The text suggests that Hawthorn viewed women accepted by society as impulsive and weak, and as people who can only be strengthened when they are shown the gravity of their actions and punished for them. Likewise, it shows he believes men to be increasingly aware of their wrongdoings while they go unpunished for them, and only to be blissfully free of them while under punishment.

Post edited at 10:35 pm on Nov. 9, 2008 by noraa