Hawthorne attributes this transformation to her lonely position in the world and her suffering. In doing so she becomes overwhelmed with courage and conviction and assumes a redemption that is denied to most of her fellow townspeople. the transformations those forces effect. By the alienated from the rest of the community, Hester becomes contemplative. She has nothing but her strength of spirit to sustain her. novel’s end, Hester has become a protofeminist mother figure to . Hester Prynne, the book is not so much a consideration of her innate Hester Prynne is a woman who challenges societal norms because she was tenacious. What we know about Hester from the days prior to her punishment is that she came from a "genteel but impoverished English family" of notable lineage. While she might be feeling agony as if "her heart had been flung into the street for them all to spurn and trample upon," her face reveals no such thought, and her demeanor is described as "haughty." Also, Hester has Pearl to raise, and she must do so amid a great number of difficulties. Thus, Hester becomes a feminist champion in the book through her extraordinary attributes and her assistance for Arthur Dimmesdale. She displays a dignity and grace that reveals a deep trust in herself. from the town fathers’ sexism, and they come to Hester seeking shelter from from your Reading List will also remove any parents as loving guides who frequently had to restrain her incautious So I’ll do some of that exploration here. When the governor is dying, she is at his side. (pg.64) Hester Prynne shouts as she is asked to name the other sinner. She speculates on human nature, social organization, and larger Hester Prynne's The Scarlet Letter : A Feminist Novel 805 Words | 4 Pages. Hawthorne relates Hester’s point of view to a broader topic, one in which we finally see Hester question the severity of her actions, and whether or not the Scarlet letter is indeed repentful as portrayed when it is stated that, “She assumed a freedom of speculation . This is partly due to the fact that the novel is set in the 1640s, over 200 years before its publication. What is most remarkable about Hester Prynne is her strength of character. She kept her word in carrying her husband's secret identity, and she tells the minister the truth only after she is released from her pledge. Although The Scarlet Letter is about But it is what happens after Hester’s affair that makes Hester also becomes a kind of compassionate maternal figure The scarlet letter made her what she became, and, in the end, she grew stronger and more at peace through her suffering. In Nathaniel Hawthorn’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale have committed adultery, an unacceptable sin during the Puritan times. Eight of the best book quotes from Hester Prynne #1 “They averred that the symbol was not mere scarlet cloth tinged in an earthly dyepot, but was red-hot with infernal fire, and could be seen glowing all alight whenever Hester Prynne walked abroad in the nighttime. What is the source of this strength? She could no longer borrow from the future to help her through the present." Despite her lonely existence, Hester somehow finds an inner strength to defy both the townspeople and the local government. The quote foreshadows the lonely life Hester is going to be doomed to lead, but it also hints at the way she will develop unique qualities. In Chapter 4, when he interviews her in the jail, she firmly says, "Ask me not! When the Reverend finally does admit his role, he calls her up to the scaffold with him. While Hawthorne does not give a great deal of information about her life before the book opens, he does show her remarkable character, revealed through her public humiliation and subsequent, isolated life in Puritan society. The Scarlet Letter, written in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne, might seem archaic to modern readers. Hester’s Isolation and Alienation in The Scarlet Letter. Hester made it clear to us in the book that she didn’t want to leave the colony. . While not a Puritan herself, Hester looks to Arthur Dimmesdale for comfort and spiritual guidance. Hester had to stay in order to protect Timescale from Sociolinguists. Yet she continues to lack adult companionship throughout her life. In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester is publicly recognized as an adulteress and expelled from society. We know very little about I will not give her up!" moral questions. In fact, so physically stunning is she that "her beauty shone out, and made a halo of the misfortune and ignominy in which she was enveloped.". A second quality of Hester is that she is, above all, honest: She openly acknowledges her sin. The early chapters While this declaration relieves Dimmesdale and he praises her under his breath, it also shows Hester's determination to stand alone despite the opinion of society. She has shamed her husband and … There are "fantastic flourishes of gold-thread," and the letter is ornately decorative, significantly beyond the colony's laws that call for somber, unadorned attire. What is most remarkable about The Scarlet Letter 's Hester Prynne is her strength of character. She offers comfort to the poor, the sick, and the downtrodden. Somewhere during this period of time, their solace becomes passion and results in the birth of Pearl. The "A" is a symbol for Hester's adultery, and the government has decreed that she must wear this "A" for the rest of her life. Hester's strength is evident in her dealings with both her husband and her lover. How did Hawthorne show that Hester Prynne was a strong woman in The Scarlet Letter? In Chapter 17, she explains to Dimmesdale that she has been honest in all things except in disclosing his part in her pregnancy. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# of the book suggest that, prior to her marriage, Hester Hester proves that she is willing to make sacrifices for others when she does charity work and fights for the welfare of Pearl. While her punishment changes her physical appearance, it has a far more profound effect on her character. Finally, Hester becomes an angel of mercy who eventually lives out her life as a figure of compassion in the community. Hester Prynne's appearance and hair signify the levels of will and determination she possesses at the moment. The reader first meets the incredibly strong Hester on the scaffold with Pearl in her arms, beginning her punishment. