Preview

Hester Prynne

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
853 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Hester Prynne
Hester Prynne signifies a women of grace and wild spirit. Strong-willed and beautiful, Hester Prynne has also defied the Puritans ways. Though she is ladylike and prideful, she is faced with the trouble of being a sinner. The innocence of any human can be taken away in a flash, and in the case of Hester Prynne, her innocence escapes her after she commits a horrific sin. Hester is immediately isolated in her town because she commits an act of adultery, resulting in a Scarlet Letter forever engraved on her bosom, serving as a constant reminder of the mistakes in her past. In many ways throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hester overcomes her sin and redeems herself to her town, revealing her inner power and strength. Even though Hester’s situation leaves forces her to be an outcast in the town, she still confines strength and discards the label of being an "Adulteress" by showing stability.
Hester Prynne is the main symbol of isolation and alienation throughout The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne emphasizes her isolation by writing that she is “ Alone in the world, cast off by it, and with this sole treasure to keep her heart alive, she felt that she possessed the indefeasible rights against the world” (Hawthorne 100) because of her sin. As a symbol of evil and darkness, Hester is viewed by her strict Puritan town as an outsider. After Hester’s crime of adultery was known to all, Hester's reputation and appearance of what people viewed her as is completely changed and her goodness started going unnoticed. The town's harsh thoughts of her sin are revealed through a local woman as she testifies that “...At the very least, they should have put the brand of hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead" (Hawthorne 36). Hester never escapes the feelings of being alienated in the progression of her life. Her "ornament,--the scarlet letter,--which was her doom to wear" (Hawthorne 79) was shown throughout town, sequestering her from everyone else. Hester knows that even if she was
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Hester Prynne: Among The Labeled In The Scarlet Letter
    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hester Prynne: Among The Labeled In The Scarlet Letter

    The people of the town see otherwise until they see the great improvement in her attitude as she's helping by doing various tasks in her town. When walking through town, “…she never raised her head to receive their greeting. If they were resolute to accost her, she laid her finger on the scarlet letter and passed on” (Hawthorne, 127). The guilt is destroying her and overwhelming which results in her change in the novel. A living reminder of her sin of course Pearl, her constant companion. One also affected by Hester's change is her daughter Pearl; the same traits that Hester has are displayed by pearl in the story. It is true what Hester believes in as far as committing sin help one discover themselves but run the risk of being talked down soon by friends or just the local town folk. She uses her experiences and helps change the perspective of the to the townsfolk, regarding their idea on the letter "A". How does this not bother her? Hester is strong mentally as she is physical. One of the greatest sins is not taking a toll on her reputation because others seem to look past it and notice her for the person she has become and not the girl she was before she committed the…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay Scarlet Letter Rhetorical Analysis
    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Essay Scarlet Letter Rhetorical Analysis

    For Hester, the scarlet letter represents a hindrance to her freedom, reminding her of her heavy sin. Hawthorne uses a metaphor in this passage, comparing the effect of the scarlet letter as a “withering spell.” This shows how one sinful act can prevent Hester from experiencing joys in life, similar to how putting on the scarlet letter hides Hester’s hair, and therefore, her femininity. The phrase “an evil deed invests itself with the character of doom,” describes how an evil act leads to one’s downfall. This supports the theme that one cannot escape one’s own…

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Mistress Hibbins In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'
    • 4855 Words
    • 20 Pages

    Mistress Hibbins In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

    The women, though, condemn Hester Prynne and say that she brings disgrace upon all the women. Someone so beautiful like Hester comes from the door, and the crowd is able to see the scarlet letter as well as the baby in her arms. The children and adults gaze, while she walks toward the gallows. Standing on the gallows alone, she starts dreaming of her previous life in England. Hester remembers her father, her mother, and herself when she was a child. She also saw a man, who is pale, thin, and has a scholar-like visage. She comes back to reality noticing the grim faces looking at her. Hester touches the Scarlet Letter as to make sure her punishment and shame were forreal.…

    • 4855 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Did Chillingworth's Change In The Scarlet Letter
    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages

    How Did Chillingworth's Change In The Scarlet Letter

    Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter follows the life of Hester Prynne after she commits adultery and is forced to wear the scarlet letter upon her bosom for the rest of her life. Hawthorne uses setting, allusion, metaphor, irony, and diction to set a sombre tone. In chapter 9, Hawthorne reveals the evil qualities of Roger Chillingworth and Reverend Dimmesdale’s disposition. In the battle of good and evil, good does not always win.…

    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hester Prynne In Scarlet Letter
    • 536 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hester Prynne In Scarlet Letter

