How Does Lawrence Present The Character Of Hester Prynne

Lawrence’s biblical allusions to Hester provide a comparison to that of other sinners. He uses allusion for the reader to better understand Hester and her actions. Lawrence compares Hester to a remorseful prostitute when he states, “Then when you’ve brought him down, humbly wipe off the mud with your hair, another Magdalene” (Lawrence). He compares Hester to Mary Magdalene as a way of saying that their actions are similar to one another. He implies that just like Mary Magdalene, Hester tainted a pure, innocent soul into her arms, by luring Reverend Dimmesdale to commit a sinful action with her. Lawrence further implies that Hester and Dimmesdale are, “The new Adam

Hawthorne's Hester Prynne is the underdog protagonist that the reader cannot help but want to succeed. She is flawed but her flaws are outshone by her good heart and spirit. This shamed and humiliated woman is the one the reader, with the help of Hawthorne’s descriptions, wants to support. This sinful woman, with a child from wedlock, a diabolical “husband”, and a secretive lover is the motivating force that drives the reader to continue on with The Scarlet Letter. The language, descriptions, and plot of The Scarlet Letter show that Hawthorne believes the reader should look past gender stereotypes because not everything is what is

Lawrence incorporates a sarcastic tone in his essay to belittle the adulteress because she is not deserving of a high reputation. Hester is degraded because she is shameful to all women. Lawrence sarcastically insists that she be put “upon the scaffold and worship her there” (Lawrence). Since the author does not approve of Hester’s adultery, he uses sarcasm so his readers can envision another side of Hester as a woman who is worthy of anything but praise. Lawrence sarcastically comments that she is being worshipped, which contrasts with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s judgement towards Hester who he believes plays the heroine in the novel. His sarcastic tone enables him to bring more emotion beyond the words’ literal meaning. In addition to Lawrence’s disrespect for Hester regarding the unnecessary worship she receives in the novel, he is also sardonic when he describes her appearance. Hester’s scarlet letter only represents her shameful sin of adultery in Lawrence’s eyes. He speculates that the women will be “envying [Hester’s] sin, and beating [her] because [she’s] stolen an advantage over them” (Lawrence). His sarcastic tone indicates that he has no respect for any woman who commits adultery. Because Lawrence believes that it is the woman, not the man, who is at fault for the development of an unorthodox relationship, he immediately blames Hester for creating such a relationship with Dimmesdale. Lawrence will not change his opinion on Hester no matter what she does in attempt to better her reputation.

Biblical allusion is the final device used to attack Hester Prynne and her sin. Using these, Lawrence is able to illustrate his beliefs and connect Hester’s wrongdoings to other literary works. He first takes on the character of Pearl, remarking on how as an infant she was “to redeem the world” and on how “It will be a startling redemption the world will get from [this] American infant” (Lawrence). While this quote does attack Pearl, it also shames her mother. Being the living example of Hester’s sin, Pearl is compared to the holy being of Jesus

Hester Prynne. Hester is shamed publicly for her sin of adultery, for which she bears the mark of

All of the major characters in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne are dynamic and go through some form of character development. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, who are at the forefront of the central conflict in the plot of the novel, are no exception. While their respective evolutions in character were noticeably different, each was emphasized by the three scaffold scenes. The differences of Hester and Dimmesdale’s respective character developments are highlighted and emphasized by the three scaffold scenes in the novel.

Hester Prynne is the protagonist of The Scarlet Letter, a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. She was a beautiful woman who, because of her adultery, experienced persecution and was ostracized by everyone in her town. Her shame and guilt gave her an understanding of sin and redemption. She serves as an example of someone who is rejected by society and, because of it, grows in both strength and wisdom. Hester’s sin overshadowed her beauty and talent, but her humble and generous deeds gained her respect over many years.

