The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was written in the mid-1800s, a time when the women’s rights movement was just beginning. Women who took part in this movement longed to be viewed as equal to men in the eyes of society, rather than as the subordinate gender, incapable of the successes of men. Some argue that The Scarlet Letter is a proto-feminist novel, a novel that characterizes women as equal to men, because of Hawthorne’s depiction of Hester Prynne, the novel’s protagonist, as a fierce and intelligent women. Although Hawthorne illustrates Hester as strong and independent, he implies that her strength comes at the expense of her femininity, presents her as beautiful only in relation to men, associates outer beauty with femininity,
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For example, when describing Hester’s skill in the craft of needlework, Hawthorne constantly suggests that her skill comes naturally to her because she is a woman. He states, “Women derive a pleasure, incomprehensible to the other sex, from the delicate toil of the needle”, dismissing her skill as an enjoyable hobby. He furthers his devalidation of her needlework when he claims “It was the art--- then, as now, almost the only one within a woman’s grasp--- of needle work”(pg.72). Hawthorne’s misogynistic disapproval of women’s achievements is also prevalent in his description of Hester on the scaffold. He claims Hester “sustained herself as best a woman might, under the heavy weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes” (50). Even though Hester keeps her composure as the subject of verbal attacks inflicted by thousands of members of her community, Hawthorne still undermines her strength, implying that her behavior was impressive for a woman rather than simply impressive. Dismissing female achievements as less profound than male achievements undermines women and their capabilities in general. Until a novel is able to credit a female protagonist's strengths and abilities outside the context of gender, it cannot be considered proto-feminist. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne recognizes some aspects of Hester Prynne’s fierce independence; however, he never fully does so without tying her achievements to her womanhood, or lack thereof. Without giving Hester complete credit for her resilience without relating it to her gender, The Scarlet Letter does not qualify as a proto-feminist
For example, when describing Hester’s skill in the craft of needlework, Hawthorne constantly suggests that her skill comes naturally to her because she is a woman. He states, “Women derive a pleasure, incomprehensible to the other sex, from the delicate toil of the needle”, dismissing her skill as an enjoyable hobby. He furthers his devalidation of her needlework when he claims “It was the art--- then, as now, almost the only one within a woman’s grasp--- of needle work”(pg.72). Hawthorne’s misogynistic disapproval of women’s achievements is also prevalent in his description of Hester on the scaffold. He claims Hester “sustained herself as best a woman might, under the heavy weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes” (50). Even though Hester keeps her composure as the subject of verbal attacks inflicted by thousands of members of her community, Hawthorne still undermines her strength, implying that her behavior was impressive for a woman rather than simply impressive. Dismissing female achievements as less profound than male achievements undermines women and their capabilities in general. Until a novel is able to credit a female protagonist's strengths and abilities outside the context of gender, it cannot be considered proto-feminist. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne recognizes some aspects of Hester Prynne’s fierce independence; however, he never fully does so without tying her achievements to her womanhood, or lack thereof. Without giving Hester complete credit for her resilience without relating it to her gender, The Scarlet Letter does not qualify as a proto-feminist