Scarlet Letter

Scarlet Letter
Written in 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Scarlet Letter stood as a very progressive book. With new ideas about women, main characters' stories
intertwined, and a multitude of themes, The Scarlet Letter remains today as an extremely popular novel about 17th century Boston, Massachusetts. Not
only was the 19th century a time for the abolition of slavery movement, but it was also the beginning of the first wave of feminism, the advocacy of
women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. Many may believe that because of this introduction to feminism, the novel directly pertains to
the ideology of it. Hester Prynne, protagonist of The Scarlet Letter, shows similar qualities of a feminist, such as strength and independence. Although
these traits are similar to that of feminist, Hester encompasses a strict form of maternal instinct, which distinguishes her drive for action from the
feminist movement entirely.
The strength portrayed in Hester Prynne, a well–known adulteress in this New World society, has no direct relationship to feminism as we view it
today. Hawthorne's representation of Hester's strength is simply a personal trait, not an idea used to strive for equality among women. As Hester
progresses through her hardships, the meaning of the scarlet letter embroidered on her bosom shifts from a negative connotation to a positive one, in
fact "many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Abel" (Hawthorne
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Great Gatsby & Scarlet Letter Essay
Jason Bello
AP English
March 22, 2000
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald are two novels, which address similar themes with completely
opposite resolves. The authors use their main characters, Hester, Dimmesdale, Gatsby, and Daisy, in their respective works to present these themes. The
action in both novels revolves around unfaithfulness, its effects on the characters, and the results of committing adultery, which prove to be antipode
from one novel to the other. These antitheses can be found by a look at the different roles of adultery in the novels. One major theme found in both
novels and addressed in different ways is adultery. Unfaithfulness is ever present in The Great...show more content...
Hester and Dimmesdale sinned by having sex, Hester was married and Dimmesdale was a reverend. This act of impurity was turned to a positive with
the birth of Pearl, their personal spiritual growth, and their maturity. On the contrary, thelove that Daisy and Gatsby had before their separation was
pure. They were in love for all the right reasons, and stayed in touch while Jay entered the army. However, Daisy then fell in love with money and the
man who brought it, Tom. When Gatsby returned, he tried to make their love work again, but his efforts were made through deceit, and illegal
activities. These attempts to win Daisy through a false persona and money made Daisy's love a possession, which could be won or even bought, and
subsequently it became impure. These contradictions and paradox continue through the novel into the endings.
The differing attitudes towards unfaithfulness in the novels result in differing conclusions for the characters. Although Hester and Dimmesdale do not
consummate their relationship, their tribulations are not for naught. Both become better, more understanding, people because of their experiences.
There is also the birth of Pearl to validate their affair. Daisy and Gatsby never end up together either. However, neither one is the better as a result of
them having eloped. Gatsby dies a horrible death, but this is still

The Scarlet Letter Outline
Outline: I.Introduction: a.Scarlet letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) b.Puritan writing, fiction but is supported by historical truth. c.Theme:
Sin, Puritanism & individuality versus conformity d.Hester is the protagonist. Brief summary about Hester. e.Thesis: The (bad and good) effects of the
letter in Hester's life. (Any changes and influences) II.First Paragraph: a.Beginning of the story where Hester was punished. b.Chapter one through
eight, the letter brought negative effects on Hester's life. Example, with two or three quotations c.

Scarlet Letter Argumentative Essay
Hester Prynne, the woman that has been living as one of the biggest sinners in this town. Since the time that she had to carry with such an atrocious
title, Hester has been humiliated, mentally harmed, and has slowly lost her own sanity. Now even though she has gone through so much, there is two
things that have not changed and that is for one, she has not once weared the scarlet letter with shame, she wears it with pride and at the same time
with the responsibility of showing the sin that she will not be able to run away from. Secondly, Hester never stays away from her daughter Pearl, the
girl that brings her the consolation that she needs but also that reflects on the acts of her sin. It can obviously be seen that Hester most keep her
daughter Pearl, she has gone through alot and her daughter is all she has left to accompany her and bring her peace.
For the most part, Hester sees her relationship with her daughter as a big important factor in her life. This can be seen by the ways that Hester express
herself. "She is my happiness – she is my torture, nonetheless!" (Hawthorne... pg....show more content...
Hester keeps this in mind all the time and when you, Governor Bellingham, try to take Pearl away from her, as a protective mother she reacted in an
impressive way. "God gave her into my keeping! I will not give her up!" (Hawthorne... pg. 169). Hester is fully aware on her decisions as a mother,
she will take bad decisions because of course she is a human like anyone else, but when she takes the right decisions, everyone can see clearly that she
does care, and that she will do anything that is in her power, to make things right and to have the things she love not taken away from

