Daniel Shaye was a poor farmhand from Massachusetts when the Revolution broke out. He joined the Continental Army where he fought at Lexington, Bunker Hill, and Saratoga, and was eventually wounded in action. In 1780, he resigned from the army unpaid and went home to find himself in court for the nonpayment of debts. He soon found that he was not alone in being unable to pay his debts, and once even saw a sick woman who had her bed taken out from under her because she was also unable to pay. He started to get very angry about the country's actions. The rebellion started on August 29, 1786, and by January 1787, over one thousand Shaysites had been arrested. A militia that had been raised as a private army defeated an attack on the federal Springfield…
The Scarlet Letter is known for its enigmatic story telling nature through its author within an author within another author narration. Or simply yet Hester Prynne’s story, twice removed. Through this profound story of a young woman, Hester Prynne, living in the tenacious and pedestrian Puritan society of the New England…
In On the Scarlet Letter, D.H. Lawrence comments on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s controversial character, Hester Prynne. What makes Lawrence unique from other critics is that he criticizes Hester and Dimmesdale's’ sinful act, and he asserts negative opinions about the way Hester Prynne is conventionally perceived because of it. D.H. Lawrence presents a well written analysis that effectively castigates Hester Prynne’s characterization in the novel through biblical and literary allusions, harsh syntax, and a satirical tone.…
The Scarlet Letter is one of the first novels ever written to feature a strong female character as the lead role. Hester Prynne is punished for committing adultery against her ex husband Roger Dimmesdale. She is to be punished for seven, horrific, lonely years of her and her daughter, Pearl, lives. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is punished in three different ways.…
The Scarlet Letter is set in 17th century Massachusetts. It follows Hester Prynne and the consequences her “sin” has on her, her child, and the community as a whole. Most believe Hester is going to hell and that she gave birth to the devil because of having sex out of marriage. Her husband, Roger Chillingworth wants revenge on her and her unannounced partner in crime. Pearls involvement in Hawthorne's novel in crucial by bringing Hester's sin to life; therefore, creating challenges for her within the Puritan community.…
In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne one of the main characters in Hester Prynne. She is a convicted adulterer, and the story follows her starting in 1642 in a Puritan town. She and her illegitimate daughter, Pearl, along with her lover, Dimmesdale, and husband, Chillingworth, are the main focus of this dramatic tale. Through her actions and words, Pearl is a “device” to move the consciences of her parents to end their sinful situation. Pearl’s physical obsession with the scarlet A torments her mother, at one point making her physically put it back on, all while forcing her to confront her sins. Pearl also pressures Dimmesdale into acknowledging her as his daughter, and admitting his sins. Pearl is an important aspect of this tragic…
The tragedy of adultery was a direct result of a twisted relationship. Although Hester did sin, she remained true to herself and wore the A as her duty. However, Dimmesdale, whom was the dad, preached and kept punishing her even though he committed the same sin. I agree with Carpenter and his views. Hester’s sin was not completely her fault. The author explains, “Because Hester Prynne was so perfectly loyal and loving that she would never abandon her lover, she was condemned by the Puritans” (Carpenter). I believe Hester never tried finding a way out of her punishment nor did she ever bring down Dimmesdale with her rather she dealt with the tragedy herself. This author spun a whole new perspective of the meanings of the different characters…
The Puritan Era was the most religious time in American history; committing any sin was seen as an act of rebellion. In that time the sin of adultery was taken very literally to an extent where the women were forced to wear the letter “A” across their bosom to show the people of the town what they had committed. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne’s sin results in such a punishment, but as the reader gets deeper into the book, a prominent and more profound understanding of Hester can be reached. It is through her struggles that Hawthorne gets across his primary themes. Hawthorne illustrates his theme through Hester's struggles that becoming an outcast can help one achieve a profound grasp of who they truly…
Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is set in Puritan Boston, New England. Hester Prynne is accused of adultery and brand with the letter “A” for the rest of her life. With Pearl in tow, Hester moves to a cottage to live her life. As time progresses conflicts arise and ideals fade. The “A” on Hester's chest has many stories changing with each character who tells it. Hester Prynne is the wearer of the “A.” Having the scarlet letter set on her at a young age, Hester absorbs the mark turning the hainted symbol into a representation of her character. Even the people who force Hester to wear the “A” change,”many people refused to interpret the scarlet letter A by its original signification.” The community of Boston has, at first, the view that the “A” has a connection to the devil. Later, after Hester shows courage despite her situation, the community has a changing of heart and…
How could breaking your promise with your husband, being shunned by society, and disobeying a commandment given by God possibly be good? In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne the book's main character, was forced to wear a scarlet stitched letter “A” on her chest after she had committed adultery. Although Hester was shamed and shunned by society she was lucky by Puritan standards to not be physically punished or even killed (“Puritan” US). Many adulterers in the Massachusetts Bay Company were subjected to public whippings and public executions (“Puritan” US). Hester’s sinful act was obviously very selfish and evil, Hester’s confession and punishment, which may seem extremely harsh in today's world, changed her for…
Feminism is the support for equal rights for both men and women, in the areas that include but are not limited to politics, economics, and social norms. In a more general sense, a feminist seeks a justified, balanced amount of opportunity for both sexes. The topic of feminism has been prevalent in more recent years, but not a few centuries ago. The romance novel The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, highlights a female protagonist named Hester Prynne who lived in the 17th century. She is portrayed as a strong feminist character throughout the novel by showing resilience, despite the lack of social equality during the Puritan times the novel takes place in. This novel displays acts of feminism as Hester Prynne lives her life with the stigma of adultery with the 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.…
As Hester tries to mend the community which she had damaged by committing the crime of adultery, she does charitable works for those around her. Most of her income from needlework goes to helping the poor and needy, and she also makes them simple clothing garments. This is ironic because her red badge on her chest was stitched with the same needle that is now doing good deeds for others. Hester continues doing her works of charity, and caring for the marginalized as though "her breast with its badge of shame was a softer pillow for the head that needed one" (111). Hester becomes a more generous person after her imprisonment and punishment because she tries to mend the damage she has done, one stitch of her needle at a time. Her generosity stems from her newfound motherly love as well as her understanding of exclusion from society.…
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism to reinforce the idea that, for every action, there is a positive or negative effect that will follow. In simple terms, if you do something bad, there will be a negative consequence. One of the main recurring symbols in the novel is the scarlet letter itself. The scarlet ‘A’ that Hester Prynne wears in the novel is worth a lot more than just its material value, it relays many ideas and themes. The ‘A’ is a punishment for one of the worst sins that could be committed; adultery. The punishment that is caused by the scarlet ‘A’ manifests itself in different ways and in different people. For example, Hester’s punishment comes in the form of public embarrassment and shame, whereas Minister Dimmesdale’s guilt comes in the form of personal guilt. The ‘A’ means different things at different times in the book also.…
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne presents motherhood as one of the main themes in the novel. The story is centered in Hester Prynne and the subsequent difficulties she had to overcome after committing adultery in a Puritan community. Early in the novel, specifically in the second chapter the author describes Hester Prynne and her baby as something extraordinary and beautiful: "... this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien, and with the infant at her bosom, an object to remind him of the image of the Divine Maternity… that sacred image of sinless motherhood, whose infant was to redeem the world.”…