Scarlet Letter Hester
The character of Hester Prynne changed significantly throughout the novel"The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester Prynne, through the eyesof the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the Puritan ways,committing adultery. For this irrevocably harsh sin, she must wear a symbolof shame for the rest of her life. However, the Romantic philosophies ofHawthorne put down the Puritanic beliefs. She is a beautiful, young woman whohas sinned, but is forgiven. Hawthorne portrays Hester as "divine maternity"and she can do no wrong. Not only Hester, but the physical scarlet letter, aPuritanical sign of disownment, is shown through the author's tone and dictionas a beautiful, gold and colorful piece. From the beginning, we see that Hester Prynne is a young and beautiful womanwho has brought a child into the world with an unknown father. She ispunished by Puritan society by wearing the scarlet letter A on the bosom ofher dress and standing on the scaffold for three hours. Her hair is a glossybrown and her eyes deep-set, and black, her attire is rich, carefullycaressing her slender figure. The scaffold is a painful task to bear; the
Pearl is apain to please, having her way all the time because of her mother's failure tosubdue her to the proper Puritan etiquette. After death, shewas buried near Dimmesdale. Prynne is imprisoned with her child, both of whom are emotionally andphysically exhausted from the punishment at the scaffold. She asks stupid questions that she already knows theanswer to, like, "Mother, did you ever sign the black man's book", and,"Whydoes the minister Dimmesdale hold his hand over his heart?" The mockery doesnot end there, however, and Pearl goes on about her retarded ways, throwingrocks at other children that look at her the wrong way and swearing at them. Hementions that the magistrates may let her remove the scarlet letter, but shedeclines. After Pearl got married, and Chillingworth was long dead, Hester Prynnereturned to Boston to recollect and to repent. The townspeople came to her,some staring in awe, some revering her presence. He demands that shecannot reveal his identity, yet he also wishes to know the identity of herlover, the father of the child. Hester Prynne was truly an able women. Hester is strong with herletter, having it be a part of her for so many years, while Arthur hasconcealed his letter upon his chest, which gnawed out from his inner soul. Her subjection to the crowd of Puritanonlookers is excruciating to bear, and Hester holds the child to her heart, asymbolic comparison between the child and the scarlet letter, implying thatthey are truly both intertwined. The novel explains that the Governors repeatedly attempt to take the childaway from Hester, as she has been deemed unfit to raise the child without theinfluence of genuine Puritan law and order. After preaching apowerful sermon, the good minister was walking along with the crowd, when hefelt the weight of an overbearing guilt upon his shoulders; a power that hehad felt before had grown immensely domineering upon his frail frame. Then, the big day came, and Hester was gleaming with joy inanticipation of a new life without ridicule or guilt.
Common topics in this essay:
Hester Prynne,
Black Man's,
Election Day,
Roger Chillingworth,
Arthur Dimmesdale,
Seventh Commandment,
Hawthorne Puritanic,
Hester Arthur,
hester prynne,
scarlet letter,
Hibbens Hester,
Ann Hibbens,
forest night sign,
sign black man's,
puritan society,
husband roger,
minister hester,
roger chillingworth,
beautiful woman,
arthur dimmesdale,
book own blood,
black man's book,
child influence,
child pearl,
husband roger chillingworth,
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Acceptance Essays