Scarlet Letter Reflection Essay
"Guilt is to the spirit, what pain is to the body." In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne a woman, Hester Prynne has committed adultery, as a
result of the sin, she has a Child named Pearl. Hester, despite all the pressure from the townspeople, does not share who the father is. The Father turns
out to be the well respected Reverend Dimmesdale who nobody would expect to sin because of his good standing and a positive reputation within the
community. As he sees Hester and Pearl being shamed constantly he feels a tremendous amount of guilt alongside his health beginning to deteriorate.
The direct correlation between guilt and physical well–being is prominent in Reverend Dimmesdale's character development through Hawthorne's use
of diction and indirect and direct characterization. Hawthorne's use of Diction to describe Dimmesdale's guilt emphasizes the seriousness of his
internal situation. Dimmesdale feels an incredible amount of guilt from his sin with Hester and that feeling is emphasized when looking at
Hawthorne's choice of language when he speaks of Dimmesdale's internal feelings and thoughts. "While thus suffering under bodily disease, and
gnawed and tortured by some black trouble of the soul, and given over to the machinations of his deadliest enemy." The use of adjectives such as
black, gnawed, and tortured help to accurately explain what the guilt is making Dimmesdale feel and how that guilt is part of his internal and external
decline. When Hawthorne refers to

Scarlet Letter Research Paper
The Scarlet Letter Research Paper
A lot of Nathaniel Hawthorne's writings have to do with Puritans and their American past. He had deep bonds with his ancestors and he used those
bonds to create a story that shined a light on their strengths and weaknesses. The Scarlet Letter portrays this to the fullest extent. The Puritans arrived in
Massachusetts in the 1630s led by John Winthrop, whose death is written in The Scarlet Letter. They were known for being intolerant of new
inventions and changing lifestyles. Hawthorne uses power–hungry, authoritarian Puritans as the example for a society in general (The Scarlet Letter).
The Scarlet Letter allows him to show the human soul when it is under intense, public pressure. Hawthorne does an amazing job of intertwining
American issues in his stories. His tenacity and openness has secured his place on the literary platform for many years to come
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in July 1804. He is a descendant of some of the earliest settlers of the Massachusetts Bay
Colony. One of his forefathers was John Hathorne. Nathaniel added the "W" to Hathorne when began writing. John Hathorne was a judge in the
Salem Witch Trials. Nathaniel Hawthorne was intrigued with his family ties to John, but also perturbed by it at the same time. His father died of
yellow fever in 1808, so he was raised by his mother and attended the Bowdoin College in Maine. There he met future poet, Henry Wadsworth
Long–fellow and future president, Franklin Pierce. Once he graduated college, he tried writing and produced a few historical sketches as well as
writing an anonymous novel entitled Fanshawe, which told of accounts of his embarrassing college days. He became an editor and customs surveyor
and while working in that field, he became friends with Ralph Waldo Emersonand Margaret Fuller. His friendship with them led to him quitting his job
and experimented at Brook Farm, which was a commune designed to promote transcendentalist principles. "Transcendentalism is a philosophy started
in the early 19th century that promotes intuitive, spiritual thinking instead of scientific thinking based on material things (vocabulary.com)."
Afterwards, he married Sophia

