Hester’s Strengths as a Feminist Protagonist in The Scarlet Letter Feminism is the philosophy advocating equal political‚ economic‚ and social rights for women. The idea of feminism was not at all prevalent during the 1850s when Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter was published. In spite of this‚ Hawthorne wrote one of the most influential feminist novels of his time: The Scarlet Letter. This novel was hailed as an important feminist novel because of the main character: Hester Prynne. Hester
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Symbols of Guilt Within The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter‚ a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the 1800’s‚ transports readers to a Puritan town in the 1600’s. Hawthorne‚ nephew of the Puritan Judge John Hathorne‚ was very fixated on puritanism and theocracy. Throughout his novel Hawthorne repeatedly emphasizes the importance of the Christian religion in the theocratic town. Along with stressing the topic of religion Hawthorne also accentuates the theme of guilt within his novel and uses
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Hollywood scene and probably a rather erotic book. Add Puritan ideals and writing styles‚ making it long‚ drawn out‚ sleep inducing‚ tedious‚ dim-witted‚ and the end result is The Scarlet Letter. Despite all these unfavorable factors it is considered a classic and was a statement of the era (Letter 1).<br><br>The Scarlet Letter is pervaded with profound symbolism and revolves around the idea that hidden guilt causes more suffering than open guilt. This theme along with its symbolism is demonstrated through
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everywhere in everyday life. Beginning before even before 1640‚ people in the newly established colonies were forced to wear letters on their chests for all of the public to see. People who refused were actually whipped and beaten to coerce them into wearing their letters. One particular letter was the scarlet letter “A” which represented adultery. In the novel The Scarlet Letter‚ the leading woman‚ Hester Prynne‚ is forced to wear an “A” for her sin. Hawthorne uses Hester as an example to the rest of
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individuals with different life experiences that help define who they are. Nathaniel Hawthorne also criticizes the Utopian ideals that societies often hold in his novel‚ The Scarlet Letter. The main character‚ Hester goes astray from the rules of her Puritan town and must wear a scarlet letter on her chest to declare her sin. The scarlet letter isolates Hester from the pressures to conform to society‚ giving her the opportunity to find her individualistic moral perspective in life and she shares this revelation
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truth. Throughout the short story “The Minister’s Black Veil”‚ Reverend Hooper was treated as an outcast for confessing to his sins. Although Hooper was doing the right thing in God’s eyes the community thought of Hooper’s sacrifices as evil. In “The Minister’s Black Veil”‚ Hawthorne portrays God as Hoopers greatest value as he examines the dignity‚ happiness‚ and relationships Hooper sacrificed for his relationship with God. By wearing the veil Reverend Hooper lost all of his self-respect and dignity
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Hester’s Scarlet Letter In the novel‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ the protagonist‚ Hester Prynne‚ is forced to publically wear her sin on her sleeve. She committed adultery‚ which was a sin that was highly chastised by the Puritan society. The Scarlet Letter that Hester wore first symbolized the burden and humiliation that accompanied the sin. Throughout the novel however‚ the meaning of the letter changed to parallel Hester’s own development into a strong‚ independent woman. The letter starts out
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brings loneliness‚ and few have been able to show as well as Hawthorne how private and bitter loneliness can be...Hawthorne also indicates that guilt repressed is far more devastating in its effects than guilt openly acknowledged...” In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ the protagonist‚ Arthur Dimmesdale‚ committed a sin of adultery but he publicly confessed his role in the indiscretion. The fact that Hester takes all the blame for their sin irritates his conscience‚ and he physically
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The effect of the symbol--or‚ rather‚ of the position in respect of society that was indicated by it-- on the mind of Hester Prynne herself‚ was powerful and peculiar. All the light and graceful foliage of her character had been withered up by this red-hot brand‚ and had long ago fallen away‚ leaving a bare and harsh outline‚ which might have been repulsive‚ had she possessed friends or companions to be repelled
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having the freedom to do something without being judged by others. People seemed to jump to conclusion that the Mr. Hooper was hiding something and keeping a secret sin. The veil was symbolized as a fearful secret between his community and him and they found themselves too intimidated to approach him and ask why he wore the black veil. "What‚ but the mystery which it obscurely typifies‚ has made this piece of crape so awful? When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend the lover to his best beloved;
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