    In chapter two of The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne describes Hester Prynne as she stands on a pedestal in front of her community and gets publicly condemned for her adultery. Hawthorne shows the irony in the situation through the symbol of Pearl being just as sinful as the letter A embroidered on Hester’s clothing. He also irony irony in describing the A and how it is so similar to how Hester herself is portrayed. Lastly, Hawthorne describes Hester’s physical beauty and the irony of how the town doesn’t see her as someone who wasn’t a Puritan would be.…

    • 536 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hester Prynne Social Pressure
    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Hester Prynne Social Pressure

    The Scarlet Letter is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This essay discusses how Hester is a victim of her social pressure. She was punished for something she did to achieve her dream of having someone that loves her. Hester committed adultery with minister Dimmesdale and had a child with him, Pearl. Her punishment was to stand on the scaffold with her child and wear the letter A on her breast as a sign of her “crime”. Due to the strictures of the puritan society, Hester Prynne suffers from public shaming. She almost lost her only child, and was not able to openly love who she wanted.…

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Scarlet Letter Gender Roles
    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Scarlet Letter Gender Roles

    In the scarlet letter, the main character, Hester Prynne, both excepts and rejects traditional gender roles for her culture. This is evident throughout the whole book as she rejects the typical stereotype of women of this day in time, while she also follows along with it as well. Also in this book it is obvious of another character who is less of what the typical man should be. Therefore making Hester Prynne a powerful symbol of strength for women by not completely conforming to the typical role that women often played during this point in time in the puritan society.…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Feminism In The Scarlet Letter
    • 1271 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Feminism In The Scarlet Letter

    In the beginning of the novel, Hester’s community, specifically the goodwives, discuss how they are angry with Hester’s punishment because they think it is not severe enough. One of the goodwives says, “I’ll tell ye a piece of my mind. It would be greatly for the public behoof, if we women, being of mature age and church-members in good repute, should have the handling of such malefactresses as this Hester Prynne. What think ye, gossips? If the hussy stood up for judgment before us five, that are now here in a knot together, would she come off with such a sentence as the worshipful magistrates have awarded? Marry, I trow not!” (46) This quote shows the community’s resentment of Hester near the beginning of the novel. However, later in the book, it is revealed that as the years have gone by, Hester gained much respect and love through the community because of her hard work and her charity services. Her symbol, the scarlet letter, has also changed in meaning over time. Now, it is not a symbol of sin and isolation, but instead a symbol of Hester’s strength and kindness. Hawthorne says, “Such helpfulness was found in her,--so much power to do, and power to sympathize,--that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They say that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a…

    • 1271 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    The Scarlet Mob Scribblers: Rereading Hester Prynne
    • 1946 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The Scarlet Mob Scribblers: Rereading Hester Prynne

    Jamie Barlowe wrote a literary criticism about the novel called The Scarlet Mob of Scribblers: Rereading Hester Prynne. In this piece of literature, Barlowe also expresses how Hester Prynne was alienated from the Puritan community. The scarlet letter “A” placed on Hester’s bosom represents the sin she committed and reminds her every day of the mistake she made. Throughout history, the color red symbolized sin and evil (Barlowe 44). Once again society has a big impact on how one is seen by others. Barlowe states “We come from a society where the lady in red is all danger and unresolvable mystery” (10). Hester is most definitely seen as the woman with whom not to associate. She was seen as “sin” and was the symbol of what people should not become. Barlowe reinforces the fact that Hester was “socially, politically, and religiously alienated from the community” (44). Although Hester was seen as an outcast, her tragedy led to a valuable lesson for all. She taught readers that people make mistakes, and they must hold their head up high and dig deep for their inner strength. . Hester Prynne was a prime example that one’s silence cannot protect oneself (Barlowe 10). The Scarlet Letter depicts how people will form unfair opinions and judgments. Hester contradicts this depiction towards the end of the novel when she starts helping out the sick. She does everything she can to prove to towns people and herself that she is a good person despite her mistake. The letter “A” soon turned from “adulterer” to “able”. Being shunned from society had really taught Hester that other’s opinions matter far less than the opinion we have of ourselves. That is the opinion in life that matters most of…

    • 1946 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Similarities Between To Kill A Mockingbird And The Scarlet Letter
    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Similarities Between To Kill A Mockingbird And The Scarlet Letter

    In Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, he writes a gloomy story that talks about a young woman named, Hester Prynne. As the story begins Hawthorne states,” …that SCARLET LETTER, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom.”(Hawthorne 32). In this time, it was unusual for someone to have a scarlet letter since women only got these because they have committed the sin of adultery. This scarlet…

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Scarlet Letter Alienation Quotes
    • 1159 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Scarlet Letter Alienation Quotes