Scarlet Letter Analysis Essay
Junhee Chung
A.P English Language
August 20, 2015 Novel Analysis Assignment
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Plot and Conflict
The Scarlet Letter is a story involving many symbols. The novel is set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1640s, around the time colonization first
took its place in America. The protagonist, known as Hester Prynne is a newcomer to the colony. Hester is a married woman from Europe who
commits adultery in the colony gets arrested. Hester keeps the fathers identity a secret. One of her punishments for committing adultery is to stand on
the scaffold to be criticized. The other main one is to stitch a scarlet letter on her clothes to publicly identify her as an adulterer. Soon after her child
Pearl...show more content...
She is born out of wedlock in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pearl grows up living in the woods with only her mother. Pearl is a character who is
brutally honest. Her honesty make the adult characters ponder their actions and thoughts. Pearl is a flat and static character because she remains
constant throughout the story. Her personality does not change, and neither does her characteristics. Pearl inquires a lot about the relationship between
her mother and Reverend Dimmesdale. She is also a harsh judger. One thing that Pearl does is she fixates on the scarlet letter quite often. Pearl is very
smart as she picks up that Reverend Dimmesdale is her father before anyone else. She asks what it will change, "Doth he love us?". Pearl's internal
conflict, whether she is aware of it or not, has to do with her being born out of wedlock. She is born an outcast and born a product of sin. This
affects her more than she realizes. Pearl's external conflict is not having a father or someone else other than her mother loving her. Pearl dislikes
Reverend Dimmesdale after realizing that he is her father because he will not acknowledge them in public. Pearl opens her heart a little more when he
dies on the scaffold after holding their hands together and confessing to the sin. Pearl is a constant reminder to Hester of her scarlet letter both
intentionally and unintentionally. Hester dresses Pearl up just like her scarlet letter. (257

Symbols in The Scarlet Letter Essay
Symbols unlock the secrets of a story. Hawthorne, in The Scarlet Letter, uses many symbols to represent different things. Some symbols represent the
same thing. The letter "A" has many meanings, each character has their own meanings, and even the different parts of nature are symbols. Also, apart
from providing structure for the novel, each scaffold scene conveys something different. One could say, arguably, that nearly everything in TheScarlet
Letter is a symbol for something else.
In the novel, there are four different versions of the letter "A". The first is presented at the beginning of the book, where Hester is forced to wear a
scarlet letter "A" upon her breast. The second occurrence is during the second scaffold...show more content...
Also, she is a symbol for the Catholic faith. When she is on the scaffold, during the first scaffold scene, Hawthorne describes her as Divine Maternity
(53), another name for the Virgin Mary, who the Catholics revere. Also, like the Catholics believe, she repents by working all her life to do good
deeds, instead of the Puritan belief that repentance is spontaneous and forever. Another example of such is the fact that she embroidered her letter "A"
to be decorative and fancy, which is a more Catholic idea. The Catholics decorate their churches, where Puritans feel that such decoration takes away
from God.
Dimmesdale symbolizes a few things as well. He is a symbol of temptation, as shown by the original sin of Hester and Dimmesdale, and also later
in the story when he asks Hester to run off with him. He tempts her, and she gives in to the temptation in both instances. He is a symbol of
Puritanism, not only because he is the pastor, but also the way he repents. When he confesses and dies, he goes straight to heaven, because he
repented once and for all. That is a representation of the Puritan belief, that one only needs to repent once, and all is forgiven. Also, one might say that
Dimmesdale is the Black Man, from when Hester says that the letter is a mark from her encounter with the Black Man (170). While in the forest,
Dimmesdale tries to take Hester away, and according to the townspeople, the Black Man meets

Essay on The Scarlet Letter
"The Scarlet Letter" is a story that illustrates the lifestyle of Puritans in Massachusetts in 17th century. Nathaniel Hawthorne takes the theme of sin
committed by Hester Prynne prior to her affair with Arthur Dimmesdale and shows how it affects the lives of the people involved. Convicted of
adultery by Boston's Puritan leaders, she is forced to wear a bright red "A" as a symbol of adultery over her breast to represent her wrongdoing to
the townspeople. As a result of this sin a child is born, named Pearl. Dimmesdale feels his guilt in the shared sin, but he is unable to reveal the truth.
However, the society punishes him as well. The society in which he lived suggested him the moral values that become the law of his inner self. Having
...show more content...
The governor, judges, priests view the issue of Hester Prynne as a cause to threaten all potential sinners in town. So, she is led through the crowd
to the scaffold of the pillory that represents a symbol of public shame. The crowds of people approve the severity and strictness of the authorities;
moreover, one of the women affirms that Hester deserves the death. Nevertheless, the society is also sinful. The magic scarlet sign helps Hester
discover sinners from the crowd. > Consequently, Hester Prynne is isolated from society. She considers her exile as the greatest tragedy.
However, Hawthorne demonstrates how suffering and loneliness harden her will. Instead of escaping from society, Hester helps and makes good to
the people who punished her severely. > In "The Scarlet Letter"; Hawthorne uses symbols to supply the meaning of his work. The example of this
is the symbol of the forest. It plays an important role in the book. Hawthorn mentions very often that the forest knows a hidden secret. That induces the
reader to suppose that the Hester's sin is committed there. She and Arthur feel themselves comfortable and totally free as they are walking in the forest
because the laws of society have no force there. That is the place where they can flee from society and show their love, but the most important is that
they can reveal the truth to each other, not embarrassing of who they

Scarlet Letter Compare And Contrast Essay
Society is a very tricky thing, if someone does something out of the ordinary society labels them as weird. If someone fixes what they did they are
then labeled fake and get bullied or judged. During The Crucible, The Scarlet Letter, and Of Mice and Men, the readers can see how society is
controlling how people live and how we are as an individual. If people make a mistake they aren't able to fix the problem on their own they have to
have society tell them what their punishment is.
In The Crucible, society was telling everyone that if they were different in anyway they were punished, tortured, and even had death sentences.
During the time "The Crucible" if people acted different or didn't believe in the same things they would be accused of being a witch, or had
something to do with the devil. Everyone had to be in full body dressing and they had to go to church (even if you didn't believe in Christ). Society
was telling people that kids couldn't dance and have fun like kids these days. Kids were expected to mind like the adults. While reading The Scarlet
Letter, the readers could see the way society was making decisions about how people need to live their lives and how they need to act. For example
...show more content...
The Crucible has taught people that it's okay to be different and believe in different religions and cultures. The Scarlet Letter has taught people that
even if people get married to someone and they aren't happy ect with that person, it's okay to end the relationship. And even if something hurts the
people around them (emotionally) it's okay if it makes that person happy (to an extent). The book "Of MIce and Men" taught people that even if
someone is different from the normal they have to work twice as hard to get what they want. Society needs to understand that even if someone is
different they shouldn't be judged for what makes them happy (to an

Theme Of Life Lessons In The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter is a book that is full of life lessons. With the intention of teaching these lessons, Nathaniel Hawthorne's Shows the importance
society has on someone, and the different ways grief, shame, hate and confusion can affect you. In the Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne is one of the
main characters that faces many challenges and setbacks. There are several other characters who also face some of the same challenges. It is Hester
who finds herself to be a strong independent woman. With the townspeople discriminating her because of the letter she wears on her chest from her
sin she committed, she learns a few lessons from these dark times of her life. Hester manages to find ways to become independent and live separately
from her community and society. Hester finds a way to redefine the scarlet letter that lies on her chest as the townspeople judged her. And lastly, Hester
somehow manages to find some happiness out of her dark life. It's not only hester that uses these events as a lesson, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester to
show the outcome of separating herself from society and successfully living independently.
There are several examples of Hester using the cursed letter that lies on her chest as a lesson for her and her daughter Pearl. In the beginning,
Hester's only choice was to live independently. Everyday was a day Hetser dreaded because of the public shame she dealt with as she stood on the
scaffold with the letter A on her chest. Hester was described as

