If human beings are evil, then they can easily appoint themselves as judges, and from their point of view, the decisions they make are moral. These judges try to make themselves look better, by lowering the criminal below their level. These moral judges also try to play God, by selecting, and if they have enough power, executing their decision as a punishment for the crime committed. It is as clear as glass, that these decisions that come from evil beings will also be immoral, and evil. Decisions made by moral judges reflect how much evil they possess within them.
Hester had to stand on the scaffold, which was a place for public shame, and had everybody judge her for her crime, committing adultery. This punishment was decided for her by a group men who had political power. These men also thought that they were punishing an evil person, Hester, because she had sinned, and offended God. If that was true, why would a mortal decide, and act as God for God? These men in power made Hester look bad, so people on town would think that they are better than Hester, and because of that they would not sin, or they will too, will be punished.
When Hester was standing on the scaffold, she was being judged by everybody, and since humans are evil, than their response towards her were not be positive, but evil. A group of women were talking with each other, and deciding on a punishment for Hester: “‘What do we talk of marks and brands, whether on the bodice of her gown, or flesh of her forehead,'” (p. 49). To which another replied “‘This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die'” (p. 49). It is a good thing they didn’t have any political power.
This shows how full of evil these human self appointed judges are, nd they do not only judge Hester, they also judge judges’ decision. Hawthorne comments this barbarism by describing these judges: “… the ugliest as well as the most pitiless of these self-constituted judges,” (p. 49). These evil women set themselves up themselves as moral judges in order to make themselves look like angels, by turning Hester into a devil. All the puritans who think that they are so pure, and judge Hester, should be on the scaffold with Hester.
By puritan’s beliefs thinking good about yourself, and especially judging others, since only God can judge, nd will on the Judgment Day, is a sin. That just proves again that these moral judges, who are no less evil than the crime committed, they have no right to judge, nor execute others. Today the same problems are still here, and they did not go away a time passed, they only got more complicated. Human beings are no less evil than they ever were before, and they always will be. They always try to get the fastest and easiest way out, and that will be, for as long as Human race exists.
In order for the Human race to exist, they have to set some aws, and limits for themselves. That means there would be judges that would decide on the punishment related to the crime committed, it doesn’t mean that the punishment will fair, or it will be related to the crime, but it is better than nothing. Today judges are different, because they are appointed not by themselves, but by other people, but the theme never changes, it will always be close to impossible in finding a punishment that would suit a crime, because both side will always disagree, so people just have to live with it.
