“Is there no virtue in this woman!” exclaimed a superannuated man in the crowd (Chapter 2). This unmoral lady being described is Hester Prynne; the woman who wears the scarlet letter across her bosom. Hester, being seen unfit for any means of moral standards, is persecuted and shunned by her municipality for bearing a baby of an unknown man. Although Hester is seen as ungodly towards the beginning, her transformation is profound upon the end. The metamorphosis of Hester Prynne started from a shameful, reckless woman who wears an “A” of ignominy, to a woman with courage, kindness, and faithfulness who embraces the scarlet “A”. In doing so, Hawthorne revealed a thematic truth that humans are not subjected to eternal punishment, but are embraced when conformity is given to moral endeavors.
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Her appearance was denouncing for any woman during this time; thereby leaving the town’s people to only speculate what other morbid action she has committed. As described by one citizen to Chillingworth, “Mistress Hester Prynne and her evil doings. She hath raised a great scandal, I promise you, in godly Master Dimmesdale's Church,” (Chapter 3). The behavior of Hester is savage in context to what she has done. Having an affair in a upheld Puritan community is a sin that is unacceptable. She has contributed sin that was virtually nonexistent to this most pious community. During her public embarrassment, she was pressed by Reverend Wilson in hopes of removing the scarlet letter, “That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast." However, Hester still does not confess to her sins despite the bargain. The adherence to her sin is irking to all people, showing how deep Hester’s shamefacedness goes and how soulless she can be. Hester is currently a character of intense abashment, and sin that runs deep through her
Her appearance was denouncing for any woman during this time; thereby leaving the town’s people to only speculate what other morbid action she has committed. As described by one citizen to Chillingworth, “Mistress Hester Prynne and her evil doings. She hath raised a great scandal, I promise you, in godly Master Dimmesdale's Church,” (Chapter 3). The behavior of Hester is savage in context to what she has done. Having an affair in a upheld Puritan community is a sin that is unacceptable. She has contributed sin that was virtually nonexistent to this most pious community. During her public embarrassment, she was pressed by Reverend Wilson in hopes of removing the scarlet letter, “That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast." However, Hester still does not confess to her sins despite the bargain. The adherence to her sin is irking to all people, showing how deep Hester’s shamefacedness goes and how soulless she can be. Hester is currently a character of intense abashment, and sin that runs deep through her