Hester And Her Importance
Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of the book The Scarlet Letter, introduces three major characters in his telling of a story, set in a 17th-century puritan colony, of betrayal, struggle and repentance. Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth lives are explicitly intertwined in the narrative. But the main focus by the author is the actions of Hester Prynne and the impact of these actions on others throughout the novel. As the main character, Hester is first introduced to us by several outraged rotund and ruddy-cheeked matrons expressing how they would have handled the punishment of Hester for adultery. “At the very least they should have put a iron on Hester Pyrnne’s forehead” (Hawthorne ###), they echoed as these matrons righteously attend an execution on the gallows in a market place. “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die: is there not law for it?” (Hawthorne ###). But despite this scorn, Hester chooses not to cower in her public shaming but faces her situation holding her infant with as much dignity, spirit and ladylike demeanor in a way that allows her natural beauty to show. In fact, the narrator in Hawthorne’s book continuously remarks on Hester’s beauty and states “Here was the taint of deepest sin the most sacred quality of woman’s beauty, and the most lost for the infant she had borne" (1034?). Meaning that her sins are labeled and judged in the minds of others because if they had not previously
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, is a compassionate yet riveting piece of English literature that supports the movement for equality of suppressed women during a most tumultuous time during the 1800’s. Hawthorne’s use of emotional diction and imagery throughout his novel employs a deplorable tone upon the story. It serves as a stark representation of an imaginative yet realistic example of the indifference of men and women during these changing times. Deeply held Puritanical beliefs led countless of people to believe that individuals, especially women, who committed sins of any type would never reach heaven upon their passing. Men, on the other hand, were judged less severely if accused of a crime. Hester Prynne, the
Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter is a unique character. She shows a lot of strength. Hawthorne creates a Puritan Society who isolates Hester, which made her a character of her own uniqueness. Hester is a woman of strength, compassion, and honesty.
The Puritan townspeople of Boston, Massachusetts, punish a woman for committing an ignominious act with an unexpected man. Hester stands alone on the scaffold as townspeople scowl and judge, wondering who her lover is. The innocent town seamstress is a sinner in the eyes of the pure citizens. As Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter continues, the residents notice Hester’s abilities when caring for her daughter. She also regains respect as the bearer of the scarlet letter, the emblem she wears that “takes her out of the ordinary relationships with humanity and encloses her in a sphere by herself” (Hawthorne 51). Mistress Hester Prynne is an example taught to others because of her hardships faced without her true love. Hester transforms
“To be- or not to be.” Isn’t that the question that revolves around everything? In order to become something, one must first do something. In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, an adulterous woman lives with the consequences of her actions. Throughout the years, she became something different than she was before her sin. Some say that Hester remained a sinner and that her sin was so enormous that she could not remove it from her name. Others argue that she became a victim of society where no one let her move on from her sin, though she had undergone a heartfelt change. Finally- the best choice- Hester became a saint and changed her life for better in order to change the lives of those around her.
> Hester had many different and elegant appearances, she was tall, was elegance, had dark abundant hair, she was considered very beautiful, had had deep black eyes. However, with her scarlet letter upon her bosom, all her appearance changed mostly covering her beauty.
Of course the answer to this question is "neither" if she must be only one or the other. In one way, Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is a much less complicated character than her lover because her great sin is known to all and how she deals with it is overt; however, because of that public punishment, Hester does not have to deal with the effects of her sin on her soul in the same way that Arthur Dimmesdale must. If a sinner is defined simply as someone who has sinned, then Hester is, indeed, a sinner. If we think of a sinner as being someone who persists in committing the same sin--then I might make the case that Hester is a sinner. The truth is that Hester is really only sorry for getting caught, which she does because she is pregnant.
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the idolization of Arthur Dimmesdale, and the demonization of Hester Prynne and her eventual adoration to claim that viewing people in divine terms is necessary for society to justify its own morality. The Puritans use their initial revilement of Hester Prynne and their later reverence of her to justify their own misguided righteousness. In Hawthorne’s novel, Hester Prynne commits the ignominious sin of adultery, yet as the novel progresses, the Puritans that once coldly shunned her instead welcome her kind character with a warm embrace. Her formerly scorned “A” —meant to stand as a moral executioner’s blade on her heart— becomes a symbol of the community’s pride in her.
Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter is most wronged by not one of the characters, but by the author Nathaniel Hawthorne himself, inadvertently, through his portrayal of women.
Hester Prynne of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, strong, confident woman who remains determined to keep her love life hidden from society. Despite the criticism, even threats delivered from the town couldn’t affect the loyalty and bravery of Hester keeping her secret. Her ability to endure public shame and isolation exemplifies her strength of character.
Case Introduction Hester Prynne is a 30-year-old white European woman. She disclosed that she was born in New England in 1804. She indicated that she came from a middle class family. She felt that her parents were always attentive, loving, and supportive. She claimed that her psychological, emotional, and physical needs were met.
Who is ultimately the best guardian for a child? Is it someone who teaches his or her child to fit in with society, or is it someone who teaches his or her child to be themselves? Teaching a child to be themselves and proud of who they are will benefit them in the long run by giving them confidence. In the novel The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, the author presents the characters Hester Prynne and her outspoken, capricious daughter, Pearl. Throughout the novel, Hester Prynne is challenged with the idea that she is not capable of being the best guardian for Pearl. Although the townspeople suggest Hester is not teaching Pearl correct Puritan values, Hester is teaching her daughter to be herself and to be proud of
In the Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne the reader gets the sense that Hester Prynne is a complex character during her introduction. Although she is known for being corrupted, she still appears to be somewhat innocent, shown when the narrator describes, “She turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter and even touched it with her finger to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real” (41). The reader gains respect for Hester due to her brave composed appearance which “never had...appeared more lady-like...than as she issued from the prison” (37). More character traits are revealed when she refuses to give up name of the baby’s father, demonstrating her stubborn and selfless will to take the fall for her sin. Hawthorne depicts
Nathaniel Hawthorne generates a female principle figure who acquires determination, bravery, and courage throughout The Scarlet Letter. Although some critics of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic piece consider the protagonist to be a heroine, others differ in their opinions. Nonetheless, Nathaniel Hawthorne clearly produced a dauntless, female icon through his character, Hester Prynne. Due to her choice to take full responsibility for the sin of adultery, as well as her decision to live a self-reliant lifestyle with her newborn, Pearl, Hester Prynne, in fact, possesses heroic traits.
Hester Prynne, the central character in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, is a truly unique one. She is unique in how she defies traditional gender roles, and she "challenges the male-centered outlook of authors." (Napikoski) She challenges by being a woman obviously, which seems to exhilarate feminists, because you know, "Feminism is all about burning bras. And hating men. And being a witch, lesbian, and communist all lumped into one." (Shmoop Editorial Team.)
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.