The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne can be described as one of the most well-known pieces of American literature that exists in American history. For many readers, there are many different words and phrases that can be used to describe this novel. In contrast, many readers also hold their own definition of heroic qualities that can be found within many heroic actions as well as heroes. In the Scarlet Letter, the reader is easily able to take their own personal thoughts and definitions of heroic qualities and actions that make a character heroic and use this to highlight many heroic actions and heroes within the Scarlet Letter.
One quality of a hero is found within Hester Prynne. This is the quality of the hero knowing they have made a
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The reader learns throughout the novel, that Dimmesdale has committed adultery with Hester who has born an illegitimate child Pearl. To the readers understanding however, both Hester and Dimmesdale keep the secret that Dimmesdale was a part of the fault to themselves. Dimmesdale in the novel can be seen a little as an anti-hero through the novel as he keeps his love for Hester a secret as he is worried about what society will say or think, instead of coming clean on how he truly feels. Thus why he is constantly paranoid and has his hand over his heart through much of the novel as this is where his scarlet letter is. The guilt that comes from keeping his love for Hester a secret begins to make Dimmesdale weak and sick and although the guilt is lifted from him it is what ultimately causes his death at the end of the novel when he is free of his guilt. Dimmesdale begins his build up to becoming a hero to himself and publicly displaying his heroic action as he keeps and remains to have a love, although secret, for Hester and Pearl and is able to physically and verbally show this love. “I do forgive you Hester, I freely forgive you now. May God forgive us both” (Hawthorne 267)! “Neither can I any longer live without her companionship; so powerful is she to