks, Web. May 4, 2014.Donavel, David and Joseph R. Modugno. “Quakers and Accused Witches: Introduction.” Welcome Nathaniel Hawthorne to Salem. Internet. May 4, 2014. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Permanently linked. Tom Doherty and Associates Inc.: Perma-Bound Classics, Print.Reuben, Paul P. "Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)." PAL: Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864). California State University Stanislaus, October 5, 2011. Web. May 4, 2014 “Scarlet Letter: Appreciating Hawthorne’s Style.” » Scarlet Letter: Appreciating Hawthorne's Style. Internet. May 4, 2014. Sheldon, Sara. "Library: connection." ELibrary: Log in. Ed. Michael Spring. Literary Cavalcade, Scholastic Inc., January 8, 2004. Web. May 8, 2014. “What is black romanticism? » SageGEEK. May 13, 2014. the web. May 3 2014.