Hester will not be the only one put to shame. After that conversation, his name is now Roger Chillingworth.
Hester will not be the only one put to shame. After that conversation, his name is now Roger Chillingworth.
The weird ethical hazard to Hester in her loneliness was that it gave her moreover small chance for demonstrative interaction with other people. Hawthorne forced the readers to ponder that how a woman committing adultery is a major offence in a hypocritical society. Hawthorne symbolized Hester as an agent and a rebel who violates laws as Tony Tanner offered a likely justification by saying that:…
I believe the strangers vow to reveal the identity of Hester’s lover will become very important throughout the novel. I expect him to become overcome with the obsession of revealing…
Hester’s view on the situation is she thinks because Roger Chilingworth had not stayed with her and traveled to America with her she was lonely and had an affair with Arthur Dimmesdale. This affair had lead to the birth of Pearl, a young and beautiful baby. Although Pearl was a living example of my wrong doings she is my most…
Furthermore, while being held captive inside the prison Hester’s husband visits her and tells her things such as “how could I delude myself with the idea that intellectual gifts might veil physical deformity in a young girl’s fantasy”. Meaning that he knew a beautiful girl like Hester would cheat on him and be miserable. As she defends herself by saying “you knew I didn’t love you and I will not give up my secret lover”. Roger Chillingworth dedicates himself to finding out who the guy who wronged them both.…
Hester was convicted of being an adulterer, and the novels follows her story in a 17th century Puritan town. The tale focuses on Hester, her daughter Pearl, her lover Dimmesdale, and her husband Chillingworth. They are all enduring their own battles with sin, some coming out of it better than others. Pearl is a physical version of Hester and Dimmesdale’s consciences. Pearl serves as a living version of the scarlet A on Hester’s chest. She torments Hester, and pushes Dimmesdale to acknowledge his sins. Pearl serves as a major character in this classic tragedy, and leaves the character better off than they…
Hester is a stubborn adulteress. Her husband questions her about the father of the child and she replies,…
Throughout the story, the reader can clearly identify the contrast of Hester’s views of her scarlet letter from the beginning of the book to the end. The defiance and ignorance of Hester is clearly visible when Hester is being questioned on the pedestal by Reverend Mr. Wilson. “Speak out thy name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast. …Never! It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!” (47). This dialogue between Reverend Mr. Wilson and Hester clearly defines Hester’s thoughts and feelings towards her sin at the beginning of the book. It exposes Hester’s lack of self-acceptance of her adultery crime when she refuses to give out the name of the father of the baby. Further into the book, it is established Hester is a different woman who slowly defines herself as a sinner but an acceptor of her sin. After several years have passed since her sin, Hester is separated from the community but becomes very important to it with her needle work. She slowly morphs into a kind, helping community member who helps the less fortunate. All in all, Hester is a more confident and accepting person of herself and her life through the beginning of the book to the end.…
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…
In the beginning of the novel, Hester is described as being a tall, slim beautiful girl with "long, dark abundant hair" (51). She has a rich complexion, her eyes are dark and beautiful, and altogether is a gorgeous girl. Despite her outward appearance, she has a great personality as well. With her strong willed spirit and "wild and passionate heart" (Herzog 117), who can help but love her. Nevertheless, when Hester becomes imprisoned with a child, she is forced to become the mature mother that Pearl needs. When Hester is finally able to come home from prison, she emerges from the prison door, proud and beautiful wearing an embroidered scarlet letter "A" on her chest as she carries a three month old baby "'But Ah', Interposed more softly, a young wife holding the child 'let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will always be in her heart" (49). Her expression as she exited the prison did not seem to show any kind of regret. She seemed to be proud and unashamed of what she had done "with a burning blush and yet a haughty smile, and a glace that would not be abashed" (50).…
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a historical novel set in 17-century New England. It's a disturbing tale of Hester Prynne, a woman caught in a conflict between puritan ethics of her community and the law of her own love. The struggle is seen between the laws of the bible and those of her own moral authority. In this novel, Prynne survives through her trials and torments and triumphs over her adversities.…
Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is tormented by his sin, leading to his inevitable death. Hester Prynne must live with the retributions of her adultery every day of her life, Pearl being a constant reminder. Even Chillingworth disintegrates under the power of his own sin, that of revenge. It seems Hawthorne is trying to make a point in his novel; that it is impossible to escape the consequences of your actions (especially in Puritan New England)!…
“Whose is the greater guilt therein when either’s conduct may dismay: she who sins and takes the pay, or he who pays her for her sin?” (Cruz 296). In the 1600’s, when a woman commits adultery and brings shame upon her husband she is often put to death as punishment. However, in Hester Prynne’s case she is shamed with a scarlet letter and excluded from society. In the novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, Hester is forced to wear a Scarlet Letter “A” upon be bosom for the rest of her life. Yet, why is one person punished when the act of adultery must be committed by two? Hester’s partner in the sin committed, Mr. Dimmesdale, even though he was not revealed until the end of the story, would not have faced a punishment so severe.…
When Hester goes on the scaffold she is covering for Dimmesdale because he's a minister, but he might have wanted Hester to name him. When asking Hester on the scaffold Dimmesdale yells down “ then I charge you to speak out the name of your fellow Sinner and fellow sufferer!” (105). During her questioning, Hester doesn't reveal the name of Pearl's father even after being constantly asked. I think Hester is brave and loving for being so stubborn after officials bombard her…
She married the much older Roger Chillingworth, who spent long hours working on his books and experiments; yet she convinced herself that she was happy. When they left Amsterdam for the New World, he sent Hester ahead, but then he was reportedly lost at sea, leaving Hester alone among the Puritans of Boston. Officially, she is a widow. While not a Puritan herself, Hester looked to Arthur Dimmesdale for comfort and spiritual guidance. Somewhere during this period of time, their solace becomes passion and results in the birth of Pearl. Which brings up the question: Why didn't Hester tell who Pearl's father was on the scaffold? The reason she didn't do this is because she was still in love with Dimmesdale. She was still married to Chillingworth, but she was in love with Dimmesdale. The decision shows Hester's determination to stand alone despite the opinion of society. Despite her lonely existence, Hester somehow finds an inner strength to defy both the townspeople and the local government. This defiance becomes stronger and will carry her through later confrontations with both Chillingworth and Governor Bellingham. Her determination and lonely stand is repeated again when she confronts Governor Bellingham over the issue of Pearl's guardianship. When the governor determines to take Pearl away from her, Hester says, "God gave…
In Chapter Two, the narrator describes the scene of Hester Prynne walking out of the prison into the daylight. Hester 's reaction as she walks out of the prison into the crowd of people on her way to the market-place illustrates her motherly instincts. The young mother stands before the crowd with an expression that looks as if she might grasp the infant close to her chest; not to protect the infant, but hide an item sewn onto her dress. She quickly realizes that she cannot hide the shame sewn onto her dress with the shame she holds in her arms, and she then gazes around at the townspeople. A fine red letter A surrounded by fancy sewing of gold thread appears on her chest (Hawthorne 47). The young woman knows of the guilt and shame placed upon her, figuratively and literally. She knows it figuratively by the guilt and shame of having an affair. Literally by the scarlet red letter "A" sewn onto her gown with gold thread. She will not allow others to place fault on her for covering up or taking off the letter "A" from her clothing, giving her some sense innocence. In Chapter Three, Reverend Mr. Wilson tries to pressure and persuade Hester into giving up the name of the father of her baby. She refuses to speak of his name because she does not want him to bear the burden of the guilt. Reverend Mr. Wilson harshly cries out at Hester that she should not sin further than the limits of Heaven 's forgiveness. The baby in her arms will reveal to the counsel the name of Hester 's fellow sinner. He bargains with her that she can take the scarlet letter off her breast if she reveals his name. She refuses to speak the name or take the scarlet letter off her breast. Hester will bear the burden of his guilt and hers so that he can feel innocent and free (Hawthorne 61). Reverend Mr. Wilson tries to find out what man…