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Patriarchy In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

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Throughout history, women have repeatedly challenged patriarchal societies for their belittling actions. In a patriarchal society, women struggle to reach equality because the male leaders overrule and demean women. For example, in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne is a woman who is looked down upon for committing adultery. With this sin comes years of difficulties in Hester’s daily life as she tries to gain control of her own life and family. Despite all the negative attributes associated with her, Hester Prynne is a winner because she is an independent, powerful woman who challenges a cruel, patriarchal society by making it matriarchal.
Hester challenges the harsh, unforgiving patriarchy by being affectionate and loving. Hester's community is judged on a daily basis by the patriarchy, and they can go to Hester when they need help or advice. Even though everyone shames Hester, “she stands for another idea of community – a more nurturing, flexible, less judgmental community” (Baym 23). In opposition to the Puritan patriarchal society, Hester openly helps her community by being a …show more content…

Hester’s embroidery business proves to be a success because all types of people buy clothes from her. Hester is “without a friend on earth who dared show himself, she, however, incurred no risk of want” (Hawthorne 74). Hester is successful and self-sufficient, so she does not need anyone’s help, especially not the patriarchal authorities. Without the patriarchy’s power ruling over her, Hester lives a better life than she would have if she were to be under their control. Even though the patriarchy tries to control Hester’s life, Hester shows her power and independence from the patriarchy by victoriously continuing her life with her embroidery business. She proves that women can overpower the patriarchy and create a loving and peaceful change towards a more equal

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The scholarly article that I read is “Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Feminists: The Scarlet Letter” by Louise DeSalvo. In the article, DeSalvo gives a short background of Nathaniel Hawthorne before he begins writing his novel The Scarlet Letter. After the death of his mother, Elizabeth Hawthorne, he began writing his novel. Elizabeth Hawthorne had become pregnant with her first child, Nathaniel Hawthorne, outside of marriage and she had been socially ostracized just like Hester Prynne. Elizabeth Hawthorne was also husbandless and she raised Nathaniel on her own on the fringes of society.

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She proved to everyone that women could be just as smart, strong, and brave as men could

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Hester is seen as is a sinner, and for that sin, she can not be apart of the new era. Since Hester committed a terrible sin, she was looked down upon by the community and sometimes, “she felt an eye-a human eye” looking upon her and making her feel like “she had sinned anew”(59). The people of the community know what she has done, so they judge her. Because of the small Puritan community, not many terrible things happen and when something does, then the people become curious and start searching for gossip. Hester is treated so differently, as if she is an outcast, not part of the new era.

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Hester’s resilience against the expected morals fall short as she loses the spark that once made her unique. Contrary to Hester’s former mindset, she now feels a “wild and ghastly scenery all around her, and a home and comfort nowhere. At times, a fearful doubt strove to possess her soul. . .” (150). Initially, Hester contained a sense of passion and drive which set her apart from the rest, but by allowing herself to feel the pressures of society, she represses that factor of individuality.

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Initially, Hester’s mask is forcibly removed when she is “disciplined to truth” (156) by the scarlet letter and sentenced to “lay open her heart’s secrets in such broad daylight” (60). Even this imposed candor is short-lived, however, because the people use the scarlet letter to pigeonhole Hester as an adulteress, once more obscuring her identity. A mask is fitted to Hester every time a sermon introduces her as “the subject of discourse” (79), presenting her as a cautionary tale. Within Hester’s reflection in the armor at the governor’s house, the letter’s appearance as “the most prominent feature of her appearance” (97) mirrors the way in which Hester vanishes behind the letter in the eyes’ of the townspeople. Even after their perception of Hester changes, the letter “A” still labels her as an “angel” and an “able” woman (146).

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