Scarlet Letter- how would you describe the cruelty that the village has towards Hester?

How does Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrate cruelty in his book, The Scarlet Letter? I've read it and know that the community shuns Hester and Pearl because of Hester's alleged act of adultery, but how would you describe the cruelty of the villagers? I can't think of a way to describe it. Help?