Hester Prynne

When Hester Prynne goes to Governer Bellingham to beg to be allowed to keep Pearl, he is reluctant at first, until she asks Reverend Dimmesdale to speak on her behalf. At this point in the novel, it has not been revealed that Dimmesdale is Pearl's father, so the reader makes the assumption that when he "came forward, pale, and holding his hand over his heart"(78), he is nervous to speak his opinion because it is delicate subject matter. However, it is revealed at the end of the novel that he…

Hawthorne where the characters Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth, all has sinned due to different reasons and ways, however, Hawthorne depicts Chillingworth as the greatest sinner since his intentions were selfish and he had harmful motives whereas Hester’s and Dimmesdale’s sin was caused by passion and love. The reason I somewhat agree with Hawthorne’s judgment is because of the ways the sins were performed and later dealt with. Throughout the book, Hester is the only…

Pearl was the daughter of Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale, even though Hester was married to Roger Chillingworth at the time. Hester had an affair with Dimmesdale thinking that he husband was not coming to America like he promised. In the Puritan society, Hester was really looked down upon for committing adultery and was made as an example of sin to all woman. In the story, Pearl is used as a symbol to represent the outcome of sin and is a reminder to Hester and Dimmesdale of their sins. When…

persona of pearl II. Body 1 In the beginning the scarlet letter was supposed to mean Hester has committed adultery. Society had set religious standards that did not go with her true feelings at heart. "If thou feelest it to be for thy soul's peace, and that thy earthly punishment will thereby be made more effectual to salvation, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer!" (Hawthorne) Hester would not reveal who she sinned with because she love…

Symbolism plays a key role in many novels to convey a certain purpose and to form the theme. Within the novel The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne must model a scarlet red A on her bust or, in other words, breast. This A means many things throughout the book. Hester Prynne has committed a crime in which her village has strongly been disgusted by. Her punishment affects the entire village in many different ways. The way her child, Pearl, had viewed the letter on Hester’s bosom was definitely not…

1640s and the hypocritical views they have on their community. In the beginning of the novel, Hester Prynne is found guilty of the sin of adultery with an unknown man (later learned to be Arthur Dimmesdale, the priest). At this time an adulterer would generally be to death, however, Hester is spared from such a fate as many believe her husband, Rodger Chillingworth, may be dead. Instead, as punishment Hester is made to stand upon the scaffold for three hours as well as to always wear a scarlet…

to be a symbol of dishonor; however, Hester Prynne turns the meaning around, and it becomes a symbol to distinguish her. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter shows that one should not flee from sin but should take it on directly. Puritans came to the New World to change the rules; however, committing adultery was not one of them and is still looked at as a terrible sin. Adultery is the sin of being unfaithful and cheating on one’s partner. Even though Hester is looked down on by the Puritans…

mysterious secret in their daily lives. Hester and Dimmesdale generated an unthought out situation for their daughter, Pearl, that could have influenced her way of living for the rest of her life, but she turned the situation around and got an exceptional outcome. Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin was made evident through Pearl, but Hawthorne allowed for all three to find redemption: Hester was not ashamed; Dimmesdale confessed; and Pearl was…

the novel, Hawthorne uses the symbols of light and dark to depict good and evil among the characters Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Hester Prynne’s relationship with the sunlight represents her transformation from a sinner, to a good person in society’s eyes. In the beginning of the book, when Pearl tells Hester that the sunlight should be given to her to play with Hester responds, “No, my little Pearl! Thou must gather thine own sunshine. I have none to give thee!”…

their interaction occurred out of wedlock. Hester Prynne, a new member with the unknown whereabouts of her husband, falls in love with a handsome talented reverend named Arthur Dimmesdale. Hester has a child, a product of their love, but receives shamed by the town for having a child out of wedlock and with a man whose identity she willingly kept unknown. This, in a puritan society, called for the worst of punishments unto the sinners. Fortunately for Hester she only needed to wear a scarlet…