In 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne published, The Scarlet Letter. The novel, set in the Puritan town of Boston, Massachusetts during the mid seventeenth century, follows Hester Prynne, a young puritan woman, who is accused of adultery. When her “crime” is discovered by the town, she is required to wear a scarlet “A” upon her bosom to tell all of her shame. However, Hester does not see her relationship with Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale to be a “crime.” In her mind the real “crime” is her marriage to Roger Chillingworth. Throughout the course of the novel, as truths are revealed around every corner, Hawthorne depicts the hardships of Hester’s marriage and why she fell in love with another. According to Margaret Fuller, Hester’s first marriage is deceptive
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The story begins with Hester standing before the town with her scarlet “A” and her daughter, Pearl, the physical evidence of her “crime.” At this point in time, Hester’s husband has been believed missing and presumed dead for two years. While Hester is willing to face the scorn and punishment of the town, she will not reveal the name of her love and father of Pearl. According to the townsmen, “she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone,” (58). All who see her will see the scarlet A and be reminded of her sin. The townspeople will never want to experience the anguish Hester will constantly be going through. As she stands before the town, with the scarlet A upon her bosom, her husband suddenly appears from out of the forest. Her husband, who is a stranger to everyone in the town, is faced with the undeniable proof of his wife’s betrayal. When she refuses to utter the name of the father, and fellow adulterer, Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, who is later revealed to be the father of Pearl, tells the town of the “wondrous strength and generosity of a woman’s heart! She will not speak!” (63). He is in awe at the strength Hester possesses by staying silent, even as the town and its officials are demanding a name. She is willing to take on all of the scorn and hatred from the town by …show more content…
In most gothic seduction tales, the woman who has relations outside of her marriage ends in not only her death, but the death of her child as well, showing the parent’s sin. The narrator explains that “in giving her, [Pearl], existence, a great law had been broken” (81). The error in this belief is evident in that while Pearl is considered a sin, being born out of wedlock, she does not die at birth and is a healthy child. Pearl is “constantly in motion from morn till sunset.” (90) Pearl is an active child who shows no signs of being sickly. She is well dressed and is described as elf-like. She is intuitive, inquisitive and is always seen running around exploring the area around her. Even when the town leaders discuss taking Pearl away, Hester is still able to retain her daughter. She tells the town leaders “God gave me this child! ... He gave her, in requital of all things else, which ye have taken from me. She is my happiness! – she is my torture, no the less! Pearl keeps me here in life!” (100). Pearl is the physical manifestation and a daily reminder of the love shared between Dimmesdale and Hester. Hester is able to face her sin and still teach Pearl how to be an upstanding
The story begins with Hester standing before the town with her scarlet “A” and her daughter, Pearl, the physical evidence of her “crime.” At this point in time, Hester’s husband has been believed missing and presumed dead for two years. While Hester is willing to face the scorn and punishment of the town, she will not reveal the name of her love and father of Pearl. According to the townsmen, “she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone,” (58). All who see her will see the scarlet A and be reminded of her sin. The townspeople will never want to experience the anguish Hester will constantly be going through. As she stands before the town, with the scarlet A upon her bosom, her husband suddenly appears from out of the forest. Her husband, who is a stranger to everyone in the town, is faced with the undeniable proof of his wife’s betrayal. When she refuses to utter the name of the father, and fellow adulterer, Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, who is later revealed to be the father of Pearl, tells the town of the “wondrous strength and generosity of a woman’s heart! She will not speak!” (63). He is in awe at the strength Hester possesses by staying silent, even as the town and its officials are demanding a name. She is willing to take on all of the scorn and hatred from the town by …show more content…
In most gothic seduction tales, the woman who has relations outside of her marriage ends in not only her death, but the death of her child as well, showing the parent’s sin. The narrator explains that “in giving her, [Pearl], existence, a great law had been broken” (81). The error in this belief is evident in that while Pearl is considered a sin, being born out of wedlock, she does not die at birth and is a healthy child. Pearl is “constantly in motion from morn till sunset.” (90) Pearl is an active child who shows no signs of being sickly. She is well dressed and is described as elf-like. She is intuitive, inquisitive and is always seen running around exploring the area around her. Even when the town leaders discuss taking Pearl away, Hester is still able to retain her daughter. She tells the town leaders “God gave me this child! ... He gave her, in requital of all things else, which ye have taken from me. She is my happiness! – she is my torture, no the less! Pearl keeps me here in life!” (100). Pearl is the physical manifestation and a daily reminder of the love shared between Dimmesdale and Hester. Hester is able to face her sin and still teach Pearl how to be an upstanding