《红字》与《露丝》两部小说均发表于19世纪50年代，关注堕落女性的主题，然而它们在人物性格以及结局设置方面迥然相异。

第一，前者的女主角由于清教的压迫，在内心的痛苦挣扎中产生了反叛情绪，而后者则始终忠于基督教，虔诚忏悔。本文认为，两位女主角性格上的差异，主要源于两部小说设定的不同宗教背景。清教统治下的新英格兰，人治取代法治，畸形的制度反对人性解放，实施严酷的刑法。海斯特由于被驱逐出社会，可以隔岸观火般审视清教的制度，游离于世间的规则之外。而露丝自幼便喜爱阅读圣经，堕落后受到牧师本森的救助，基督教的仁爱精神使她充分忏悔罪过。

第二，在《红字》的结尾，海斯特得以逃脱残酷的清教制度，以女先知的姿态拯救其他犯罪者，展望基于共同幸福构建的美好社会，而露丝身为一名护士在一次瘟疫中不幸牺牲。本文认为，这种差异主要由于时代背景对作者创作的影响。在霍桑的年代，美国文学民族主义影响下，早期共和国的作家们希望创作出美国特色的作品。《红字》是霍桑对自己独创的“罗曼司”的实践，小说结尾海斯特区别于传统堕落女性的命运，以及她对理想社会蓝图的勾勒，体现出霍桑的改革意识。相比之下，维多利亚社会的道德标准相较于十八世纪更加严苛。盖斯凯尔为露丝安排的牺牲式的结局不为部分批评家认同，然而在审视这种安排时应当考虑到时代因素的限制。

The Scarlet Letter and Ruth were both published at the 1850s and dealt with the fallenness theme. However, they differ greatly when it comes to the characterization of heroines and the ending.

First, the heroine of the former derives rebellious mood under the pressure of Puritanism, while the latter is penitent and devotes herself to Christianity. This paper tries to illustrate that this difference has something to do with the religious background. In New England where The Scarlet Letter was set, the rule of man has replaced the rule of law because of rigid Puritanism. Emancipation of nature is frowned upon and the cruelty of punishment is extreme. Hester is banished from the community, which gives her the chance to contemplate the abnormal constitution detachedly, embracing free thinking under no speculation. Whereas Ruth has been fond of reading Bible since childhood. And she is saved by a priest after fallenness. The kindness of Christianity enables her to fully repent herself.

Second, at the end of The Scarlet Letter, Hester survives the iron rules of Puritanism and as a prophetess, she assures other sinners that at some brighter future, a society of mutual happiness will be founded. Whereas Ruth dies as a martyr while nursing others during an outbreak of plague. This paper will try to verify that the influence of historical context plays an important role in making the ending different. Hawthorne was under the influence of American Literary Nationalism. Writers of the early republic tried to create works with American feature. The Scarlet Letter is Hawthorne’s practice of his Romance. Hester’s different ending from other fallen women, and the blue-print of the future society she depicted indicate Hawthorne’s reform consciousness. By contrast, the moral value of Victorian society is more draconian than the eighteenth century. The sacrificial ending that Gaskell arranged for Ruth once spawned a barrage of criticism. But it should be reconsidered with a historical perspective.