【正文】 ble, a source of spiritual and ethical standards. These rules were definite, and the penalties or punishments were public and severe. Then, the story just took place during that period. Hester’s turn on the scaffold and her scarlet letter were similar to those who were branded or forced to wear an M for murderer. Those who disagreed with the laws of the colony were banished, persecuted, and, in some cases, executed. (陳偉娜, 2007)On the contrary, from 1915 to 1960, the living condition and social circumstance in The Thorn Birds were not as serious as The Scarlet Letter. The Thorn Birds was published in 1977 that was at the period of the modern feminism movements. The story was taken place mostly between the two world wars. The male dominated society was still in place in Australia and New Zealand. Feminist in the certain social circumstancesThe Scarlet Letter is a 19th century novel, it reflects the time when the first feminism movements took place in America. Nathaniel Hawthorne noticed the most important aspect of feminism, although he himself did not support the movement. In addition, the society built by the Puritans was stern and repressive, with no individualism for Women. For women, they must turn to be the socalled good women and met the need of the society and take care of their reputation. At that period, women were just start to notice how they can gain their deserved rights, equalities and freedom. They started to do some simple fighting for their rights.There is a few centuries gap between the time of the story and the time the novel was written. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester represents the resistance side. She was brave enough to condemn her sin and she openly wears the “A”. She believed in God, but once tried to steal a priest from God. She said: “why shouldst thou tarry so much as one other day in the torments that have so gnawed into thy life! –That have made thee feeble to will and to do!that will leave thee powerless even to repent! Up, and away… ” “Dimmesdale ask her ‘Alone, Hester!’, ‘Thou shalt not go alone!’ answered she, in a deep whisper. Then, all was spoken!” (Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1994:198). The disgrace, despairs and loneness change her to be independent. She even showed more passion to life and was brave to ask her priest to run away with her. The Thorn Birds was published at the period of the modern feminism movements. Colleen McCullough herself is a feminist. The Thorn Birds was also the culmination of Colleen McCullough’s own experimentation about the subjects of life and love. The novel is a love story, with a strong focus on the society or the morality. In The Thorn Birds, the story was taken place mostly between the two world wars. Because of the male dominated society was still in place in Australia and New Zealand, the position of women had been ignored for quite a long time, but linked with every aspects of the world. Men make their voice and dominate in politics, economic life, society and also the moral setting. The old moral for women reflects on Fiona (Meggie’s mother). Women like Fiona had a very low social position, economic status, personal value and never fought for their rights. But Meggie was a reformer. She tried to get out of that circle and fight for what she wanted. Although she could not meet her needs at the end of the story, she still got her good reputation. Not facing the same situation as Hester Prynne. In The Thorn Birds, people really focus on their own choice, especially women like Meggie. The old moral concepts were still there, but just represented in traditional mores, not in a law. Different ways of presenting feminism by male and female writerThe Scarlet Letter and The Thorn Birds have been considered a reflection of women’s problems at the respective time. They share a mostly simile love story. The two heroines both fell in love with a priest. But the backgrounds of the two novels are dramatically different. The Scarlet Letter is a Gothic love story basic on the Puritan social background. And The Thorn Birds tells a quite long story about the history of the Cleary family. That means the feminism in the two novels must be different. Here, we start to figure it out.The Scarlet Letter was written by famous romantic writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (18041864) in the middle of the nineteenth century. “In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s life, he was deeply influenced by three thoughts: Puritan consciousness, transcendental philosophy and mysticism.” (Hongmei Li, 2005) This novel was the culmination of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s own experimentation about the subjects of Puritans, sin, guilt, and the human conflict between emotions and intellect. We can easily say that Feminist consciousness was still not widespread at his time. Nathaniel Hawthorne sharply criticized the New England Puritanism also criticized the decadent moral of New England Puritanism and the dominant attitude towards women. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter not to just write about the crime of adul