Gender Roles In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

As a misogynist himself, Nathaniel Hawthorne easily incorporated his own sexist views into his novel, The Scarlet Letter, through the representation and comparison of the sexes. Considering the time period in which Hawthorne wrote the piece, feminism was still a movement in the making, so nobody really thought twice about the author’s demeaning text. However, his cruel treatment of women on and off paper is so foul, it cannot go unnoticed. In an unfair contrast to the female characters, Hawthorne grants the men with power and sympathy, leaving the women to suffer.

When Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale meet in the woods, Hester attempts to rid her own life of the A by tearing it off. Pearl perceives this act as Hester trying to get rid of her only daughter. Pearl does not accept her mother’s abandonment and demands Hester to put the letter back on her chest. Because Hester’s letter remains on her chest, Pearl will always dwell in her mother’s life. Pearl says, “Now thou art my mother indeed!”

From her initial introduction to the reader as the “yonder babe, (…) of some three or four months old”, Pearl represents the beauty of the truth (54). As she struggles to find answers about her mother’s scarlet A while simultaneously growing up, Pearl identifies as an innocent character, despite her creation. It is frequently noted that she looks similar to the scarlet letter that her mother so reluctantly bears, with her “bright complexion [and] eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow, and hair already of a deep, glossy brown” (76). Her similar appearance to the scarlet letter furthers her permanent connection to the letter. Additionally, it highlights the notion that her mother will likely never be able to look at her without reminiscing upon her sin. As Pearl develops, her fire-like actions and dark appearance further molds her into the fleshly expression of Hester’s adultery. Furthermore, Hawthorne ensures to characterize Pearl throughout the novel as a friend to the sunlight, a friend to the truth. As she begins to pick determine that Dimmesdale is her father, the sunlight welcomes her. This is because she is the only innocent character who is not afraid to step into the sun’s rays. Pearl recognizes the light’s love for her and audibly notes, “the

To begin, the role of women is crucial to each novel in their own individual ways. In both fictional texts, the women that are important to the novel can be described in few words, strong, can support themselves even when they are being ridiculed like on a scaffold, caretaker, the women from each novel are taking care of others, and finally, selfless, concern for the needs of others rather than their own needs. The Scarlet Letter has perfect examples in the text of some of the descriptions of women. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne states, “I will not speak!” and later, “ And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one!” (Ch.3 Pg. 47). This quote can characterize Hester into two of the adjectives listed above. It shows her strength considering she refused to back down after being publically humiliated and berated by the town's elder in their balcony. Another quote from The Scarlet Letter is seen in chapter fourteen when Hester confronts Roger Chillingworth about his torturing of Dimmesdale, “It was myself!” and “It was I, not less than he. Why hast thou not avenged thyself on me?” (Chapter 14 Pg. 118). Hester falls under all three categories from this one quote. Her selflessness is seen in view of she is more concerned about the wellbeing of Dimmesdale than that of her own self. A clear-cut definition for the word, selfless. She is strong for that fact that she raised Pearl on her own and is still asking for the torturing and punishment to be on her. Hester, being a woman as the main character really gave her

She touches the scarlet letter, but little does she know that she is the reason for the punishment. They are social outcasts, so they don’t leave their house much. Pearl plays alone and has best friends that are imaginary. She distrusts her own imaginary friends for the same reason that she distrusts all the Puritans in the colony. People treat Hester and Pearl differently than everyone else is treated. She only loves Hester, because Hester spends time with her and is a good mother. She plays with her and teaches her Bible stories. Pearl knows the whole catechism at the age of three, but refuses to say it to anyone. She is smarter than everyone thinks she is. Chillingworth speaks to Pearl about the scarlet letter. He asked her if she knew the reason why her mother must wear the scarlet letter all the time. She replies, “Yes, that is the same reason why the preacher holds his hand over his heart.” Pearl asks her mom all the time the reason why she wears the scarlet letter and why the preacher holds his hand over his heart. She knows that they both do, but she doesn’t know why. Hester tells her that she wears it because of the pretty gold thread, but she doesn’t know the minister’s reason. Later in the story, Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl meet in the forest, and Hester rips the scarlet letter off. Pearl gets mad then, because she knows that her mother is supposed to wear it. Dimmesdale kisses Pearl, but she washes the kiss off with

Yes, I consider The Scarlet Letter is a work of feminist literature. During the time of Hawthorne, the writings of his opinions for the womens were very forward and powerful. The novel has discovered the typical lessons on the themes of feminist by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. In The Scarlet Letter, the main heroine Haster Prynne and Pearl as her daughter are considered the two main prominent characters. So, the knowledge about them is persuaded the early feminist considering the heroines in the writing of The Scarlet Letter. The narrator has established the work opposing a feminist central character. It describes Haster’s sin and love that has given a view of woman’s unique.

“She screamed and shouted, too, with a terrific volume of sound which, doubtless, caused the hearts of the fugitives to quake within them. The victory accomplished, Pearl returned quietly to her mother, and looked up, smiling, into her face.”(96). Pearl yells at the kids who are throwing mud at her mother because she is a child and doesn’t know any better. “At first, as already told, she had flirted fancifully with her own image in a pool of water, beckoning the phantom forth, and—as it declined to venture—seeking a passage for herself into the sphere of impalpable earth and unattainable sky.(168). Now that she is older, she has noticed how her mother acts around other people and plays by herself. She has fun even though she is her only friend. Pearl begins to care about other things than just herself. “Perceiving a flock of beach birds that fed and fluttered along the shore, the naughty child picked up her apron full of pebbles, and creeping from rock to rock after these small seafowl, displayed remarkable dexterity in pelting them.”(168). When she sees that she has hurt the poor creature she stops throwing the pebbles. Her emotions build due to her being alone for so long. Pearl wants a friend, but Hester knows that if Pearl has friends they will tell her the true meaning of the scarlet

Desire, passion, love, sex, adultery, evil, religion, law, and judgement are the primary topics that make reading The Scarlet Letter more interesting. Caught up in passion, Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, succumb to their desire in the forest. Hester is a married woman and Arthur Dimmesdale is the Puritan community minister. Their affair is adultery and brought to light when Hester becomes pregnant. Pearl is the illegitimate daughter of Hester and Dimmesdale.