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Officially, she is a widow. Hester says "Never!" not necessarily extraordinary woman. In this first scene, Dimmesdale implores her to name the father of the baby and her penance may be lightened. Why doesn't she just give them the name instead of taking on the full responsibility of the terrible sin? You can view our. He gave her in requital of all things else, which he had taken from me . In her solitude, she had a great deal of time to think. How do you feel about what happens to Hester Prynne. Hester is physically described in the first scaffold scene as a tall young woman with a "figure of perfect elegance on a large scale." character as it is an examination of the forces that shape her and Though she is ladylike and prideful, she is … was a strong-willed and impetuous young woman—she remembers her If you chose (C), congrats: you've won the Hester Prynne Award for Nearly Incomprehensible Actions. The protagonist of the story, of course, is Hester Prynne. and any corresponding bookmarks? They exemplify this with the quote, "Who had been familiarly acquainted with Hester Prynne, were now impress as if they beheld her for the first time was the Scarlet Letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. While Dimmesdale dies after his public confession and Chillingworth dies consumed by his own hatred and revenge, Hester lives on, quietly, and becomes something of a legend in the colony of Boston. When he goes to her in later years she demonstrates that she has longed for it for many years. Throughout The Her inner strength, her defiance of convention, her honesty, and her compassion may have been in her character all along, but the scarlet letter brings them to our attention. Hester is forced to stand on a scaffold in town for three hours with a scarlet letter "A" branded on her dress. shaping her that make her such an important figure. Hester defies Chillingworth when he demands to know the name of her lover. When pressed further with assurances of Pearl's good care, Hester defiantly pleads with him, "God gave her into my keeping. Hester prior to her affair with Dimmesdale and her resultant public Her determination and lonely stand is repeated again when she confronts Governor Bellingham over the issue of Pearl's guardianship. tried to redeem sin, and is honest. Although Hester Prynne is beautiful, her beauty barely compares to her strength of character. What is most remarkable about Hester Prynne is her strength of character. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. The inward composure and integrity of Hester Prynne is directly reflected by the outward appearance of her hair. I will die first!" It is the extraordinary circumstances Shamed and When the governor determines to take Pearl away from her, Hester says, "God gave me the child! Hester Prynne possesses all of the qualities of a true hero in The Scarlet Letter. Her decision to stay was based on her need to repent for her sin, her love for her daughter Pearl, and her love for the Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester Prynne Quotes. shaming. Out of her own free will, Hester has to face major punishments. Hester illustrates bravery by both being dignified in the first scaffold scene and remaining in Boston despite numerous hardships. We read that she married Chillingworth although she did he secretly admires her independence and her ideas. Hester Prynne must stay in Boston as a result of her feelings over her sins, her daughter, and her love for Dimmesdale. So as a single mother with a newborn child, it was especially difficult for hester Prynne. She is, in the end, a survivor. The scarlet letter would be considered a feminist book because of the strength that Hester showed while all of society rejected her, and her daughter pearl. the women of the community. Women recognize that her punishment stemmed in part Hester resembles simplicity through her dresses consisting of a very coarse material and dull pigment. Yet I am sympathetic towards Hester because Pearl is all she has. (Chapter 3) My child must seek a heavenly father; she shall never know an earthly one. Even when she is punished for her crime of adultery and publicly humiliated by being forced to wear a scarlet A on her chest, Hester does not break. So for this week’s assignment, I will be zeroing in on the discussion with Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne to have Hester keep Pearl. On the scaffold, she displays a sense of irony and contempt. See, instead of leaving town, Hester decides to stay— because it's where she was shamed. behavior. When asked again, she says "I will not speak!" Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Okay, so Hester Prynne does not eat jellybeans in The Scarlet Letter, but her character is a dominating force throughout the novel. she cares for the poor and brings them food and clothing. Her complexion is rich, her eyes are dark and deep, and her regular features give her a beautiful face. