Hester Prynne is the main female protagonist in the novel, The Scarlet Letter (1850) Hester Prynne is the main female protagonist. Written) by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and throughout the book, a hostile New England puritanical community alienates her. This is because she conceives and delivers a child, Pearl, out of wedlock as the result of a relationship with a man preacher named Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale whom she is not married to. The only apparent salvation for Hester is for her to reveal the name
Women are generally portrayed as weak, but in The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is a strong female character. This was shown through various accomplishments in the novel such as, raising a daughter on her own, wearing the letter “A”, and protecting her lover by not giving out his name. Hester is also a form of feminism for Hawthorne. The definition of feminism can be seen as, a wanting in of equality for the female race. In this novel, Hester represents strength and independence within females. She
Cheris Kramarae, “feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings” (Good Reads.) In the 19th century, when The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was written, it was most commonly used to “label” the fight for women’s vote and property ownership. Now in the 21st century it is used to fight for equality between men and women in politics and the workplace. Hester Prynne is a feminist because it can be inferred that she disagrees with the notions that women have to hide their feelings and
inflict harsh punishment upon everyone. Hester Prynne, the protagonist, is shunned throughout the novel due to the impact of the scarlet letter. She fights the oppression imposed upon her and instead gains her own self-dependence. Hester redefines the role of women in society. My opinion on this matter is that Hester’s journey creates a greater understanding of how far she has risen above societal stereotypes. Many critics state that Salem’s community restricts Hester Prynne’s freedoms, but I believe that
novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne, is vividly portrayed as a rebuked female figure in this respective era. Obstinate lustful woman as she is initially characterized, the scarlet letter wearer demonstrates a fusion of passionate and indifferent traits for which she is praised by numerous readers. Hence classifying her
as a direct violation of the covenant, and unforgivably against God’s will. It can be suggested that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter as a cautionary tale of future guilt, grief and suffering to those who have contemplated the idea of sinning, and therefore violating God’s will. The bleak result of guilt and sin can be seen primarily within
The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, portrays the shameful life the main character, Hester Prynne, because of a sinful encounter that resulted in her daughter Pearl. Throughout the novel it is evident that she grows close with a minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, who later is revealed as the father of Pearl. However, Hester’s public shame of adultery is never shared with Reverend Dimmesdale. Because of this, many may infer that Hester’s ignominy caused her greater suffering than the self-shame
character is to empower them. In The Scarlet Letter, author Nathaniel Hawthorne accounts the tale of Hester Prynne, a woman in Puritan Boston accused of adultery and forced to wear a red embroidered “A” on her chest. For the past two centuries, Hester Prynne has fascinated literary critics and readers, such as Nina Baym and Kathryn Harrison, startled by her unorthodox characterization in such a conservative and religious environment. Although Hawthorne is harsh on Prynne, he does not condemn her; rather
analysis of The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, reveals several symbols, one of the most prominent being the scarlet letter. Throughout the novel the scarlet letter contributes to the plot by being the object of concern. Nearly every event in the novel is due to the scarlet letter and its significance to others. The scarlet letter takes several forms throughout the novel, first being adultery and sin. Branded on her chest by the letter glowing with scarlet, Hester Prynne is commanded to show
"Ah, but," interposed, more softly, a young wife, holding a child by the hand, "let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart." (Hawthorne, 2) In The Scarlet Letter, the leaders of the town are very stringent and sin is a big deal. Hester Prynne is caught in adultery and she is punished greatly because of it. She is shunned from society and considered a renegade. She does not try to be an interloper and there is always a hiatus between her and the townspeople. She