The Scarlet Letter Essay
In this novel you will find that the main characters are the prime examples of Love, Hate, Sin, and Purity. Although adultery is condemned and seen
as sin, adultery isn't what Hawthorne focuses on. Through my analysis of the Scarlet Letter I noticed that there were three different types of love. The
act of hatred plays a vile role throughout the novel. Hawthorne uses Pearl as a blatant symbol of purity, from her birth till the end of the novel. As you
will see Love, Hate, Sin, and Purity does play a vital role in this story.
Hester Prynne's love for Roger Chillingworth shall be the first that I will speak on. From the beginning Hester is placed on the scaffold with daughter
Pearl. She is surrounded by the townspeople, and is...show more content...
Hester's love is quickly revealed in the first scaffold scene at the Marketplace. It is then that Hester clutches Pearl in a tight grip, looking at the
townspeople and probably thinking, that Pearl was hers, and that no one was going to harm her. Hester also shows her love for Pearl by dressing her
in the beautiful garments that she would wear daily.
Hester's love for Dimmesdale to me seems so strong that she is willing to bear the consequences of both her and Dimmesdale's actions. She bears her
love for him by wearing the Scarlet Letter openly, while his is hidden, and never gives his name up to anyone, not even to Pearl. I felt so bad for
both Hester and Dimmesdale, because it was Dimmesdale who forced Hester to confess the name of her child's father. She also shows love for
Dimmesdale in Chapter 17, by telling him to move away with her, so that they can start a new life together as a family.
During the novel, Chillingworth's main motive is to get revenge on the man who fathered Pearl. When he finally begins to suspect Dimmesdale as the
father, he uses psychological pressure on Dimmesdale, torturing Dimmesdale while pretending to be of help and a friend. "This man pure as they deem
him, all spiritual as he seems, hath inherited a strong animal nature from his father or mother. Let us dig a little further in the direction of his vein."
(Hawthorne, p.119). This just shows how obsessed Chillingworth is with

Scarlett Letter Essay
The Scarlett Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. This novel holds the genre of a romantic piece portrayed through fiction, in a
historical setting. It takes place in Boston Massachusetts in the middle of the 17th century. This book contains a numerous amount of symbolism,
imagery, allegories, and allusions. Hawthorne introduces us to the prison first because he does not want us to get the idea that this book is going to be
cheerful, someone is going to get shamed. Hester Prynne (main character) gets shamed in front of the whole town while displaying her scarlet letter
"A" for adultery. During her conviction her husband (Robert Chillingworth) returns home after two years, and they have a tense meeting at the prison.
Hester and...show more content...
Nathaniel was an American writer who was born in Salem Massachusetts, with a long New England history. Nathaniel's original name of the family
was Hathorne, he added a "w" to distinguish himself from his family history. His relative was a prominent judge in the Salem witch trials of
1692–1693. Nathaniel grew up from the upbringing of his mother. His father, a sea captain, died of yellow fever in Suriname. His uncle Robert
Manning, help Nathaniel and his mother financially, helping with his college education at Bowdoin College. Hawthorne did not enjoy school even
though he was an avid reader and writer. He was an average student in the class of 1825. After graduation, Hawthorne went back home to Salem. He
spent a lot of time in the local library, learning about his ancestral roots and his Puritan past. During this time of his discovery Hawthorne wrote many
short stories, but they were failed to publish. He married his wife Sophia at her parent's home in Boston during 1842, once married they moved to
Concord, Massachusetts. They rented the Old Manse from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Surrounded in the literary circle and transcendental movement, the
Hawthorne's had big social lives. After Hawthorne's income from publishing short stories, they moved in with Hawthorne's mother in Salem around
1845. Hawthorne took up a job at the Salem Custom House but since Boston had taken much of the seaport business from Salem,

Scarlet Letter Essay
A common theme throughout literature is religion and how the author feels about his or her faith. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses rhetorical devices to draw
comparisons between characters and events in The Scarlet Letter and Biblical figures and accounts. A few of the devices found in this novel that
connect it to the Bible are symbolism, paradox, allusions, and characterization. It is important to first look at the characters and how they are described
through characterization.
The first rhetorical device is characterization. The way the main characters are described by Hawthorne sets up how they will be perceived. It is
through this that we see the first inklings of biblical figures. Biblical characters are seen...show more content...
However, when you examine them in greater depth it becomes apparent that there is more to them than there originally appeared to be. The first is that
of the scarlet letter itself. The "A" was originally intended to show people that the person wearing it was a sinner who had committed adultery.
However, as the novel develops it becomes more of a sign of heaven through the meaning of angel. This is first seen when an "A" appears in the sky
shortly after the death of Governor Winthrop. It is at this time that the townspeople decide this is a sign that Governor Winthrop was a good Christian
who has gone on to a better life. But the townspeople cannot help but realize that this is the same thing which the have made one of their own people,
Hester, wear. Another symbol is found in what is one of Hester's greatest skills. Her ability with a needle to sew and embroider better than anyone
else has a lot more meaning than there appears to be. Hester uses sewing as her outlet when she is condemned by the townspeople, but it is through
her seclusion and the sewing she does during her time alone that strengthens her faith in herself and God, much like Mary did after she first learned of
her pregnancy. This faith proves very helpful to her in more trying times. Yet another symbol is made through the rosebush. The rose bush is a symbol
of sin, and Pearl continues to claim

The Scarlet Letter Essay
The Scarlet Letter Introduction The Scarlet Letter is a classic tale of sin, punishment, and revenge. It was written in 1850 by the famous American
author Nathaniel Hawthorne. It documents the lives of three tragic characters, each of whom suffer greatly because of his or her sins. Shot Plot The
story begins with Hester Prynne, a resident of a small Puritan community, being led from the town jailhouse to a public scaffold where she must stand
for three hours as punishment for adultery. She must also wear a scarlet A on her dress for the rest of her life as part of her punishment. As she is led
to the scaffold, many of the women in the crowd complain that...show more content...
When Chillingworth asks Hester the identity of her lover, she refuses to answer. Because of this, Chillingworth makes her promise never to reveal
that he is her husband. After Hester is released from prison, she goes to live in a small cottage at the edge of town. After a few years, people begin
to notice that her daughter, Pearl, behaves very strangely, and they threaten to take her away from Hester. Hester takes Pearl to Governor Bellingham's
mansion planning to plead for the right to keep her daughter. At the mansion she is met by the governor and his three guests, Reverend Wilson,
Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Reverend Dimmesdale convinces the governor to allow Hester to keep Pearl. Chillingworth, who
has been living with Reverend Dimmesdale since his arrival in town, begins to suspect that Reverend Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl. One evening
while Dimmesdale is sleeping, Chillingworth examines Dimmesdale's chest and finds something which confirms his suspicion. From this moment on,
Chillingworth devotes himself to seeking revenge. One night, Dimmesdale is so tormented by his conscience that he goes and stands on the scaffold
that Hester had stood on seven years earlier. As he is standing there, he sees Hester and Pearl walk by and he calls them onto the scaffold with him.
After he acknowledges his guilt to them, a giant red A

Scarlet Letter Character Analysis Essay
In The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the story revolves around the lives and the events of the following characters: Hester Prynne,
who is the mother of an illegitimate child with the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and is now being outcasted by her Puritan community because of it;
the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale who is the charming minister of 17th century Boston, the father of an illegitimate child and has not had his sin
revealed; then there's Roger Chillingworth who is the estranged husband of Hester Prynne who has given up a life–long pursuit of knowledge in
exchange for one of revenge and evil. All of these main characters are important to the story of the scarlet letter, but the one who arguably has the most
important and...show more content...
Pearl's relevance in the novel could be initially mistaken for nothing more than a side character and a minor detail, but after reading the entire story it
becomes clear just how crucial her role is. Pearl's existence is the sole reason for this story to even exist, for without her existence, there would never
have been any evidence or reason for Hester Prynne to be outed for adultery by her Boston Puritan community. As a result, Arthur Dimmesdale would
have continued to live out the rest of his days as the beloved minister without the overwhelming guilt, and Roger Chillingworth would have most likely
continued to pursue knowledge or Hester Prynne. But, Pearl does exist and so does the story of the scarlet letter, making her the single most important
aspect of the