Pearls are made in the darkness of a clam. Pearl was born in prison, into darkness. Hester paid the ultimate price of having pearl. Pearl is the result of the sin, adultery, that Hester and Dimmesdale committed. Hawthorne explains, “ Hester prynne- yes, at herself- who stood on the scaffold of the pillary, an infant in her arms…” ( Hawthorne 58) . This quote shows that Pearl isn’t an ordinary baby. Pearl is a result of sin and is a constant reminder of that. Hester can not get rid of Pearl, she going to spend the rest of her life with her life with Pearl and the guilt of how she got here is always there. As the story goes on, Pearl grows up and she knows who her father is. The town notices that Pearl was a little off. One time a group of kids was making fun of her and she started screaming and throwing rocks at the kids. Dimmesdale exclaims, “not then,Pearl” said the minister “but another time!” (Hawthorne 153). This proves Pearl knows Dimmesdale is her father and she asks him when he is going to claim her. Pearl is a very smart kid, nobody told her who her father is, she just knew. Dimmesdale feels guilty for not standing on the scaffold when hester did. Pearl is a constant reminder to him of the sin he committed. Pearl is a symbol of guilt not only towards Hester but dimmesdale,

When Pearl enters the novel, Hawthorne uses specific details when describing her. He describes her physical appearance as; “beauty that became everyday more brilliant, and the intelligence that threw it’s quivering sunshine over the tiny features of this child.” (81-82). Combining with her ravishing beauty, are the exquisite dresses that Hester has made for her to wear. With Pearl’s adorable looks and charming clothing,other children viewed her as unusual and strange.

Written in 1850, The Scarlet Letter stood as a very progressive book. With new ideas about women, main characters’ stories intertwined, and many different themes, The Scarlet Letter remains today as a extremely popular novel about 17th century Boston, Massachusetts. Not only was the 19th century a time for the abolition of slavery movement but it was also the beginning of the first wave of feminism. Women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott catalyzed the women’s rights movement. These prominent women believed that a woman’s role was no longer in the house and that women should be afforded the same opportunity as men. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s sympathy for women is evident in a feminist reading of his novel

        Pearl primarily serves the role of silently urging Dimmesdale to overcome the pressures to conform to society, and to allow his guilty inner-self to emerge and receive retribution for his sins. She exists as a constant and living reminder and product of the sin Hester and Dimmesdale committed, and acknowledges the false innocence Dimmesdale tries so desperately to maintain. Her inquisition, "Why does he not wear [a scarlet letter] outside his bosom as thou dost?" (ch 16) to her mother concerning Dimmesdale is evidence of this. Pearl has no chance to conform to society because at birth she is regarded

Critics generally agree Hawthorne uses the effects of the scarlet letter to reveal the atrocities of the patriarchy and masculine hegemony. The patriarchal forces women to carry the burden of an action despite the entity of the original sinners. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne takes the responsibilities and consequences of adultery, even though Dimmesdale should have equal, if not more, punishment. When Hester stands in front of a jury and endures the tremendous hatred from the individuals within the audience who believe Hester “has brought shame” to society, she declares,“Ye cannot take it off, and would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!” (Hawthorne 39, 49). Hawthorne reveals how society isolates and condemns women for the actions and results of men. If the women do not hold the accountability of all sin, they experience ignominy from society; if they do hold accountability of all sin, they still experience ignominy. The patriarchy enforces the idea that women should hold all responsibilities for all of men’s actions. Advancing Hawthorne's argument, critic Jane Swisshelm reveals the treatment of women as they endure ignominy: “[Hester] was the moral leper whom none might dare to touch - the blazing emblem of the virtuous indignation of an entire community” (Swisshelm 273). So long women exist, the consequences of the world’s

Nathaniel Hawthorne highlights the habitual societal conflict of surfacing gender equality ideology throughout The Scarlet Letter. The typical female role in society during the mid-seventeenth century was to be a caretaker. Hester Prynne’s sentence for breaking this stereotype through adultery is to wear a large, red letter A on her chest. Hawthorne uses Hester’s character to add characteristics of early feminism. For example, Hester not only takes on the so called male and female role put in place by society at some point throughout the story, but she also challenges societal views of women. To fully understand the situation women were going through, you must be familiar with the historical context. The story takes place in a Puritan

“Women belong in the kitchen.” “All women should be barefoot and pregnant.” “Women are strictly homemakers.” These are a few of the commonly used phrases regarding the female role in society that date back to the mid-seventeenth century. However, ardent supporters of gender equality have surfaced in almost every culture where this ideology is practiced. Nathaniel Hawthorne explores this inveterate societal conflict through his story The Scarlet Letter. The main character, Hester Prynne, is punished for committing adultery by being forced to wear a scarlet letter upon her bosom; Hawthorne created a story sympathetic to the female cause and demonstrated, through Hester, qualities of early feminism that later establish themselves during his