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How Does Hester Prynne Change In The Scarlet Letter

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The Scarlet Letter opens with Hester Prynne, a young woman who has committed adultery and is being punished. She is shown to be a proud, confident woman but is quickly forced to mature under the burden of public humiliation. Hester becomes an unhappy and bitter woman, her mind and body hardened by the stress of her punishment and her inability to forgive herself and move on. Throughout the story, she struggles to come to terms with what she has done and only when she finally does, can she return to her former happy, unburdened self and regain her former beauty.

At the start of the novel, Hester has just received her sentencing for her crime of adultery. Despite the condemnation being thrown on her, she remains undaunted and does not attempt to hide the result of her perceived sin. The book states "...she took the baby on her arm, and with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbours (Hawthorne 80)." Special emphasis is taken of her looks which are elegant and dignified. Her hair is a noted part of her appearance and is said to be "...dark and abundant...so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam... (Hawthorne 81)." …show more content…

The constant reminder of her sin for seven years withers away the softer part of her character. She covers her hair up with a cap and her appearance becomes severe and hard (Hawthorne 245). A shadow follows Hester and Pearl remarks to her that "...the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom (Hawthorne

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