Lawrence utilizes terse syntax throughout his essay to briefly and clearly indicate to the reader that Hester is a wrongful character. When describing Hester’s main goal in the story, he writes that it is “[to] seduce a man. To have everybody know” (Lawrence). He uses abrupt, easily understandable sentences that get his point across to convey his idea about her character and her purpose in the novel, which he argues is to be an adulteress. Furthermore, he makes connections between Hester and others in his concise statements by declaring, “All begins with A. Adultress. Alpha. Abel. Adam. A. America” (Lawrence). By incorporating these choppy one-word sentences into his essay, he is able to make his words come across as bullets that target Hester. The words he uses are meant to describe her sin and relate it to other ideas- such as Abel, because she pretended to be the victim. He attacks Hester’s character for being an adulteress and then attempting to disguise her impurity by

The classic biblical allusions Lawrence interwoven in his essay appeal to people’s knowledge and makes a lasting connection that the audience automatically already relate to. Lawrence uses the story of Mary Magdalen and calls Hester Prynne “another Magdalene” essentially using biblical terms to allude that the heroine of the novel is a prostitute (D.H.Lawrence). People specially in the time in which Lawrence wrote his paper people knew their bible well so by referencing to Mary Magdalene he shows people Hester Prynne’s true colors. This powerful allusion persuades people because of the connotation behind the reference he makes. Moreover, he takes the story of Cain and Abel and applies it to the Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne throughout the story changes the meaning of the Scarlet Letter to mean able but, Lawrence takes it a step farther and changes it to Abel. The name is used in place of the word

Lawrence utilizes biblical allusion by forming phrases said by Hawthorne in biblical terms to make Hester’s sin seem less of what it actually is. This is used more against Hawthorne in the sense that it brings in the Puritan religion by using relative characters that correlate with the events that occur. Moreover, these allusions draw conclusions to the characters while using statements that audience members may recognize or understand better, “it is Arthur Dimmesdale who dies… she lives on and is Abel” (Lawrence

As American-British novelist Mark Lawrence once said, “We’re built of contradictions, all of us. It’s those opposing forces that give us strength, like an arch, each block pressing the next”. The aforementioned contradictions are what lead to conflicts, and in turn growth and acceptance. Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his revolutionary classic The Scarlet Letter, delves into the conflicts that the brave, yet infamous Hester Prynne has to overcome. As Hawthorne unfolds the unfortunate tragedy of Hester and her mysterious lover, the battles Hester has to face are multiple external and internal stimuli that bring about the growth of Hester as a character. The onerous obstacles that Hester must face through her life wear her out mentally, but only then can she truly grow and accept who she is.

Lawrence is also criticizing how Hester is a phony character who thinks it is justified to conceal her sin instead of being punished for it. Lawrence’s blows to Hester Prynne’s personality and actions contribute to his argument that she is a sinful

In his essay On The Scarlet Letter, D.H. Lawrence contradicts Hawthorne’s portrayal of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne respects Hester and portrays her as a victim, whereas Lawrence argues that she is one of the main sinners in the novel. D.H. Lawrence establishes and supports his claim that Hester Prynne is unworthy of Hawthorne’s praise by effectively utilizing concise syntax, frequent repetition, and strong biblical allusions.

While Hester is a feminist, not only does she share the ideals but shows superiority to the town while being fearless. " It may seem marvelous, that this woman should still call that place her home, where, and where only, she must needs be the type of shame.” (chapter 5, paragraph 2) Hester does not let the shame and remorse of the sin keep her away from the town like most would do. Hawthorne even states that Dimmesdale is weaker than Hester by punishing himself and holding his heart while Hester embraces the sin and is strong while carrying the letter on her chest. She leads a self-righteous life, although she could keep what she earns, she gives most away. Even the townsfolk say Hester is "so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comfortable to the afflicted."(chapter 13, paragraph 5) Hester can be seen over the townspeople helping them although they shamed her. Hawthorne presents that Hester’s “tendency of her fate and fortunes had been to set her free.” (chapter 18, paragraph 2) With this Hester has a “radiant and tender smile, that seemed gushing from the very heart of womanhood. (chapter 18, paragraph 12) These quotes from Hawthorne show that Hester’s kindness helps her overcome her sin on her own. With Hester’s contribution to the town, “Her handiwork became what would now be termed the fashion.” (chapter 5, paragraph 6) In his research, Sacvan Bercovitch remarks that “Hester Prynne ‘builds upon the tradition of the biblical Esther -

Hester Prynne, a character within The Scarlet Letter, is a prime example of Hawthorne's common transformation of individuals within his books. These mutations involve the qualities and attributes of her physical appearance, feminine emotions, and reputation among the townspeople. Throughout the novel, the mentioned elements of Hester's character develop and change several times, providing the reader with better understanding of the influence that the scarlet letter and other characters have on her.