    The most important symbol in the book, the embroidered "A" on her bosom, sewed on as punishment for adultery, is also a symbol for alienation. She is different from all of society because of that mark, and can never live a normal life because of it. "...Let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart," (38), said a townsperson at first sight of the scarlet letter. As seen in this quote, society will always look at the scarlet letter as a wall between themselves and Hester. Hester's behavior shows how greatly she is affected by her alienation. "Lonely as was Hester's situation and without a friend on earth who dared to she herself, she, however, incurred no risk of want," (57); in this quote one sees how being alienated from society can cause a person to become an introvert and become a lifeless body as Hester had become. There is a lot of drama surrounding Hester; all of society looks at Hester in shame. This complete shun from society drives Hester to live in an isolated cottage away from people. "In this little, lonesome dwelling...Hester established herself with her infant child," (57). This particular dramatic event alienated Hester geographically as well as socially. Hester's alienation also causes others to become alienated like her daughter and the one she has an affair with; however, Hester is most sharply alienated from…

    • 1159 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Feminism In The Scarlett Letter
    • 1553 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Feminism In The Scarlett Letter

    The scarlet letter brings with it the punishing mockery and humiliation from her fellow Puritans, so continuing to bear this mark requires a great amount of strength. Hawthorne wrote Hester’s character to seem beautiful yet powerful in that she believes her own sinful ways cannot be redeemed or reconciled without proper punishment. Until Hester believes that she has renounced her sinful ways and learned from her mistakes, she will not allow herself or anyone in the town to remove the letter. During her discourse with Roger Chillingworth regarding the removal of the scarlet letter, Hester responds, “It lies not in the pleasure of the magistrates to take off this badge...Were I worthy to be quit of it, it would fall away of its own nature, or be transformed into something that should speak a different purport” (153). Hester believes that it is not in her own power or the power of the town to remove the scarlet letter from her bosom. Although the letter can be physically removed, it cannot be removed by God until Hester becomes worthy of its removal. Hester also discusses the removal of the scarlet letter when she faces public humiliation for her crimes near the beginning of her story. Near the end of the novel, when Hester returns from Europe to Boston without Pearl, Hester still continues to wear the letter. Hawthorne describes this event when he writes, “But her hesitation was only for an instant, though long enough to display a scarlet letter on her breast. And Hester Prynne had returned, and taken up her long-forsaken shame” (233) Although Hester has already completed her punishment of bearing the shame of the scarlet letter, she still continues to wear the letter after returning. This not only characterizes Hester as a determined woman, but also shows how the scarlet letter has become a part…

    • 1553 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    stupid paper
    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages

    stupid paper

    To begin with, the most important and influential symbol in the entire book is the infamous scarlet letter, hence the title, The Scarlet Letter. In the second chapter, Hester walks out of the prison, wearing the ill-famed scarlet letter ‘A’. During the first few years of Hester’s punishment, the letter was a daily reminder of shame. Hawthorne marks, “…Hester Prynne had always this dreadful agony in feeling a human eye upon the token; the spot never grew callous; it seemed, on the contrary, to grow more sensitive with daily torture.”(90). As the story unfolds, though, this letter comes to mean other things to Hester and the people. Rather than bringing torture to Hester, it eventually becomes a symbol to some people meaning “able.” Hawthorne writes, “They said that it meant ‘Able’; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength.”(178). Then a few pages later, “The scarlet letter had not done its office.”(182). The scarlet letter was meant as a punishment for Hester, and yet here we see that it hasn’t punished Hester. It was applied to her so she wud feel and show others her sin and how she is punished by it. She writes, “Thus, we…

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Scarlet Letter
    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Scarlet Letter

    Hawthorne uses imagery to present a picture of the Puritan town in which Hester Prynne resides. These Puritans are described as strict and unforgiving, a society based on the “iron frame-work of reasoning”(line 7). The scarlet letter represents this town’s “gray” feel. There is no tolerance for any ungodly behavior, however the A also represents this town’s gossipy nature. Hawthorne writes, “Then, it is true, the propensity of the human nature to tell the very worst of itself…to whisper the black scandal of bygone years“ (Lines 26,27,29,30). As word of Hester Prynne’s affair travels, the scarlet letter more and more defines Hester as the town reject.…

    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    The Scarlet Letter
    • 1496 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Scarlet Letter

    “He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at it, is a saint; that boasteth of it, is a devil” (Thomas Fuller). In modern times, society doesn’t sentence a man to jail time for committing the crime of adultery. We have grown to accept adultery more in our society today than people did in the 17th century. Back then, committing the sin of adultery was as bad as murder, and an adulterer could be sentenced to death. Luckily for Hester Prynn in The Scarlet Letter, she is not sentenced to death for committing adultery. She is forced to wear a scarlet letter A on her bosom to show and remind everyone in her village of the crime she committed. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the scarlet letter A, the comet, and Dimmsdales mark as a reoccurring symbol of sin in the novel.…

    • 1496 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics