How Is Hester Prynne A Transcendentalist

Along with the negative aspects of isolation, Hester realizes that being in her own sphere takes away many societal pressures to conform to a set of beliefs. When Hester starts to come back in contact with society, she still feels as if she does not belong. Hester feels that all contact she has with others demonstrates that she is “as much alone as if she inhabit[s] another sphere” (74). Even though she is physically in contact with others, Hester is still alone. She no longer has to conform to the beliefs of her Puritan town because she “communicate[s] with the common nature” in different ways than “the rest of human kind” (74). Because she is isolated, Hester “[stands] apart from [society’s] moral interests, yet close beside them,” meaning she can take a step back to look at the views of the majority, but she has the option to make her own choices (74). Even though she feels separated from society, Hester can still feel the influence of its beliefs. This idea is also illustrated with the location of Hester’s

Hester was once a transcendentalist, but has failed to transcend upon being shamed. She fails to transcend due to her conforming to the Puritan tradition, her lack of simplicity, and her lack of self-reliance, basic aspects of transcendentalism. Though she seems like a transcendentalist for similar reasons, such as the A being a symbol of her individualism or the fact that she lives alone in a cottage makes her self-reliant. But she wouldn’t be doing these things if she had choice. She would’ve loved to have been free of the letter A, and actually move into a house with Dimmesdale, but she didn’t have a choice.

Hawthorne reminds us of this when he compares her to a wild seagull, “a little being that was as wild as the sea-breeze, or as wild as pearl herself” (160). Pearl is more of a natural force than a human; she doesn’t follow the conventional rules of society. Like Pearl, nature does not accept the unnatural puritan society. Nature avoids Hester because it doesn’t like her sin; “‘Mother’ said little Pearl ‘the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself’”

Hester was tall, with dark and abundant hair. She had deep black eyes. She had a beautiful face. She was lady-like, and characterized by a certain state of

     Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, a dark tale of sin and redemption,centers around the small Puritan community of Boston during the 17th century. In the midst of this small community is Hester Prynne. She is a woman that has defied the Puritans, taken the consequences and in the end conformed with the Puritans. It did,

Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays the ideology of Puritan society in the novel the Scarlet Letter; however reader also get to witness his characters being an illustration of hypocrisy and victims to their own guilt. In the Scarlet Letter, as in many of Hawthorne’s shorter works, he makes profuse use of the Puritan past: its odd exclusionary belief, its harsh code of ruling, its concern with sex and witchcraft. The Scarlet Letter is a story that is embellished but yet simple. Many readers may view this novel as a soap opera due to the way Hawthorne conveys this Puritan society’s sense of strictness and inability to express true emotion along with the secrecy and how deceiving the characters are being. As the story unfolds the main character Hester Prynne is bounded in marriage at an early age. She engages in an adulterous affair with an unknown member of their small village. Hester soon becomes pregnant and with her husband’s absence the chances of this child belonging to her husband are slim. The towns’ people know that she has committed a sin and imprisons her for her crime.

In Hester’s view, the pursuit of love, which is a very personal thing that has nothing to do with the social, moral and religion. Although she formally accepted the punishment that wearing a red “a “word on her chest, but within her ideology, “she did not accept the punishment of those social ethics “[ 2 ] .This punishment not only doesn’t bother her, but also become “The pass that guide her to the

As a result of this eclipse of her former personality, Hester became everything the Puritans wanted physically. She was a great Samaritan in the community, and was utterly humble and honest. When she showed the worst in her at all times, she had nothing to hide from the people who she met, and their opinions of her could only raise. The irony in the fact that she became a model citizen in the eyes of the Puritans only points to Hawthorne's distaste for the Puritan way of life, for Hester manifested a perfect Janus; a two faced entity of whom no one knew the true nature. Physically, the Puritans loved her behavior, actions, and example.

Nature presents Hester with feelings of revival by giving her a sense of freedom from society. "She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as

In nearly everything she does, as a young child, she finds immense pleasure. However, the forest is also a safe place. the unhappy culprit sustained herself as best a woman might, under the heavy weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes all fastened upon her, and concentrated on her bosom. Her existence came from what Puritanism deems “evil”. Hester demonstrates human naturalness by obeying her instinctual urges and having a relationship with Reverend Dimmesdale.

Transcendentalist believe that it is a person’s right to protest if they believe the government is being unjust. Hester refuses to follow Governor Bellingham's orders, crying out “ ‘God gave me the child! He gave her in requital of all things else, which he had taken from me . . . Ye shall not take her! I will die first!’ " (Hawthorne 133). The Governor wants Hester to give up her child, Pearl, because he believes Hester is not fit to raise Pearl in the proper way. Hester protests because Pearl is her salvation. Pearl is her fundamental purpose. She was given by God for Hester to take care of and the governor cannot lay a hand on her because Pearl is Hester’s responsibility. In short Hester believes Pearl is her salvation and will do anything to keep her by her side, even defy the

Hawthorne uses Hester’s portrayal as a hero to advocate for the Romantic ideology of individualism while shaming the negative effect society’s collectivism has towards advancement. In his novel, Hester is used to represent the Romantic hero, one whose honor is not determined by society’s rules, but by her own individuality. The Romantics believed in the value of

Emerson continues his criticism of society’s effect on the individual spirit by saying, “Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members” (Emerson). So instead of remaining immersed in this society, Hester lives on the near the woods with her daughter Pearl away from those who judge them. Her cottage is “on the outskirts of town… put out of the sphere of that social activity” (Hawthorne 76-77). The relative isolation Hester that experiences allows her to escape the constricting Puritan society and continue to be an independent person. Hester is truly independent because her fellow sinner Dimmesdale chooses to keep his identity a secret. She alone must make a living to provide for Pearl. Hester “possessed an art that sufficed… to provide food for her thriving infant and herself” (Hawthorne 77). Her ability to raise a child alone is a testament to Hester’s self-reliance. She is truly alone in the fact that she is on the outside of the society now as well, but she is still able to care for herself and her

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 -

Often in society people are criticized, punished and despised for their individual choices and flaws. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author uses Hester Prynne to symbolize that those who challenge social conformities can benefit society as a whole. Though she has been banished for committing adultery, she sees that the community needs her. Through her generous accomplishments the community realizes she is a person who, regardless of her sin, can affect the community in a positive way.