Role Of Hester Prynne In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
Since Hester Prynne has sinned and demoralized the town of Boston, Massachusetts, there has been argument regarding the new mother's punishment. People of the town have wondered if she should be able to keep her child, if she should be able to be one in the crowd, and even if she should be able to live. Hester Prynne's consequences are not harsh enough for her unholy actions, and they should be modified to better suit God's wishes.
Hester Prynne should not be allowed to carry on in our society after committing her acts of sin. She had committed adultery, and instead of devoting her life to her husband, she has devoted it to sin. Miss Prynne should, at the very least, be banished for her sins. "Throughout them all, giving her individuality,
she would become the general symbol at which the moralist and preacher might point, and in which they might vivify and embody their images of woman's frailty and sinful passion." (Hawthorne 60) She sets a bad example for everyone, especially the children. This includes her own abomination of a daughter, Pearl, who has already lashed out at innocent townsfolk, no doubt due to being improperly raised by the adulterer.
Clearly Pearl is not being taught proper behavior and must be reprimanded. Hester should not be allowed to keep her child of sin. Pearl has already shown signs of disobedience. "But Pearl, who is a dauntless child, after frowning, stamping her foot, and shaking her little hand with a variety of threatening gestures, suddenly made a rush at the knot of her enemies, and put them all to flight" (Hawthorne 83). Miss Prynne will drive the child away from the Puritan church.
While Pearl still has time to be redeemed in the eyes of God and the church, her mother does not. Hester is showing no humiliation for her actions. This is evident in her actions of holding her head high as she left jail and embroidering and embracing her scarlet letter. She has no shame, and she never begged for forgiveness. She will not reveal the name of her secret lover, either, which puts us all on edge. "Ask me not!" Replied Hester Prynne, looking firmly into his face. "That though shalt never know!" (Hawthorne 62). She will not budge, showing lack of obedience and respect.
If Hester is not punished properly, it sets a bad reputation for the Puritan church and Boston as a town. Allowing her to walk away unscathed will encourage others to do the same and walk all over God's sacred law. If she is not properly disciplined as God wants, who will take her punishment but the people of the church who chose not to truly punish her in the first place? Someone has to receive the consequences of God, and it should be no one but the sinner herself. If the church does not punish Hester, they are the sinners by not carrying out God's commands. Innocent people should not be expected to take God's wrath for her, and they are not innocent once they protect Hester Prynne from God. By not punishing her properly, the people of Boston are going against God and not carrying out His work.
In summary, Hester has proven that she is not sorry for her sins. She is arrogant, and her actions will and have taken a toll on others. It is not fair to allow her to continue on in the beautiful town that is Boston, Massachusetts, among the good people of God in it. She deserves a punishment that God will be proud of.
Hester Prynne should not be allowed to carry on in our society after committing her acts of sin. She had committed adultery, and instead of devoting her life to her husband, she has devoted it to sin. Miss Prynne should, at the very least, be banished for her sins. "Throughout them all, giving her individuality,
she would become the general symbol at which the moralist and preacher might point, and in which they might vivify and embody their images of woman's frailty and sinful passion." (Hawthorne 60) She sets a bad example for everyone, especially the children. This includes her own abomination of a daughter, Pearl, who has already lashed out at innocent townsfolk, no doubt due to being improperly raised by the adulterer.
Clearly Pearl is not being taught proper behavior and must be reprimanded. Hester should not be allowed to keep her child of sin. Pearl has already shown signs of disobedience. "But Pearl, who is a dauntless child, after frowning, stamping her foot, and shaking her little hand with a variety of threatening gestures, suddenly made a rush at the knot of her enemies, and put them all to flight" (Hawthorne 83). Miss Prynne will drive the child away from the Puritan church.
While Pearl still has time to be redeemed in the eyes of God and the church, her mother does not. Hester is showing no humiliation for her actions. This is evident in her actions of holding her head high as she left jail and embroidering and embracing her scarlet letter. She has no shame, and she never begged for forgiveness. She will not reveal the name of her secret lover, either, which puts us all on edge. "Ask me not!" Replied Hester Prynne, looking firmly into his face. "That though shalt never know!" (Hawthorne 62). She will not budge, showing lack of obedience and respect.
If Hester is not punished properly, it sets a bad reputation for the Puritan church and Boston as a town. Allowing her to walk away unscathed will encourage others to do the same and walk all over God's sacred law. If she is not properly disciplined as God wants, who will take her punishment but the people of the church who chose not to truly punish her in the first place? Someone has to receive the consequences of God, and it should be no one but the sinner herself. If the church does not punish Hester, they are the sinners by not carrying out God's commands. Innocent people should not be expected to take God's wrath for her, and they are not innocent once they protect Hester Prynne from God. By not punishing her properly, the people of Boston are going against God and not carrying out His work.
In summary, Hester has proven that she is not sorry for her sins. She is arrogant, and her actions will and have taken a toll on others. It is not fair to allow her to continue on in the beautiful town that is Boston, Massachusetts, among the good people of God in it. She deserves a punishment that God will be proud of.