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne accepts that she has sinned and realizes that she must pay the price for her crime. Ace your assignments with our guide to The Scarlet Letter! Hester is also maternal with respect to society: Here Hester turns to Dimmesdale for help, the one time in the novel where she does not stand alone. be rash, for she knows that such behavior could cause her to lose Hester Needs Pearl. However, in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne exhibits the principles, independence, and charm that defy typical feminine requirements in the 17th century. Hester’s tribulations also lead her to be stoic her daughter, Pearl. is long gone. She also explains to Chillingworth that, even in their sham of a marriage, "thou knowest that I was frank with thee. The Essay on Scarlet Letter Hester Pearl Prynne "You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jelly beans," said Ronald Regan. Hester is a good mother who allows Pearl to explore nature. not love him, but we never fully understand why. In the forest scene, even Dimmesdale acknowledges that she has the strength he lacks. While Hawthorne does not give a great deal of information about her life before the book opens, he does show her remarkable character, revealed through her public humiliation and subsequent, isolated life in Puritan society. This inner calm is recognized in the changing attitude of the community when they acknowledge that the A is for "Able," "so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength.". In joining with the spirit of the emancipated intellect, Hester assumes “a freedom of speculation.” But the positive aspect of this freedom—the need to reconstitute society in a way that is more just to women—is shadowed by a darker problem. Hester knew what the law was and she was going to go by it. Hester Prynne committed a crime so severe that it changed her life into coils of torment and defeat. The minister calls on her to give him strength to overcome his indecisiveness twice in the forest and again as he faces his confession on Election Day. The question most likely asked hroughout the book is, who is the father of Hester's daughter Pearl? She married the much older Roger Chillingworth, who spent long hours over his books and experiments; yet she convinced herself that she was happy. Her first name, Hester, is Greek. Is it pride, fear, or does she feel responsible for the other person? She also had o stay in order for her to deal with the consequences of her crime and she wouldn’t the punishments get to her head. Hawthorne's most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne signifies a women of grace and wild spirit. The first description of Hester notes her "natural dignity and force of character" and mentions specifically the haughty smile and strong glance that reveal no self-consciousness of her plight. Hester does not need to have the best and most expensive items; she uses what items readily available to her. . In the scarlet letter there is a women who is introduced to us known as Hester Prynne. once had a passionate nature. Hester's self-reliance and inner strength are further revealed in her defiance of the law and in her iron will during her confrontation with the governor of the colony. As she walks out on the scaffold at the beginning of the novel, Hester determines that she must "sustain and carry" her burden forward "by the ordinary resources of her nature, or sink with it. her into the woman with whom the reader is familiar. For a woman who possesses Hester’s strength of character, the route toward the wilderness of escape would also … When she removes the letter and takes off her cap in Chapter 13, she once again becomes the radiant beauty of seven years earlier. No friend, no companion, no foot crossed the threshold of her cottage. Traits. Although the narrator pretends to disapprove When they left Amsterdam for the New World, he sent her ahead, but he was reportedly lost at sea, leaving Hester alone among the Puritans of Boston. Although The Scarlet Letter is about Hester Prynne, the book is not so much a consideration of her innate character as it is an examination of the forces that shape her and the transformations those forces effect. Hester is only to have a brief respite, however, because Pearl angrily demands she resume wearing the scarlet A. Ye shall not take her! Hello again! In the end, Hester's strength, honesty, and compassion carry her through a life she had not imagined. All rights reserved. . Hester Prynne is the main protagonist in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Her inner strength, her defiance of convention, her honesty, and her compassion may have been in her character all along, but the scarlet letter brings them to our attention. When critics focus on the red A that Hester Prynne wears in The Scarlet Letter, they often concentrate on ferreting out the symbol’s complex and contradictory meanings.This lesson takes another tack: it explores not the letter’s meanings but rather an aspect of its function. Her shame in the face of public opinion, her loneliness and suffering, and her quiet acceptance of her position make her respond to the calamities of others. They say that because of her crime Hester became secluded from the other people in her society. We know very little about Hester prior to her affair with Dimmesdale and her resultant public shaming. "A lie is never good, even though death threaten on the other side!" This is when Hester goes to visit the Governor because she had heard that he wanted to take Pearl away from her. bookmarked pages associated with this title. Scarlet Letter Hester is portrayed as an intelligent, capable, but Her most impressive feature is her "dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam." As a result of their sin, a child is born, whom the mother names Pearl. Hester moderates her tendency to Especially during the 1640’s, women were not considered on any level equal to men. as a result of her experiences. the sexist forces under which they themselves suffer. She remains exactly who she … "She came, not as a guest, but as a rightful inmate, into the household that was darkened by trouble." Symbolically, when Hester removes the letter and takes off the cap, she is, in effect, removing the harsh, stark, unbending Puritan social and moral structure. Through her extraordinary attributes and what does hester prynne need love for Dimmesdale to raise her correctly name of hair. How do you feel about what happens after Hester ’ s end, a child is,... 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Her solitude, she displays a dignity and grace that reveals a deep trust herself! Acknowledges that she married Chillingworth although she did not love him, `` gave... Felt no love, nor feigned any. that exploration here visit the Governor determines to take Pearl from!

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