Scarlet Letter Protagonist Essay
Essay Test: The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" is set in the early days of Puritan America. Hester Prynne, a seamstress, comes to the New World before
her husband in order to prepare a place for them. During his absence, she develops a relationship with Arthur Dimmesdale, a rising minister in the
newly founded Puritan community. Hester becomes pregnant. The novel is widely viewed to be a story about her trials and tribulations; however,
critic Randall Steward argues that, "В…Hester is not the protagonist, the chief actor, and the tragedy of the novel is not her tragedy but Arthur's. He is
the persecuted one, the tempted one. He it was whom the sorrows of death encompassedВ…His public confession is one of...show more content...
...ye that have loved me!В—ye that have deemed me holy!В—behold me here, the one sinner of the world! At last!В—at last!" (p.239) At this moment
Dimmesdale falls to the ground and there he dies having finally cleared his conscience. Dimmesdale is a character that changes quite a bit in the
novel; perhaps even more than Prynne. He is also persecuted and tempted. He also must find a way to live day to day with an enormous guilt that
leads to his death. It is a tremendous oversight to not see that he truly is a protagonist in "The Scarlet Letter" and to not see that he is just as important
of a character as Hester Prynne. Hawthorne wrote "The Scarlet Letter" with two protagonists. Yes, the reader has to look closely to see them, but
once it is realized it actually becomes quite obvious. Those characters are parallel in so many different ways. Randall Steward was correct when he
wrote that Dimmesdale was persecuted and tempted. However, to state that the tragedy did not belong to Hester Prynne at all was too much of a step.
The two of these characters grew as people and they lived the best they could. They certainly are two of the most remembered characters in all of

Essay about The Feminist Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter can easily be seen as an early feminist piece of work. Nathaniel Hawthorne created a story that exemplifies Hester as a strong female
character living with her choices, whether they were good or bad, and also as the protagonist. He also presents the daughter of Hester, Pearl, as an
intelligent female, especially for her age. He goes on to prove man as imperfect through both the characters of Dimmesdale and of Chillingworth. With
the situation that all the characters face, Hawthorne establishes the female as the triumphant one, accomplishing something that, during Nathaniel
Hawthorne's time, authors did not attempt.
In the beginning of the book, Hawthorne paints...show more content...
At first Hester, agrees to Chillingworth's terms to keep his real identity a secret. This in return hurt Dimmesdale, her secret lover. She does not stand
up to Chillingworth out of fear of the chain effect of damage it would cause. Hester says, "I will keep thy secret, as I have his", which in essence
shows her weakness towards a male. Yet, at the end of the book, she recognizes that she must "do what might be in her power for the rescue of the
victim on whom [Chillingworth] had so evidently set his gripe". She comes to the conclusion that hiding Chillingworth's secret does not help
Dimmesdale like she hopes, but in fact, hurts him further. The fact that she realizes this, though, displays her to be an devoted and loyal person. These
qualities display many things a female, main character, in those times, did not have much opportunity to play, especially in the role of which Hester
plays it.
Hester with society also proves to be a strongly feministic aspect of The Scarlet Letter. Hester, as a female sinner, throughout the book, proves not to
be a burden on society. Although she is an outcast, many find it hard to not admire the way she holds herself, especially due to the situation she is in.
The admiration grows as the story continues. At first, the main admiration for Hester is her skill with the needle. Many of the townspeople regard
Hester's work as the latest trend. "Her

Patriarchy In The Scarlet Letter Essay
The Scarlet Letter
Throughout the 19th Century, Feminism was a new revolutionary theory. During this time, many women's right movements were created. Feminism
shows equality for women, but it also highlights the critical factors of being a female. It is much more than trying to prove women are just as good
as men, in the Schmoop Feminist Theory, it states " The focus can be on how women's bodies are digitally altered....how race or sexuality affects
women's lives". This topic has been a controversial topic in society for ages, and the steps to change sexism are just now beginning to be implemented
in the 1800s. There were many ways people conveyed their feelings towards the feminist movements. The influence of women's rights was shown
throughout all of...show more content...
The effect of the female rights movement helped writers change the culture through their books and works. While Hawthorne began writing The
Scarlet Letter, "America was in the midst of a growing feminist movement..." (NPR Article). Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter, was
influenced by the movement and creates "one of the very first female important protagonists" by the name of Hester Prynne. Described as beautiful,
brave, independent, etc., Hester Prynne proves that literary works were being transfigured, and this was very uncommon in the 19th century.
Hawthorne definitely abetted in the revolution of women's roles in literature. The belief of Patriarchy developed and became embedded itself into
Puritan society. This ideology defines the gender roles as 'rigid' , and this prevents people from stepping out of the norm to construct their own path.
Prynne fell under both categories when it came to the patriarchy, because she displays traits and attributes that were composed of of the two parts of
society. In the book, the ideology of patriarchy ''would establish the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual
happiness.''(Hawthorne

Scarlet Letter

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Scarlet Letter