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Mark Van Doren's Heroic Tone

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Praising Heroic Hester Mark Van Doren’s Critical essay “Hester Prynne” explains how his portrayal of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter addresses Hawthorne’s opinion and view of Hester. Van Doren’s “Hester Prynne” article explains how Hawthorne praises Hester in his novel. Van Doren goes in depth and uses literary devices to explain his point of Hawthorne’s reference to Hester. Mark Van Doren uses mythological allusion, worthy tone, and selectional diction. Through his use of mythological allusions, Van Doren displays Hester’s qualities as a hero through Hawthorne’s point of view. Van Doren relates Hester to Odysseus by showing similar characteristics that Hawthorne shows in his novel. For example, Mark Van Doren states that Hawthorne “ is the Homer of that …show more content…

Hester relates to him and is not willing to back down, which means that Hawthorne wants to show the reader how defiant Hester is and that she can become independent. Hester adapts to New England, which proves Van Doren’s point of Hester’s qualities of a hero. Mark Van Doren uses an admirable tone to describe Hawthorne’s view of Hester. Van Doren believes that Hawthorne actually improves Hester’s life when he states, “the life of Hester increases, not diminishes” (Van Doren). Hester goes through rough times, but she never gives up until she is free of sin and becomes happy. For example Hester is looked down upon from civilization but towards the end she is respected and idolized in a way. In addition, Van Doren praises Hester and claims she strengthens over harsh events. After all, Hawthorne wrote the novel in a way where Hester is originally seen as a sinner, but relieves her sin towards the end of the novel. Van Doren then states, “she is the heroine of tragedy and she understands tragedy,” (Van Doren). Van Doren praises in this tone to emphasize how Hester is able to persevere which relates to heroic qualities. Van Doren’s praising tone depicts Hester as a

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To begin, Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes pathos throughout his writing to imprint the importance of individual conscience into the reader 's mind. Hawthorne begins the book by having the reader pity the main character, Hester Prynne, as she is a young, husbandless, mother in a society that shames her for her unfortunate circumstances: “haughty as her demeanor was, she perchance underwent an agony from every footstep of those that thronged to see her, as if her heart had been flung in the street for them all to spurn and trample upon” (Hawthorne, 53). The consistent misfortune of Prynne evokes emotion in the reader and stresses the weight of her decisions. Prynne manages her way through such a hostile society -“Happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly on your bosom” (Hawthorne, 188)- in a way that is metaphorically applicable to the real world, allowing the reader to truly connect and understand the character for who they are.

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The author uses slow transitions in the novel to change our The view and his portrayal of Hester. He also uses Hester’s character to compare and bring attention to himself. Hester in particular, is first described in the novel by Hawthorne as deviant

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Hester’s undeniable ability to overcome hardships is what keeps her stable throughout the events dramatized within the novel. When the author mentions, "[t]hey said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength," he is allowing the reader to recognize Hester's ability to care for others while ,on the other hand, no one cares for her (Hawthorne 124). Her true ability to conquer troubles without any additional help made the people reconsider their views on Hester. She is belittled and neglected by the Puritan people, but her strength allows her to carry on. With her courage, Hester Prynne learns to accept that her sins are part of her.

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Hester’s adulterous affair affected her life and image, it put her in isolation and led to shame and guilt. Although the scarlet letter bears remorse, throughout the novel Hester’s changes from a negative and unholy ego to a positive and favorable ego due to her actions. As Hester Prynne is faced with critisism and judgement, she continues to stay strong which eventually leads to people interpreting her scarlet letter “A” from “adultery” to “Able”. The change in Hester Prynne’s character exhibits that although some people may never stop their pessimistic critisism, we can overcome our sins with a strong relationship with God and a growth mindset, as Hester does. Hester Prynne’s actions demonstrate that sin is natural and should only be judged by

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The Virtue of Hester Prynne In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s highly acclaimed novel, The Scarlet Letter, a Puritan town’s reaction is described after Hester Prynne raises a scandal that goes against the town’s religious views. The Puritans believe the Bible should be translated into their life and that God should be the center of it. Many of them think of Hester as a sinful woman without virtue. They treat her as an outcast and consider that she is somehow affiliated with the Devil.

