Hester Prynne: America’s First Feminist
In the American Puritan society of the 1700s, women are thought of as quiet housewives who are to rely upon their husbands, be Godly, and fear nature. Hester Prynne, the main character of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, is often seen as the first heroine of American Romantic writing. Darrel Abel’s article, Hawthorne’s Hester, analyzes Hester’s character in the novel. Hester’s experiences as a strong single mother and her effective independence even though she is exiled from society because of her adulterous sin are extremely unique to their setting. Hester embodies the manifestation of the Romantic ideals of individualism and feminism. Abel’s essay illustrates how Hester’s abandonment by individuals, Hester’s abandonment by society, and Hester’s changes in character are integral subjects when analyzing Hawthorne’s use of Hester Prynne to convey Romantic ideals.
Hester’s abandonment by individuals greatly affects her character and, therefore, her influence on the novel. Without her utter loneliness she would never blossom into her individual self, for she would …show more content…
Even though our heroine is exiled from everything she has ever known and abandoned by everyone who has ever called her friend, Hester still manages to learn from her experiences and grow in character so that she becomes a moral example of courage, humility, and love. Though Hawthorne is one of the first American authors to confront the issue of feminism, this principle is currently a daily and rarely noticed tenacious struggle for the acceptance of equality and appreciation of women. This central Romantic convention has spread to influence the world and the gender imbalance. As the first feminist character, Hester Prynne’s womanly strength impacts a much larger world that Nathaniel Hawthorne could ever have
In the American Puritan society of the 1700s, women are thought of as quiet housewives who are to rely upon their husbands, be Godly, and fear nature. Hester Prynne, the main character of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, is often seen as the first heroine of American Romantic writing. Darrel Abel’s article, Hawthorne’s Hester, analyzes Hester’s character in the novel. Hester’s experiences as a strong single mother and her effective independence even though she is exiled from society because of her adulterous sin are extremely unique to their setting. Hester embodies the manifestation of the Romantic ideals of individualism and feminism. Abel’s essay illustrates how Hester’s abandonment by individuals, Hester’s abandonment by society, and Hester’s changes in character are integral subjects when analyzing Hawthorne’s use of Hester Prynne to convey Romantic ideals.
Hester’s abandonment by individuals greatly affects her character and, therefore, her influence on the novel. Without her utter loneliness she would never blossom into her individual self, for she would …show more content…
Even though our heroine is exiled from everything she has ever known and abandoned by everyone who has ever called her friend, Hester still manages to learn from her experiences and grow in character so that she becomes a moral example of courage, humility, and love. Though Hawthorne is one of the first American authors to confront the issue of feminism, this principle is currently a daily and rarely noticed tenacious struggle for the acceptance of equality and appreciation of women. This central Romantic convention has spread to influence the world and the gender imbalance. As the first feminist character, Hester Prynne’s womanly strength impacts a much larger world that Nathaniel Hawthorne could ever have