Hester Prynne is the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter. She has an affair in Puritan society that results in a child and being labeled as an adulterer. As she faces punishment, elements of Puritanism are on display. The Scarlet Letter exemplifies Romanticism by showing an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances. Quotes from the novel show Hester's strength and ability to help others despite her punishment.