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Literature is composed of both a plot and the writing itself. While many consider the storyline to be the most telling of how a character feels, the intentions of the author and the purpose of the writing, it is the writing itself, with its many rhetorical devices and strategies and basic elements, that tells more of the story—each element of writing unlocks more about the characters, the author’s intention and purpose of the text. This case especially holds true in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Based on the passage from the text, “Another View of Hester,” Hawthorne makes clear Hester’s negative feelings toward her purpose and outlook on existence, and that of women in general, through the use of clear, deliberate diction, accomplished

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He shows how Hester highly values ideals such as independence, honor, love, and freedom. As a result of showing the morals of Hester, Hawthorne is able to show the true meanings of his work. He demonstrates how although Hester is known in the city as a sinner, the city is full of sinners and Hester, in reality, is representing an angel who stands up for what she believes in. Through the process of showing Hester’s Sacrifices affect what her true values are, Hawthorne is able to show the larger picture and the true meaning of the themes of the

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Because even her name conjures up many conflicting thoughts, the true nature of Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is heavily debated among critics. Mark Van Doren and D.H. Lawrence both assert their conflicting perspectives with a multitude of convincing devices, but D.H. Lawrence more effectively portrays Hester Prynne as an enemy through the use of thought-provoking allusions, critical diction and repetition, and an unconventional syntax in his essay, On Hester Prynne. Hester Prynne’s iniquity is foremost illustrated by Lawrence’s use of several biblical allusions. Although Hester shows benevolence throughout the novel and came to be respected in society, Lawrence asserts that this whole persona is a lie.

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Sinfulness Throughout the years, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter has acquired criticism from several writers, including D.H. Lawrence. Lawrence’s strong interpretation of Hester Prynne is different from that of other authors. His disapproval of Hester’s “heroic” portrayal in the novel is evident throughout his critique.

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She is a beautiful, young woman who has sinned, but is forgiven. Hawthorne portrays Hester as "divine maternity" and she can do no wrong. Not only Hester, but also the physical scarlet letter, a sign of shame, is shown as a beautiful, gold and colorful piece which

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The traditional Puritan culture holds restrains on Hester in terms of punishment for her crime. Hawthorne connects himself to Hester being that he is a descendant of a Puritan generation and had been ridiculed himself. “A writer of story-books! What kind of a business in life,—what mode of glorifying God, or being serviceable to mankind in his day and generation,—may that be? Why, the degenerate fellow might as well have been a fiddler!”

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Throughout The Scarlet Letter, a clear definition of good and evil is never given, allowing the reader to interpret authorial choices and create their own definitions. Hester is first seen as a “spectacle of guilt and shame” (62) to others, clearly looked down upon in the eyes of the town. Yet Hawthorne still describes her as “glowing with girlish beauty” (64), her beauty indicating that there is something positive or good about her. This alludes to the fact that Hester is internally good, as she does not need the reassurance of society for her actions, yet in society she can only be seen as strong as her personal morals do not align with Puritan values. On the other hand, Dimmesdale is a figurehead of society, “a true priest, a true religionist,” and never “a man of liberal views” (148).

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Hester proves that she has a higher understanding for people and life, also a sense of honor based on her own principles not society’s. This perfectly fits the mold for a romantic hero. Towards the end of the novel, we learn that Pearl became a great women and Hester could have lived a great life with her wealthy daughter, yet she chose to return to Boston and live out her punishment. Now the book describes Hester’s final resting place, “It bore a device, a herald's wording of which might serve for a motto and brief description of our now concluded legend; so somber is it, and relieved only by one ever-glowing point of light gloomier than the shadow:—"On a field, sable, the letter A, gules”(Hawthorne 259).

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From Heroine To Sinner In D.H. Lawrence’s essay, “On The Scarlet Letter”, he rips apart the character from the novel The Scarlet Letter. The motive of his essay is to show how Hester Prynne should not be praised for the sin she commits in the story. D.H. Lawrence expresses his dislike towards Hester by using concise syntax, biblical allusions, and a mocking tone throughout his essay. Lawrence’s brief syntax displays the disgust he has towards Hester and allows him to employ other effective literary devices.

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The hypocritical society is blinded by how they should punish Hester that they are not showing kindness to Hester. Hawthorne creates the book to show how an individual spirit must overcome the difficult obstacles in the society cultural

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