In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of a young puritan woman, Hester Prynne, who commits adultery with a minister and bears a child into a small, judgmental town in the mid-1600s. The character of Hester Prynne changes a considerable amount throughout the novel. Although, three words that would undoubtedly describe her, are courageous, determined, and selfless.
The Scarlet Letter presents a tale of love and betrayal set within the seventeenth century in Puritan, New England. The Puritan community enforces a strict code by which individuals are expected to live by and by which they are judged harshly when they engage in behavior considered immoral. Hester Prynne, a young wife, violates her marriage while her husband is …show more content…
Viewed as an ungodly sinner by her peers, Hester is forced to demonstrate humility by wearing a scarlet letter “A” on her garment at all times. “She will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone” (Hawthorne 1027). As if this is not punishment enough, Hester must endure the humiliation of displaying her iniquities on a platform in the market-place for all of the public to see and ridicule. With her daughter in her arms, Hester walks from her prison cell to the scaffold. She holds her head high, allowing not a single tear to fall from eyes. It is here, that her bravery is exemplified. Hester retains her composure throughout the entire ordeal. She is able to remain calm: “she had fortified herself to encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public” (Hawthorne 1025). Though suffering internally, Hester never complains, quits, or shows any other sign of weakness. The fact that she is able to endure this punishment alone proves the extreme courage that she …show more content…
Often, one envisions a person who is courageous, determined, and selfless; all of these qualities could be attributed to Hester Prynne. Not deterred by danger or fear, Hester holds her head high as she accepts her punishment. She also stands firm in her decision to stay in Massachusetts amongst those who ridicule and shame her. Lastly, Hester demonstrates selflessness through the philanthropic lifestyle she carries, serving those less fortunate than herself. These characteristics make Hester Prynne “an enduring heroine of American Literature”
The Scarlet Letter presents a tale of love and betrayal set within the seventeenth century in Puritan, New England. The Puritan community enforces a strict code by which individuals are expected to live by and by which they are judged harshly when they engage in behavior considered immoral. Hester Prynne, a young wife, violates her marriage while her husband is …show more content…
Viewed as an ungodly sinner by her peers, Hester is forced to demonstrate humility by wearing a scarlet letter “A” on her garment at all times. “She will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone” (Hawthorne 1027). As if this is not punishment enough, Hester must endure the humiliation of displaying her iniquities on a platform in the market-place for all of the public to see and ridicule. With her daughter in her arms, Hester walks from her prison cell to the scaffold. She holds her head high, allowing not a single tear to fall from eyes. It is here, that her bravery is exemplified. Hester retains her composure throughout the entire ordeal. She is able to remain calm: “she had fortified herself to encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public” (Hawthorne 1025). Though suffering internally, Hester never complains, quits, or shows any other sign of weakness. The fact that she is able to endure this punishment alone proves the extreme courage that she …show more content…
Often, one envisions a person who is courageous, determined, and selfless; all of these qualities could be attributed to Hester Prynne. Not deterred by danger or fear, Hester holds her head high as she accepts her punishment. She also stands firm in her decision to stay in Massachusetts amongst those who ridicule and shame her. Lastly, Hester demonstrates selflessness through the philanthropic lifestyle she carries, serving those less fortunate than herself. These characteristics make Hester Prynne “an enduring heroine of American Literature”