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Critical essays on the symbolism in the scarlet letter
Role of hester prynne in hawthorne's scarlet letter
Critical essays on the symbolism in the scarlet letter
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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.
Fatal flaws have been shown in works of literature throughout the centuries, causing the destruction of many characters. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, three of the main characters each have a fatal flaw. The novel, set in Puritan Boston between 1642-1679, tells the story of Hester Prynne through third person narrative. Hester begins her journey in the novel when she is brought from jail for her punishment in having an affair with someone in the town, resulting in her pregnancy. Her husband, Roger Chillingworth, who she believed dead, sought out revenge against the unknown father of Hester’s child.
On the other hand Hester doesn’t want or try getting attention through her actions. Also she becomes an outcast of the Puritan community and she slowly finds her way back through hard work and showing she cares. Secondly the way the two characters
She receives three punishments from the townspeople, who claim they will free her from her sin. The community orders Hester to go to jail, wear a scarlet letter on her chest, and stand on the town scaffold for hours. Hester wears her scarlet letter proudly on her chest, and endures much suffering because of her public ridicule. Hester is “kept by no restrictive clause of her condemnation within the limits of the Puritan settlement” after she was released from prison, but she chooses to stay (Hawthorne 71). Later, Hester’s child, Pearl, symbolizes the Puritan view of Hester.
She cannot be defined by just one label, but both. She is a mother to Pearl, who is a child born from adultery. She is a caregiver, seamstress, a lover, and a counselor, but the Puritanical society Hester lives in constantly reminds her that she is just a whore. By subscribing to this label, Hester loses her identity in a way. The effect of being an outsider due to the letter causes her to become a shell of her former self.
Once Hester has accepted her punishment and voluntarily is publically humiliated the town’s once harsh attitude towards her has faded because of the innate love humans share for others. The change in viewpoint of Hester from hatred to love is due
Despite Hester knowing it in her heart of hearts that she is not alone in her sin she is the only one to be punished for her actions. As she lives her days and walks about her hometown her scarlet
Hester is instituted as a sinner, yet in the novel is depicted as a moral person who makes just decisions
She continues to push back against society even though they treat her this way. She is a symbol of rebellion, an old-fashioned activist or reformer. Even though the novel is fictional, there are many people that resonate with Hester Prynne today. The one who stands out the most to me is the world renowned pop star Miley Cyrus.
A highly influential work due to its poignancy and relevance, this book has maintained its popularity since it was published in 1849. Through the story of Hester Prynne, Hawthorne explored several themes such as justice, passion, and morality, that are still relevant today. In this work, there are a number of significant events that share important lessons. To name a few, there is Hester's public shaming in front of the whole town (Hawthorne, 1849), her sewing of the Scarlet A on her chest (Hawthorne, 1849), her public confession of her sin (Hawthorne, 1849), her travel to Europe (Hawthorne, 1849), her reunion with Dimmesdale at the forest (Hawthorne, 1849), and finally Dimmesdale's death and Pearl's departure (Hawthorne, 1849). Each of these powerful events reinforces Hawthorne's exploration of various themes and can help readers reflect on human nature and society.
Hester was an actual prisoner for what she had done and also a mental prisoner from the result of isolation. She is surrounded by people, but she is alone. Once she is released, Hester moves to the outskirts of the town, withdrawn from the rest of society. What is the point of living in town, when the people shun her anyways. The view of living in isolation and facing public humiliation is painful for Hester to deal with.
Hester Prynne is portrayed as a sinful character in the text but in reality she is a kind, strong, humble character in depth. As a main character, Hester is illustrated by sin but her true color is actually being humble. In the real world people get looked down upon if they cheat or have an affair just as Hester did. As
She realized that everyone will eventually find out about the sin, so she became courageous and took responsibility for her action. After she had completed her punishment in prison, she moved to a cottage. Hester was guilty for what she had done, but she started to help the poor, even though they rejected her. The guilt deprived her from all the “joys [of life] [because] she rejected it as sin” (Hawthorne 130) Hester ceased enjoying anything that a normal person would think as amusing because it was wrong for her since she became the outcast of the town.
"What the bourgeoisie, therefore, produces, above all, is its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable" (Marx, 1848). Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels famous work ‘ The communist manifesto’ is on of the most influential doctrines on the theory of Marxism. Marxism, as concluded from Marx and Engels is a conflict theory, which means that it believes that society is based on inequality and unequal distribution of power and wealth. The Marxist methodology uses economic and sociopolitical inquiry and employs that to the critique and analyse the development of capitalism and the role of class struggle in systemic economic change.
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.
