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Forgiveness In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

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People tend to generate a copious amount of mistakes throughout their lives. A number of these mistakes catch a glimpse of the light of day and the repercussions must be put up with. The scorn and punishment of man can be harsh and difficult to bear; however, it is human nature to forgive and forget the trespasses of others as time passes. During chapters thirteen and fourteen of The Scarlet Letter, the sins of a character named Hester Prynne are forgiven by the public. The scarlet “A” fastened on her chest, which once stood for adultery, now stands for ability in the public eye. Despite this change in the opinion of the populous, Hester has not yet forgiven herself and she still suffers terribly from her guilt. The forgiveness of oneself must come first since without it, the forgiveness of others can bring greater pain and sorrows. Hester is suffering from a deep guilt that is eating away at her mental faculties. She feels that she must find a path to forgiveness, no matter how taxing it is on her mental state. Countless respectable deeds are accomplished by her: None so ready as she to give of her little …show more content…

All the light and graceful foliage of her character had been withered up by this red-hot brand (169). She is not able to forgive herself, and owing to what society has done to her symbol, which once represented her shame, the joy is removed from her character and it is even altering her physical appearance. Hester is even losing her tenderness, which is “essential to keep her a woman (170).” This important aspect is being “crushed so deeply into her heart that it can never show itself more (170).” without a single possibility of restoration, Hester’s tenderness has been taken

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Even if one make a regret able mistake, should that person be shamed for a past human error? Scarlett Letter takes place in Salem Massachusetts around the time frame where if something seemed strange to others you were accused of being a witch by all the Puritans and Quakers. If a person was accused of such accusations they were usually hung or stoned. Miss Hester Prynne’s is an independent mother who is doing all she can to make sure she keeps her child since it her against the world. In Nathaniel Hawthorne 's book, “The Scarlett Letter” the story ranges from compassion to forgiveness with Little Pearl as the symbol of savior in Miss Hester Prynne’s life.

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The letter gave Hester a new power to sympathize with and be charitable to others. Townspeople even began to interpret the letter very differently from its original meaning. They began to believe that the symbol no longer meant adultery, however, its new significance was to mean “Able” (111). Her selfless acts of kindness attracted the attention of the community as she did needlework for the poor in her spare time. The community did not know the true reason of why Hester did this, but the act caused her true character and natural instinct to be generous to be reflected.

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Although the community originally knew Hester as a disgrace, the town’s opinion of her changed over time as she began to do work for the poor and needy. After this shift in the town’s view of Hester, “many people refused to interpret the scarlet [letter] by its original signification” (111). Instead of Hester’s scarlet letter serving as a reminder of her scandalous sin, her peers “ had begun to look upon the scarlet letter as a token . . . of [Hester’s] many good deeds” (111). She became known for her charity and generosity, which caused the civilians to overlook her sinful behavior.

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Hester not only serves punishment upon the scaffold, but she also completes charitable actions, leading the townspeople to think highly of her. They found a “. . . helpfulness. . . in her. . . [with] much power to do, and power to sympathize. . .”

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Hester later leaves Boston, but returns, and it is revealed that she has been forgiven for her sin by those around her. “But, in the lapse of the toilsome, thoughtful, and self devoted years that made up Hester’s life,

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The act of Hester confessing her sin of adultery became a pivotal moment in her journey towards personal growth. “...Hester Prynne - yes, at herself - who stood on the scaffold of the pillory, an infant in her arm, and the letter ‘A’ in scarlet, fantastically embroidered with gold thread, upon her bosom!” (pg.52).

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Hester’s life after her act of adultery exemplifies a great representation of what lust can do to someone’s life.

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Sweat dripping down from my face onto the scale as I stepped onto the cold metal the would determine my fate. I prayed and closed my eyes as it calculated my weight. 103 pounds! My wrestling coach shouted and cheered as I had made weight to wrestle in the 105 pound weight class. All of my friends were filled with excitement and I basked in the glory.

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Even though the Puritans may have designated the letter as a representation of sin, Hester’s renewed sense of pride does not want society to define the A for her. Rather Hester wants to define it herself and by doing so she develops responsibility and power over her own actions. Because Hester has the power to change who she is, she also has the power to change what the Scarlet Letter represents. By letting the letter be “embroidered with gold thread” readers are able to see how for Hester sin is not something to be fearful of; furthermore, it allows one to see how Hester has developed into an independent individual who accepts who she is and the situation she is presented with. Hester’s lover unfortunately

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In order to overcome her sin, Hester needs to endure, “the torture of her daily shame.” The

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Hester freed herself from sin by removing The Scarlet Letter and realizing she loves Dimmesdale, with this she asks for his forgiveness and confesses. “Let God punish! Thou shalt forgive!”(pg.118) Hester did a good deed when she kept Dimmesdale’s identity a secret. “I deem it not likely that he will betray the secret.

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What is redemption? Redemption is the act of being saved or freed from sin. This is an important part of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” Redemption was what the characters in the book were seeking, and was the reason for many of their actions. Because of the time period and the fact the people were Puritans, sins were not tolerated nor common, so when they happened they were a huge deal.

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Throughout the novel, Hester is fraught by the Puritan society and her suffering is an effect of how evil society is. Hester continues to believe that the crime she committed was not wrong and she should not be punished for it. Her desire to protect and love Dimmesdale, turn her into a stronger person and become a heroine in the book. Although society still views her as a “naughty baggage” (Hawthorne 73) and is punished for her wrongdoing, Hester never thought to take revenge on them, yet she gives everything she has to the unfortunate and leaves herself with very little. She continues to stay positive no matter what society has for her.

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